The security of your business relies heavily on choosing the right security camera and alarm system. Such systems can identify employee theft, shoplifters, and protect the business after hours if a break-in occurs. The camera aspect can identify a person who has committed a crime on the property, which is important for ensuring justice is served so the offending party doesn’t offend again.
It’s obvious there are many benefits, but choosing the right system isn’t always cut and dry. You have to look at your needs, the flexibility and scalability of the different systems, and even the technology so you can find the system that will give you everything your business needs. The following are some tips that can help you make this very important decision.
Choosing the Right Security Camera System
The security camera aspect of your security system needs to possess certain features that make it easy to review footage, watch a live feed, and see the faces of people caught on the camera (since analog cameras can be very grainy). Those features include:
· Ease of operation – Your installer should be able to quickly show you how to use your system and/or give you the support that you need when you have a question or issue. You will need to be made familiar with the settings and how to operate them. There may be somewhat of a learning curve, but supporting documentation is provided.
· Feed access – When you want to access your feed, you need to be able to access it. Remote access is ideal because it means you can view the feed from anywhere. This means acquiring a system that can be accessed over Wi-Fi.
· Storage – Local storage or storage on a cloud is ideal. You want to be able to store in more than one place, so both local and remote storage is best because you know all data is being backed up.
· Automatic feed backup – The feed needs to be backed up automatically since you can’t monitor the feed non-stop. The surveillance system that you have installed should automatically save your footage so you can go back to it later when needed.
· Video quality – Video quality is extremely important. Without good video quality, it is difficult to see what is on the recording. Many burglars and shoplifters haven’t been caught because the footage wasn’t clear enough. High frame rate and high resolution are how you get good quality. The resolution should be at least 720p high definition. The real-time frame rate should be no less than 30 frames per second.
· Scalability – You want to ensure you choose a system that can expand. You may need a security system of a considerable size if you have a large business. How many cameras you need in your network is entirely up to you and your security needs.
· Video analytics – This is something you get with an internet protocol (IP) camera. Analog doesn’t offer the ability to receive mobile notifications, automatic recording, or the ability to set flag events.
· Indoor and outdoor options – You may want to expand your video surveillance to areas other than the inside. The outside can be a great place for surveillance so you can monitor the entire property.
· Audio capabilities – If audio is important to you, be sure to specify this. Audio doesn’t come on all security cameras.
Commercial security cameras are great assets to your business. Not only do they protect against theft, but they also monitor activities throughout the day. The footage can identify areas where you can improve employee workflow and efficiency, as well as identify what really happened when an accident occurs in the establishment. These accidents can relate to potential workers’ compensation claims or customer accidents.
Tips for Choosing the Right Commercial Security System
When choosing the right security system to go along with your video surveillance, you need a system that can offer you many benefits. Today, security systems can detect fire, carbon monoxide, and even flooding. They are very advanced at letting business owners and business managers know when something is happening at the business during and after business hours.
Here are the steps for choosing the right commercial security alarm:
1. Determine what you need based on the nature of your business, the number of entryways, specific cases or areas you need to be protected, and the types of protections you want (i.e., fire and carbon monoxide).
2. Evaluate your monitoring options. It is best for you to have 24/7 monitoring so that the authorities can be immediately notified when the alarm has been triggered. Monitoring is connected through a hard phone line or wireless connection. You also want to be able to monitor the system remotely. If the alarm is triggered, you can be notified on your smartphone.
3. Look at your budget. When doing this, it isn’t necessarily about lower cost. Instead, it is about the value you are getting for the money. The cost of a break-in can be very expensive and so can the compromised safety of everyone within the business. This is something to consider when evaluating cost versus need.
4. Ask about access codes to ensure individual employees can use arming and disarming codes. This allows you to identify who armed and disarmed the system.
5. You may want to consider wireless sensors in some areas of the business. For instance, there may be a high voltage area in your warehouse that employees, vendors, and others accessing the area need to access. To keep them safe and you free from liability, wireless motion sensors can alert when someone enters the restricted area.
You can review your options with the security company to ensure you are getting everything that you need. You don’t want to short yourself and find out later that you could have avoided a very costly or devastating situation with the proper security. A professional installer, like Specialty Alarm Engineering, can look at the different points around your business and make recommendations that can help you make an informed decision about what is best for your business.
To make your business safer contact Specialty Alarm Engineering here.