A surveillance system at your company property is more than just a case of “any camera is better than no camera.” It should properly address your areas of concern – high-traffic areas, or areas of high-value inventory, for example – with appropriate features.
However, Brandon Etheridge, a senior closed-circuit television technician with Rhode Island Telephone, says cameras do have limits.
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PBN: How common are business security cameras?
ETHERIDGE: In the United States, roughly 70% of businesses have security cameras, and at Rhode Island Telephone, about 75% of our customers have surveillance systems. A recent Bloomberg Business study of the effects of surveillance at 392 restaurants showed that where surveillance cameras were in place and operational, businesses saw a 22% drop in theft, and a 7% increase in profits.
Security cameras positioned throughout a business help to prevent crimes and break-ins. Businesses are four times more likely to be burglarized as a home would be. Most businesses could benefit from having a system in place. Even if you have one or two employees, you likely have information or property that is valuable to a thief, or you have property on which you want to keep a watchful eye on while you’re out of the office.
PBN: What is the range in terms of how basic and how high-tech security cameras can get?
ETHERIDGE: There are many different types of cameras and features. You’ll first have to decide if a wired or wireless system is right for your business, and where you want to place the cameras. This can impact the types of features to consider. From there, you can filter through different brands and styles, but you can get as high-tech as you want. You can have cameras that provide facial recognition, follow people or cars, track and store license plates, zoom in on objects – and the list goes on. One of the most important features to consider is resolution. Even if you have a basic camera system, you should have a camera that captures as much detail as possible.
PBN: What features would be needed for a business’s inventory warehouse camera, as opposed to a small-business’s parking lot?
ETHERIDGE: A warehouse and parking lot are two very different spaces within your business. One of the reasons why professional installation is so important is to ensure camera placement and customization fits the needs of your business.
Your warehouse may have large square footage and need more cameras, but only one of the areas is highly trafficked. In a high-traffic zone, you may want your camera to follow people or record their faces for easy identification, while a less-trafficked area may only need a high-resolution camera.
Parking-lot cameras should have night-vision capability, and you might want to consider track and follow features with the ability to store license plates and vehicle descriptions.
PBN: What do you find to be something many business owners commonly don’t know about security cameras?
ETHERIDGE: Especially in the case of wired camera systems, you should not install these yourself! Wiring requires a licensed professional. We’ve gotten called in after an attempt to install wiring has gone wrong, and the structure or existing wiring has been compromised, resulting in thousands of dollars in damage. You can’t put cameras up anywhere; professionals will help locate the best placement to avoid blind-spot areas and be able to detect obstacles.
Another important thing that many business owners don’t know is that insurance companies may provide you with a discounted rate on your policy if you have a surveillance system installed. Cameras can also help protect a business from liability lawsuits by providing proof. You should consider all these things when choosing a system.
PBN: Have security cameras become replacements for security guards at many companies?
ETHERIDGE: A camera system does not replace security guards. It adds an additional tool to assist them in their duties. This helps them oversee activities on the business property and allows them to have a quicker response to a potentially dangerous or damaging situation. While some cameras can be operated remotely, most will only provide you with a recording of an event.
Susan Shalhoub is a PBN contributing writer.
