Retail crime is on the rise. From smash-and-grab ploys to flash-mob moments, retailers are facing a risk of theft like never before.
Newark-based National Retail Solutions, a national point-of-sale network and payment processing service for independent retailers, feels it can help.
NRS has introduced the Panic Alarm Button — a silent button on a retailer’s POS touch screen that will enable the retailer to contact the police in times of trouble.
The button is available to anyone, but it is aimed specifically at independent groceries, convenience stores and bodegas.
Here’s how it works:
About NRS
Newark-based National Retail Solutions is a leading provider of intuitive point-of-sale systems, custom-built for independent retailers across the U.S. The NRS POS network spans over 18,000 stores nationwide.
Ranked No. 1 POS for Small and Midsized Businesses by Information Age Magazine, the NRS POS system is a retail ecosystem that aims to helps small business owners organize their stores, attract customers and increase revenue.
By holding the button for a predetermined point of time, the police will be alerted and the register will open. The button will not make a noise.
NRS has released the button as a complimentary point-of-sale add-on for all NRS customers, free for one year. The pilot program, which began in New Jersey and New York City, expands throughout the U.S. later this year.
NRS founder and CEO Elie Katz said the button is an unfortunate necessity — but one his company is eager to provide.
“We strive to present the most innovative technologies to help protect the safety and well-being of our retailers, their staff and store patrons,” he said.
“The uptick in crimes at bodegas in New York and New Jersey is unacceptable, and we at NRS cannot sit back while our customers are expected to put themselves in harm’s way at work without adequate safety measures.”
