How Parking Lot Security Cameras Improve Retail Customer Experience

From the moment a customer enters our parking lot, to the moment they leave, every step, interaction, and their surroundings contribute to their overall experience.

You may think in-store experience is the only element you need to consider, but you’ll be surprised at the impact poor parking lot security has on this.

If customers experience vehicle damage or theft during their visit to your parking lots, what do you think the likelihood will be that they wish to return? Or if they feel unsafe or unwelcomed?

Find Out 9 Ways You Can Improve Your Parking Lot’s Safety

What Are the Security Risks of Retail Parking Lots?

For retail store parking lots, there are various risks presented towards shoppers and their vehicles, including:

• Personal property theft
• Vehicle theft 
• Vandalism 
• Violent crimes such as, assault, carjackings, and armed robbery
• Car accidents

Your retail store is rarely likely to be involved directly in parking lot crimes, frequent occurrences of this or even one-offs can lead customers in fear and deter them from visiting in future. 

Further to this, incidents can create reputational damage to other individuals who have not visited previously and prevent them from using your retail store in the first place.

How Can Retailers Improve Parking Lot Security?

The question then arises: How can businesses achieve an optimal level of security that instills customer confidence without creating an unwelcoming atmosphere?

Surprisingly, a significant part of this balance can be achieved in the often-overlooked parking lot.

While the parking lot may seem like an unlikely starting point for enhancing your customer’s experience, it is the entry point to your store or business.

Therefore, the parking lot plays a pivotal role in shaping customers' initial and final impressions of a business.

But how do you defend and secure a place that is typically wide open, often with no fencing, and is easily accessible at all times of the day?

What Security Options are Available for Parking Lots?

There are several options available, including security guards, fencing, and mobile surveillance cameras.

However, gauging which security measure or overall approach is most suitable for your retail store parking lot will depend on a multitude of factors. Considerations such as, budget, parking lot layout, and the most-likely crime types you’ll face, all contribute to the final decision.

Most retail stores have traditionally used security guards, however, as much as they provide good in-store security, parking lots span across much larger spaces and are trickier to manage with this method.

They are high-cost and can present several challenges with reliability, performance, and an inability to be in more than one place at a time.

Perimeter fencing, on the other hand, is not a suitable method for parking lots in most instances. Typically, they create boundaries and are more beneficial to other industries such as construction jobsites.

Not all fencing is fitted with an alert system if breached and there is little to no defense against preventing crime. 

Also parking lots need to remain accessible and by utilizing perimeter fencing you could be minimizing or restricting this for shoppers and employees.

Therefore, due to their flexible, yet high-quality service, mobile surveillance systems are considered to be the most effective security measure for boosting parking lot security.

Why Are Surveillance Cameras Like LotGuard Effective Security Systems?

Surveillance cameras, such as the LotGuard PRO Solar Surveillance Trailers, are a fresh approach to securing expansive retail parking lots while ensuring customer convenience. 

This fully-managed surveillance solution offers a proactive and reactive approach to security that shakes up the traditional conventions of security cameras.

A LotGuard unit can be fitted with up to 4 infrared PTZ tech cameras that have zoom in capabilities. This provides complete coverage of parking areas, allowing for the accurate identification of potential threats, and ensures proactive intruder deterrence - even at night.

Backed by remote monitoring services, all our products utilize security experts who help to assess incidents and threats successfully, so that you can focus on protecting your parking lot from other challenges.

Crime often takes place under cover, in blind spots, and at night, but the LotGuard Surveillance Trailers can be strategically placed to strip offenders of this concealment. 

Standing at 20-foot tall, they not only provide high-quality live security monitoring and recording for evidential purposes, but they also act as a visible criminal deterrent. 

Easy targets are attractive to thieves and the presence of a LotGuard PRO aims to create a strong security presence that combats this and prevents crime happening in the first place.

Our surveillance trailers also use cellular connectivity and solar power which provides them with complete power autonomy. 

This was specifically designed to improve parking lot security as it ensures that they can remain mobile, therefore if you need to move them, you can do so yourself and we can support with the configuration of this.

We understand that a security presence can be overwhelming, intimidating, and scary for customers, however, our Surveillance Trailers do not hurt customers’ experiences. 

Taking up only one parking bay, shoppers can situate vehicles alongside our systems, as such integrating them into the everyday to provide shoppers with reassurance instead of fear. 

LotGuard: Your Complete Parking Lot Security Solution

In conclusion, enhancing the customer experience goes beyond the interactions within a store or business.

It starts in your parking lot, where customers' initial impressions are formed.

By utilizing the benefits of LotGuard, businesses can create safer and more welcoming environments, ultimately enhancing the overall customer experience.

Speak to One of Our Parking Lot Security Experts Today