When it comes to protecting the security of your business, contemporary technologies and video surveillance systems are hard to beat. There are many different reasons to consider this type of protection for your organization, and new innovations in digital video are making it easier than ever.
What are Digital Video Surveillance Systems?
Traditional analog security cameras take a captured image and broadcast the image out. They rely on something else to receive the image. While analog cameras are less expensive and have a great range, they typically are not as smart as their digital counterparts when it comes to analyzing images, and although their resolution has vastly improved in recent years, the technology is regarded to be inferior to digital models.
Digital or IP cameras do not “broadcast” the image, rather the receiver must have the correct credentials to see the video. Instead of storing the video on another device, the recording capability was moved inside the camera. Many people use an NVR (Network Video Recorder) which has the credentials to record the video of multiple cameras. This makes the system simple to manage. Digital cameras have seen consistent improvement in quality and price over the last few years. Their resolution is exceptionally high and their analytics far exceed analog – but they will cost you more, and their transmission distance may be more limited than an analog camera, which can be wired over long distances.
Digital cameras are considered to be the future of video surveillance and most future innovation is e4xpected to be in this area.
Why Should You Consider Installing Video Surveillance Systems?
- Reduce Theft: According to studies, the average small business suffers approximately $50,000 in losses each year due to theft. Overall, the cost of this theft across companies in the United States is a staggering $400 billion per year. The presence of security cameras is a deterrent in and of itself, but they can also be invaluable in identifying and apprehending the offenders. Video surveillance systems often provide the needed evidence for investigators if a crime should occur.
- Neighborhood Watch: Similar to how a home security system serves as a deterrent to burglars, criminals will often pass on trying to enter a building with security cameras. Therefore, the mere presence of the camera is often enough to protect you. This sometimes leads business owners to grow complacent about turning the cameras on, or storing the footage. However, security camera footage has often been found to capture valuable information regarding crimes occurring in the vicinity (for instance, recording a criminal walking across the street on his way to rob a store) and are therefore instrumental in community crime prevention as well.
- Real Time Monitoring of Employees: While some are resistant to having their employees under constant surveillance, it can provide a boost to productivity and employee accountability. On a more positive note, being able to monitor different parts of the business at any given time can improve communication and productivity across departments.
- Disputes and Lawsuits: Unfortunately, disputes happen. When an altercation occurs between an employee and a customer, video surveillance systems can help you to ascertain what really happened – and protect you from lawsuits. As many these days carry cell phones and video tape encounters, having your own record of the events can prove if a video was edited or altered in order to harm you. Video surveillance systems can also resolve disputes between management and employees within the organization.
If you have been considering digital video surveillance systems and are wondering how they will fit into your overall disaster recovery and cyber security plans, call the experts at Alliance IT. We are here to help you to protect Sarasota area businesses from all threats – internal and external.
