Security and surveillance systems for businesses come with many options, and not all of them are right for every business. One of the options business owners face is whether a cloud-based system is best. When considering cloud based security options, think about long-term security goals as well as modern security threats such as internal crime like employee theft, and external threats from today’s sophisticated criminals.

Access control and video surveillance technologies are rapidly evolving, largely due to wireless and cloud-based capacities. But why should a business consider a cloud-based system? Here are just a few of the important advantages of cloud-based access control and video surveillance.

Manage Multiple Sites

Having a cloud-based security infrastructure means you can expand to multiple locations and manage each of them remotely from one platform. This means you can manage video surveillance and physical security for hundreds of locations—viewing live video, locking doors, granting or suspending access, and monitor activity logs all from your mobile phone or tablet no matter where you are.

Increased Flexibility

With increased wireless capabilities, securing doors, elevators, entrances, and exits is uninhibited. This provides the possibility of unlimited coverage and control with faster, less disruptive installations.

Remote Management

Cloud-based access control and video surveillance allows the user or administrator to view, control, and manage security remotely from their smartphone, tablet, or desktop. This means that you can respond to security needs real time, receive security alerts, and ensure that safety and procedural practices are upheld all from a mobile application.

Monitor Live Stream Video

The ability to have a wide view of activity even when you are not in the facility provides a huge advantage in monitoring the lobby, sales floor, POS, or stockrooms.

Improved System Health

Cloud-based systems also provide advantage in keeping your security system in optimum working health with automatic system updates, and cyber resilience and requiring minimal IT support.

Customized Security Reports

Another huge advantage is the ability to customize security reports with rules based email and texts. Depending on your needs, rules based texts can alert you to suspicious activity such as increased traffic by loading and unloading docks for example.

Centralize and Simplify Facility Security Operations

The advanced features offered by cloud-based security systems reduces the complexity of implementation and operation while reducing risk.

Security solutions should do more than provide security. They should also enhance your business operations by providing invaluable business insight and unlimited management capabilities. Security Instrument Corp. customizes the right system for your concerns, whether you’re the owner of a small business or Security Director of a Fortune 500 company.

As you might imagine, there are many things both business and residential customers fail to factor into their security and automation decisions. After all, we know our own areas of expertise and for many, security technologies are just not on the radar. Just like in any area of business or technology, it is usually what we don’t know that can cause the most problems.

Surprise! It isn’t About Technology

While there is a wealth of information needed to make educated decisions about a security system, much of the information that can help make a decision is available through (copious) product spec research. A professional technician is also a great resource for information that can help lead to wise decisions.

Most Never Think of This

Many security and automation buys are based on one thing—the cost. Usually, customers base a decision on the lowest price for what they believe comparable goods. What they fail to factor in is what those prices mean for them long-term. The price for any goods and service is based on many things and, of course, the cheaper the price the more corners that need to be cut in order for the business to be profitable. In the automation and security industry, there are some critical places that are usually the victim of cuts including the quality of product and service. When you are talking about something as critical as safety, any cut is a cut too many.

The Intrinsic Factor

Sometimes a higher price is just that—a higher price. Other times, a slightly higher upfront cost may mean something else, and something beneficial. Most consumers think of product to product price comparisons. In the security industry, there are other very serious factors that play a role in the cost of a system and services. In addition to the quality of product, there are other things that play a role such as having or not having things like:

  • Multiple locations
  • In-house CAD department
  • Multiple service vehicles
  • Dedicated IT staff
  • Owning and operating its own UL Listed, Mutual Approved Central Station for monitoring
  • Factory trained installation specialists
  • Swift response times
  • Fully accessible support

It Matters More Than We Realize

The service and support surrounding home and business security is just as important as the quality of product and not factoring in service offerings is one of the biggest mistakes security and automation customers make.

Unfortunately, security customers often buy a product without giving consideration to the service. This is a huge problem because unlike many other common products the level of effectiveness, down time, service wait times all seriously impact usefulness, and ultimately the cost of having a security or automation system.

Security Instrument Corp. is committed to integrity and responsible business practices and invests in strengthening its capacity to serve clients with excellence.

Security is one of the top considerations for any business. Why? Crime has the power to take down any business and criminals are expert at what they do, and get away with it at alarming rates. While it is impossible to prevent every crime, it is possible to understand common gaps in retail security and how criminals exploit them.

Each year business owners face increasingly sophisticated criminals who prey on surprisingly common retail security vulnerabilities. Here are the top five vulnerabilities and how to solve them.

Employee Theft

Unfortunately, employee theft is an issue for every retail establishment. Annually, employees steal $50 billion from their employers and 70% of those polled admit to having stolen from their employers at least once. Shockingly, employee theft plays a role in one third of all business bankruptcies.

Burglary and Robbery

A burglary happens every four minutes somewhere in the US and in the retail sector causes significant loss. While large retail establishments can absorb some loss, it’s not without a cost that is usually passed on to the consumer. Smaller businesses are less able to recover and often never do. In addition to loss, these crimes put the lives of your employees and customers at risk.

