Importance of CCTV Cameras

The importance of surveillance cameras in business cannot be understated in the current social climate as its fundamentally important to ensure the overall safety of your possessions and the individuals working for you. As a business, it is justifiable to worry about the physical health of your employees and your office property, especially if you have a small or medium-scale outfit.

CCTV monitoring is one of the most common forms of surveillance available today. There are more than 25 million operational CCTV cameras globally, and experts believe that around 67% of the burglaries taking place in businesses could be avoided by installing real-time security measures such as CCTV monitoring.

Whether your business consists of commercial properties such as office buildings or retail outlets, a careful consideration of integrated and expansive security solutions is a must. Cameras equipped with CCTVs are not only easy to maintain and conspicuous in their absence from the public eye but are also much more cost-effective than many other security solutions. CCTV cameras can be placed in a location of your own choosing, and do not require extensive modifications to your existing infrastructure. While there are many CCTV camera systems you can choose from, some of the main things to keep in mind include the resolution, sharpness, angle of coverage, and availability of Infrared (for night time), amongst others. It is also important to understand that although CCTV cameras are primarily installed for video surveillance and to discourage thieves and other criminal activity, they can also help to improve the efficiency and productivity level of your employees.

At the same time, while there are many advantages of installing video surveillance systems, you need to consider the existing surveillance laws in your state and country before implementing a CCTV monitoring system throughout your business premise. Privacy violation is a capital concern in these times, and any misuse can land you in court, or worse still, hamper your brand's public image. So make sure you consider all the aspects of installing CCTV cameras while keeping an eye to federal laws.

Reasons why you should opt for CCTV Monitoring

1. Reduce Cost and Risk: CCTV security systems prove themselves as the best investment as soon as they are installed. Full view of your premises and real-time recording as well as remote online access by owner/manager lowers the risk and prevents costly incidents such as burglary, fire, vandalism, etc.

2. Prevent and Deter Crime: Criminals target buildings and facilities when they see there is no monitoring or watchdog. The very presence of CCTV cameras on an installation is enough to deter potential criminals and prevent their action at the outset. Similarly, by the sight of a safety hazard, employees can take the necessary action to reduce the risk and alleviate the source in the shortest possible times.

3. Fool-Proof Coverage: A well-designed CCTV infrastructure is practically impenetrable and can provide 100% coverage. Multiple cameras keeping an eye on each other's blind spots in addition to keeping an eye on the most vulnerable areas of the property, full monitoring is not hampered by human errors such as the guard being on shut-eye or being busy with something else. Remote online access as well as recording of the events documents everything should it be needed by the police or judge.

4. Keep Your Employees Honest and improves productivity: If you own a restaurant or have a retail business or even a factory, better employee efficiency should be a major reason behind selecting CCTV surveillance as your security measure of choice. It has been proven that employees tend to work the hardest when being monitored with CCTV cameras. Electronic surveillance of employees also ensures your floor manager get more time to work on the critical aspects of their work rather than focusing their entire attention on monitoring people.

5. Encourages Good Behavior: CCTV cameras help in creating discipline among employees and customers alike. CCTV cameras encourage employees and buyers to be on their best behavior alike. It also gives customers a sense of security and safety as they know they are protected and gives them confidence in doing business with you.

6. Prevent Safety Incidents: CCTV cameras can be installed in high-risk areas of a business facility or establishment. These high-risk and accident-prone areas include locations where fires can break out as well as locations where a potential danger to the building and personnel exist. Properly selected cameras can prevent potential damage because emergency measures can be taken immediately with careful monitoring.

7. Assist Law Enforcement: CCTV recording of the scene of the crime, allow law enforcement agencies to use the footage and release photos and videos of the culprits to the public. A picture or a video record of the suspect can make a huge difference when it comes to making an arrest and getting dangerous criminals off the street.

8. Put a Stop to Sexual Harassment: Sexual harassment in the workplace is an ongoing issue in many countries, despite the stringent regulations in place. Installing CCTV cameras can not only serve as a strict deterrent and provide your employees a safer place to work, but also ensure any such reprehensible activities are caught in the act. In court, such CCTV footage can also help you formulate the correct response in case of litigation.

9. Resolve Internal Business Disputes: No matter the scale of your business or the office space you cover, disputes are bound to occur. These disputes could be between employees and managers, between employees and you, or even to the employees themselves. Usually, in such cases, you will need to figure out exactly what went wrong before things get out of hand. A surveillance camera can provide ample proof in such cases to solve the incident by providing a fair resolution.

10. Real-time Video Surveillance: One of the main business benefits of video surveillance is the real-time footage available as and when required for business owners. Such commercial video surveillance methods traditionally used to require you to hire an extra person to keep an eye on all real-time footage while remaining on premise. But today, with technological advancements, such monitoring can be easily conducted from a remote computer, mobile phones or tablets. It is even possible to view the real-time footage from separate cameras in a single window while ensuring all the cameras are recording the output.

11. Monitor High-risk Areas: If you own a factory or deal with dangerous chemicals or goods, then you are bound to have several high-risk areas within your premises where human thoroughfare is extremely limited. At the same time, placing CCTV cameras within such locations not only cuts the risk of having someone physically watch over such dangerous areas, but also allow you to see the place in real-time. CCTV cameras can also be placed in accident-prone areas so that life-saving measures can immediately be put into effect in case of a mishap.