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You’ve worked hard to get your business where it is today. Whether you’re the founder or another invested employee, no one wants to see their hard-earned assets stolen or damaged. There is so much important data and other information that is crucial to your business; in this technological age, too many people focus solely on the protection of this digital data (finances, passwords, sensitive documents) and they fail to take steps in protecting their physical assets. The security of your commercial building is very important to the success of your business and the well-being of your employees. Once you’ve made the decision to implement a security camera system for your commercial building, it can be tricky to figure out what you need.
Every company’s building is different, so there is no single perfect equipment package. However, when your team starts the search for a new surveillance system, there are a few things to be looking for. First on your list should be image quality. A camera won’t do you much good if you can’t decipher what it’s seeing. Depending on your space, you may also want a camera with good night recording capabilities (especially if you plan on monitoring an outside area). Sound capturing and motion sensing are other potentially desirable qualities to look for in your new system.
Location, location, location. Having a state of the art surveillance system is useless if the cameras aren’t utilized to their fullest potential. Placement of your security cameras is the single most important consideration you can make. The number of security cameras you need for your commercial building will likely vary based on the type of business you own. Establishments that specialize in luxury items, for instance, have a higher demand for good security. Other locales such as office space may require less stringent measures. Start by identifying the areas of your space that need the most protection. Here are some of the most common:
a. Entrances/Exits
Monitoring the entrances to your building is the top security priority. Doing so allows you to monitor everyone coming in and out, which can aid in identifying any suspicious characters. Businesses that are open to customers will find this camera placement useful for flagging shifty shoppers upon arrival, or even helping law enforcement to find them later on should they be identified too late. Something else you may not have considered about entry cameras is the message they send: “This establishment takes security seriously.”
b. Valuables
Obviously, objects of value are what will attract most unsavory activity. Most seasoned burglars know the best areas of your commercial building to visit when looking for pricey assets – these are the areas to cover with security cameras. For many businesses, this could include warehouses, safes, product shelves, or merchandise cases. Not only could a security camera help ward off outside theft, but it could also aid in catching employee theft that may not have been caught otherwise.
c. Delivery Bays
If your commercial building is equipped with a delivery bay or loading dock, this is an ideal place to install a security camera. These spaces have your product neat, packaged and ready to go – and are unfortunately a hotspot for thieves (and phony worker’s comp claims). Loading docks are likely pretty far out of your field of view, so having cameras here gives you peace of mind.
d. Areas Where Money is Exchanged
This one is a biggie, especially for commercial buildings with a retail aspect. The exchange of money can take place in a number of different areas, but cash registers are the most common. They are a popular choice for robbers because of the speed of theft and untraceable simplicity of the prize. Covering registers with security cameras can help your company identify culprits, and can even prevent crimes from occurring in the first place. For many years it’s been common practice to mount cameras in a high, inconspicuous place. Consider, however, placing a camera down lower in case the individual is wearing a hood or some other attempt to hide their features.
e. Isolated Areas
It sounds strange initially to add security measures to low-traffic areas, but doing so can help keep you and your employees safe. Secluded areas of your commercial building are prime areas for various forms of harassment and assaults to take place. Some examples of these spaces include alleys, windowless rooms, hallways, back porches, and parking lots. Placing cameras in your parking lot can even help cut down on car break-ins (which your staff will appreciate) and other forms of vandalism. Surveillance in these areas wards away potential offenders and makes all corners of your workplace safer.
f. Secured Areas
Odds are that your building has sections that are restricted to certain credentialed individuals. Whether it’s an “Employees Only” area or a space with a keypad or card reader is required, you want to know when unwelcome characters are somewhere they shouldn’t be. Catching trespassers quickly using security cameras keeps the situation from progressing into something more sinister. Businesses with highly restricted areas may even want to consider installing security cameras with a live feed in order to monitor the doors and halls in real time.
Having an adequate number of security cameras is important, but you should also be conscious of optimizing their potential. For example, if you have several entries/exits near each other, a single strategically-positioned camera can cover multiple targets at once. Consider, as well, the lighting situation. Cameras pointing at bright lights have a tendency to produce “washed-out” footage.
As the proprietor of your business, you can’t have your eyes on everything at all times. Installing a good surveillance system will save you money as well as a lot of stress by cutting down on theft and other unfortunate happenings. All commercial buildings should be equipped with a good surveillance system and top-quality security cameras in order to maximize your company’s efficiency and peace of mind.
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