Security cameras and more sophisticated surveillance systems are part of many brick-and-mortar stores today, but are they right for your business? You might wonder if they are worth the investment. Find out the top 10 benefits to determine whether to add them to your shop or another type of business location.
1. Improve General Safety
Security measures, such as surveillance cameras, have the potential to improve the safety of the public and your employees. While you hope it will never happen, vandalism and other types of violence may occur in the future and, if it does, details are captured on the cameras.
Furthermore, simply having these cameras can help the public feel safer about going to your business location, particularly if you are open late or are in a neighborhood that has recently experienced crime. Without the cameras, you might be losing potential customers and not even realize it.
2. Deter Criminals
Given that businesses experience a greater number of robberies than homes nationally keeping your guard up is important. Someone with ill intent might consider burglarizing your shop but then see you have a security surveillance system and decide against it.
This criminal might only select businesses that are free of surveillance so that they have less chance of getting caught. Make it harder for them to get away with it, and they might not even try in the first place. That’s especially true if there is another business that has no cameras and seems easier for them to break into now.
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3. Improve Outside Security
If you are a larger organization, then you likely have a parking lot. If so, installing surveillance security cameras to watch the lot and the outside of the building can protect customers directly and indirectly.
These cameras can record any suspicious activity that happens. As well, security offers can monitor the cameras to keep customers and staff safe when going to and from their vehicles.
4. Reduce Vandalism-Related Costs
When the property is damaged, it hurts business in many ways. It can limit the goods and services available to locals, as well as requiring you to repair it if you don’t have the proper insurance.
Plus, vandalism disrupts business operations, which can lose the enterprise sales during the slowdown. There is also a lot of effort and time that must be taken to resume normal activities following vandalism, whether it is broken glass, a graffiti tag, or something else. When cameras are in place, they can reduce the threat of destruction at a business.
5. Feeling of Peace
As a business owner, you might wonder what is going on at your storefront when you are not there. With real-time monitoring, you can ask authorized employees what is happening around the business property once the security cameras are in place.
Being able to know that the site is secure, even when you’re not there can provide you with peace of mind. Being able to have this feature 24/7 can eliminate security-related worries for you.
6. It’s a Scalable Security Solution
As your business grows, you might extend the building or start multiple store locations. If so, it is easy to add more surveillance cameras to the existing system.
Simply let your provider know that you want to add more cameras. It is a cost-effective solution, and they can help you determine how to angle the cameras and set up the settings you prefer.
7. Smooth Installation
When you choose Low Voltage Contractors, the installation of low voltage cabling is a smooth, straightforward process. Maintain a system that does not use a large amount of electricity to improve communication and help your business.
While you may not be familiar with wiring, these contractors are specialists in the area and will ensure you have dependable low-voltage cabling. When installing a new surveillance system, be sure to contact them.
8. Monitor Interactions with Your Customers
You might use video surveillance to keep track of your customers. For instance, if someone wants to make a return for a high-priced item but doesn’t have the receipt, you could determine when they were originally in the store.
Or, if a complaint is made about one of your employees, determine the time it occurred and watch the video footage to decide how to respond to the situation. See daily store activities whenever you want to determine when are the busiest times of the day, when a problem customer was in the store, or another incident.
9. Help Monitor Workflow
You can’t be on location all the time, so how can you be sure that your employees are always on task? To help you understand which staff members are checking their phones instead of working, consider installing surveillance cameras.
While this is not a theft of material goods, it is time theft. They are being paid to work, not to browse social media or have personal chats for long stretches of time.
If you see that employees are not working efficiently, then you can start to look at how to improve daily operations. You might also speak with a certain employee who is abusing company time.
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10. Deter Employee Theft
The cameras can also deter employees from stealing from your business, which sadly is a reality. Employers can be taken by surprise when they learn that members of their team are less-than-trustworthy.
While there is no single way to respond to that news, there is a way to get evidence that it is happening. That is by using video surveillance and catching employees stealing from cash registers or taking goods they’re not authorized to take home.
If they deny your accusation, you have the proof of their actions on video. You are protecting your business by installing cameras inside and outside of the premises.
How to Choose a Security Surveillance System
For a small business, the most suitable choice is the one that fits within your budget and suits your needs. To narrow down the choices within your budget, determine if you need both outdoor and indoor cameras.
Then, look at the quality of the video. Ideally, it is HD quality so that any suspicious persons can be identified by your team and, if necessary, by police. If it is too fuzzy to tell, then that reduces its effectiveness.
Generally, internet protocol (IP) cameras are better than the traditional analog counterparts. IP cameras have a better resolution for clear image quality, as well as having other features not available with analog, including:
- Mobile notifications
- Configuration to flag certain events
- One-touch connection to police
On a related note, some cameras have a feature that sends an alert when there is a break-in. If you want to be notified as soon as this type of event happens, then look for a security surveillance system that offers this ability.
Also, ask the prospective provider how the cameras work. Are they motion-activated or do they film all the time? The question that follows from that one is how much file storage the system has available in it.
Asking yourself the questions above will help you determine which security surveillance system is right for your business.
Part of a Comprehensive Security System
While you have many tasks as a business owner, from marketing to growth strategies, never let security fall by the wayside. It is imperative for your organization’s success. Protect your assets, as well as your team and customers, all without being intrusive.
In addition to using quality cameras, you can do other things to improve on-site security. For example, upgrade locks on outside doors and windows.
Other suggestions are:
- Create a response plan in case of a break-in
- Set up building checks at the start and end of the day
- Regulate who has access to the building
Access control systems eliminate worries about lost or duplicated keys that present a security risk to your business. This type of card or fob system can also reduce internal theft as employees know their actions are trackable.
Commercial gates with an access control system are another option. They provide an extra layer of protection, whether it’s swing gates, sliding gates, or another design.
These are all smart solutions for business owners to take for the sake of their business. Being secure and productive are necessary for the organization’s survival, and many things can be automated to save you precious time in the workday.
Conclusions on Security Surveillance Systems for Business Use
Rather than assuming your business will never be burglarized or the victim of a different crime, plan in case it happens. Taking steps now to safeguard the safety of your employees, customers, and material possessions by installing a security surveillance system is important.
It is a cost-effective investment with several benefits, including minimizing financial hardship and stress by reducing thefts. When put this way, it is not an unnecessary expense. Instead, it is useful for businesses for a long time to come.
Take some stress off your shoulders by using smart security systems inside and outside the premises. They capture important details that can help your business in many ways.
