Do I Need Video Surveillance Equipment? Advice for the Small Business Owner
Posted on Tue, Dec 21, 2010
If you own your own business, you've spent time and money developing your product or service, marketing and advertising it, and hiring qualified employees. But how much thought and expense have you put into protecting your ideas, your property, and your staff? Have you evaluated the potential for theft or other crimes at your location? Have you considered what security breaches might cost your company?
No matter what business you're in, your assets are worth protecting. Possible threats include thieves, vandals, shoplifters, and even dishonest employees. Hiring private security personnel is one option, but may not make sense for you, either practically or financially. However, video surveillance equipment provides a valuable and affordable strategy for monitoring your business.
What can video surveillance systems do?
Video surveillance equipment serves several purposes. One is to catch crimes or security breaches as they occur. An obvious advantage of this type of surveillance is it greatly increases your chances of stopping perpetrators before you suffer permanent loss. A second function is to deter theft or other intrusion. If employees and would-be shoplifters know they're being monitored, they are far less likely to try to steal from you. Some surveillance camera systems also allow you to keep a record of events should one be needed by the police or in court.
What kinds of video surveillance equipment are out there?
Many types of video surveillance systems are now available. Depending on your needs, you'll find a variety of cameras, such as wireless, night-vision/infrared, and weatherproof; digital video recorders (DVRs), including multi-channel, motion-activated, and pocket DVRs; time-lapse VCRs; remote monitoring systems; and more.
What parts of my property are most vulnerable?
Which locations on your property would benefit from added protection? Certainly if you're a retailer, you'll want to keep a close watch on your cash register area – both during and after hours. To deter and/or catch shoplifters, monitor retail areas with visible cameras. If you store inventory in a warehouse, consider installing a surveillance system there as well. In any business, it's important to have petty cash boxes and safes covered at all times. You may also find it valuable to place surveillance equipment any place important or confidential documents are stored, such as your office.
Relative to what your business is worth, a video surveillance system is a small investment – preventing one theft of property or propriety information will likely save you far more than the price of your equipment. And it's worth knowing you're doing everything you can to keep your ingenuity, property, and personnel as safe as they deserve to be.
