Closed-circuit television (CCTV) systems allow you to monitor your premises to keep your staff, assets, and customers safe. Without one, your business is at risk of various crimes. A thief, for example, could steal your stock, and you’d have little evidence that the crime was done if you hadn’t placed any security cameras within your store.
Stopping thieves isn’t the only way CCTV systems help your business, though. Learn about their benefits by reading on.
Crime Deterrent
The primary and most obvious benefit to a CCTV system is its ability to deter crime. Ideally, you want to stop crimes from happening on your premises before they even happen, and placing security cameras within it is one of the best ways to keep criminals out. Thieves and trespassers are much less likely to attempt a crime if they know they’re likely to get caught.
Evidence
CCTVs aren’t foolproof measures against crime. Some may still attempt a criminal act or vandalize your property. However, if a crime does occur, a CCTV system will collect evidence and help you bring the criminal to justice. They provide crucial details, including the location, time, the items stolen, and can greatly narrow down the list of suspects.
CCTV footage can also be evidence against false public liability claims. If someone gets injured in an accident within your premises, for example, a video can prove that the accident was staged or that the injured person was responsible for the accident taking place.
Peace of Mind
Constantly watching everything happening in your business is stressful and lowers your and your employees’ productivity. With CCTV cameras, you can leave your premises or employees alone for set periods of time to attend a meeting or do other business activities.
It also helps you check in on your staff. While you should trust them to act professionally at all times and foster good interpersonal relationships, there’s always a chance of misbehavior or misunderstandings. You can refer to the CCTV footage to make a judgment call.
Keep in mind that surveillance laws differ slightly between jurisdictions, and some require you to explicitly inform employees that surveillance devices are being used. Regardless of what the law states, it’s in your best interest that they know the devices are there to help them feel safe and also deter employee crimes.
Improve Customer Experience
Your customers will have a better shopping experience when you strategically mount security cameras where everyone can see them. They’ll feel safer, and you won’t have to monitor them as much for suspicious behavior, letting you focus on helping them instead.
Record-Keeping
CCTV cameras can help you keep track of deliveries and when staff and visitors enter or leave the premises. Even with tools to aid you, it’s still possible for inventory mistakes to happen due to human error and cause you to miss sales and lose customers. A CCTV system can be used to double-check facts by allowing you to go back to footage of certain times of the day.
Monitor Authorized and Unauthorized Areas
You have areas that are unavailable to the public, of course, but you might also have areas you want only certain employees to have access to. For example, you might want only those in managerial positions and above to get access to a room for data security purposes. With a CCTV system, you’ll be able to assign different employee security levels and control access to certain areas.
Faster Response from Authorities
CCTV cameras can be combined with motion detectors. If the trespasser were to trigger them, a security alarm would go off and immediately notify authorities. This increases the chance that the perpetrator will be caught and minimizes any potential damage.
Businesses without a commercial CCTV system are at greater risk as criminals will have more time to manipulate the situation to their advantage. If your staff was held at gunpoint, they likely wouldn’t be able to call for help. Burglars that infiltrate your property during off-hours would be able to get away easier.
However, if you have a CCTV system in place, the alarm can alert the authorities by itself. The police’s response time can mean the difference between successfully keeping your employees and assets safe during critical situations.
Discounts on Insurance Premiums
Businesses with commercial CCTV systems are able to avail discounts from insurance companies. This is because security systems lower the risk that these businesses will need to issue insurance claims. Thus, insurance companies offer lower premiums, allowing you to save money as long as you have a CCTV system in place.
Consult Perimeter Alarm Specialists
SMS Security will keep your business safe from harm with our commercial CCTV security systems. We’re licensed, fully insured, and offer high-quality North American and European products at competitive prices.
To get a free quote, call us at 08 6220 7551, email us at quotes@smssecurity.com.au, or fill out our contact form.
