Booming Franchise Market: SKS Launches “AI Smart Store Manager”
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Addressing Labor Shortages and Rising Costs with AI-Powered Security, Video Analytics and Operational Data
【Taipei, October 2, 2026】 Labor shortages and rising minimum wages have driven up labor costs, creating growing challenges for chain stores in both opening new locations and managing daily operations. Shin Kong Security Co., Ltd. (SKS), which serves nearly 20,000 chain-store customers, has observed through years of frontline service experience that store management needs have evolved beyond traditional security protection to encompass the comprehensive management of people, operations, equipment and the store environment. At the 2026 Taiwan Franchise Fair, The company introduced the SKS AI Smart Store Manager, leveraging AI, video analytics and data analysis to help operators move beyond simply “watching over their stores” toward gaining a deeper understanding of their operations.
At the 2026 Taiwan Franchise Fair, SKS showcased smart store solutions focused on key aspects of store operations, including security, customer management and operational management. Demonstrated AI applications included returning-customer recognition, theft detection, human detection and behavior recognition. By automatically consolidating information, analyzing data and generating reports, operators can gain an overview of operations across different stores and time periods without having to check each location individually. AI analysis and automated alerts also help operators identify anomalies and important operational signals in real time, gradually shifting store management from relying on manual inspections and store manager reports toward data-assisted decision-making.
Our SKS SPACES one-stop management solution integrates video surveillance, access control, cloud management and remote control technologies to provide real-time visibility into store spaces and equipment. For example, alerts can be issued when abnormal refrigerator temperatures are detected or when freezer doors are not properly closed, helping reduce risks related to product storage and food safety. During early-morning or late-night deliveries, store owners can also remotely control rolling doors, reducing unnecessary travel and waiting time for personnel. By integrating AI video recognition, environmental monitoring and equipment control, store management can move beyond simply responding to problems after they occur to identifying anomalies in advance and taking timely action.
SKS noted that when discussing store management, business owners have traditionally focused primarily on theft prevention. For new franchisees with limited store management experience, however, easy-to-use and intuitive digital tools that help them understand store conditions and make quick decisions can serve as a more practical management partner. Based on this insight, The company launched the SKS AI Smart Store Manager, which consolidates video and information generated through daily store operations and uses AI analysis to transform them into actionable insights that operators can quickly understand, assess and act upon. This enables franchisees not only to know whether their business is performing well, but also to better understand why it is performing well and where adjustments may be needed.
Amid the growing trend toward smart retail, SKS is also continuing to expand its ecosystem of partners. By combining its core services in security, surveillance and smart security with solutions from partners such as POS providers, the company offers flexible implementation options tailored to different store types, sizes and stages of development. Moving beyond its traditional role of protecting stores to also managing stores, SKS is gradually building a one-stop smart-store service framework covering security, operations, equipment and data. This expansion from security protection to smart operations enables SKS to support chain brands and franchisees in developing more efficient approaches to store management.