False Liability Claims

There are many people looking to make money dishonestly through fraud and willing to put your business at risk to do it. Many of those faking injury, usually a slip and fall injury, are so exceptional at what they do that it is difficult to prove fraud without the right tools in place.

Fire

Fire and other disasters have a devastating impact on a business. Some disasters are out of your control, but others are preventable. In either case, it is possible to save lives and minimize damage.

Vandalism

Vandalism may seem like a small problem compared to the others, but not when you put it into right perspective. Every act of vandalism encourages another and essentially marks your business as an easy target for other crimes.

Protecting Your Business from the Top Five Crimes

Knowing the common vulnerabilities is not enough to protect your business. Here are some practical and strategic solutions you can implement quickly, easily, and affordably.

Keep:

  • Entry ways and parking lots well-lit
  • Landscaping low
  • Security cameras focused on registers, stock rooms, and other important areas.
  • Recorded video for at least 30 days

Use:

  • Security cameras both indoors and outside
  • A motion intrusion alarm system
  • Fencing
  • Panic buttons
  • Deadbolt locks on exterior doors
  • An access control system
  • A monitored fire and environmental alarm system

Security Instrument offers a full line of services from professionally engineered system designs and turnkey installation services to 24 hour system monitoring.

It is easy to understand why someone would want to own property in Delaware and just as easy to understand why it draws so many vacationers. Delaware is blessed by geography with rolling hills, lush wooded areas, and coastal expanses. It has the perfect mix for adventure and relaxation, which makes it the perfect place to own a vacation home. That does not mean that it comes without some effort, however. Owning a vacation rental property is its own small business, and sometimes owning that business can feel like a monumental task. Caring for a property when you are not always on-site is tricky, yet it is important to ensure the safety and comfort of your guests by keeping the home safe and preventing problems.

Use this list of security essentials to help you keep your guests safe and manage your property.

Get to Know the Neighbors

It may seem simple, and it is, but having a relationship with your neighbors is essential when it comes to vacation home security. Neighbors can keep an eye on the property and inform you of any problems.

Pro Tip: Work with a security company that understands the special needs of the vacation home market and utilize features that help secure the property without infringing on privacy.

Never Provide a Clear View into the Home

Avoid giving potential burglars a clear view into the home by leaving curtains open, especially for long periods when the house is unoccupied.

Orient the Guest to Security

Provide clear instructions to your guests about security.  Include positive reasons to follow the instructions such as keeping their security code private ensures that no one else can come in while they are off on an adventure.

Opt in to Smart Locks

Smart locks remove the hassle from passing around keys and increase visitor safety. By using smart locks, you can provide long-term access to someone like a neighbor or property manager, or short-term to guests.

Install a Video Doorbell

A video doorbell is another smart security feature for vacation homes. This feature serves as a crime deterrence and provides the owner greater oversight when the property is empty.

Add Motion Activated and Smart Lights

Motion activated lighting is a great convenience to guests who are not as familiar to the home. If the guest gets up or comes back after dark, they do not have to fumble looking for a light switch. Smart lighting is helpful, too, in making the home look occupied at all times as well as helping minimize electricity bills.

Add a Security Alarm System

Some vacation home owners feel hesitant about installing a home security system because they fear it may give visitors the wrong impression. Security systems can be a huge advantage to guests and an owner, however. Work with a security company that understands the special needs of the vacation home market and utilize features that help secure the property without infringing on privacy. Consider adding things that help both you and the renter, such as:

  • Outdoor security cameras and remote monitoring
  • Smart locks
  • Smoke/ fire/ carbon monoxide detectors
  • Temperature monitoring
  • Flood detection
  • Generator supervision
  • Z-wave home control

About Security Instrument

Security Instrument is Delaware’s largest full-service independently-owned security firm serving thousands of customers throughout Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland. We understand the needs and challenges of vacation home ownership and work with clients to accommodate their schedules for installation and service.

Delaware has a lot to offer and in the summer months, the state swells with vacationers looking to escape the hustle and bustle of Washington, DC and other nearby areas. If you own a vacation home, the season probably brings to mind home security and ensuring your guests feel protected. In addition to being an important rental attraction, home security and home automation can serve you and your vacation home all year.

Protecting Guests and Providing Convenience

One of the most important factors in having a rental home is making it as attractive as possible to potential renters and increased safety and convenience top the list of desirable features. Simple niceties such as having the lights come on when motion is detected can make a renter’s visit memorable when it comes to planning their next visit. Conveying the appearance of a well-secured property not only tells potential criminals that the home is not an easy target, it tells renters that you pay attention to details and care about their wellbeing.

Pro Tip: Simple niceties such as having the lights come on when motion is detected can make a renter’s visit memorable when it comes to planning their next visit.

 

Increasing Security is For You, Too

Burglars target vacation homes frequently because these homes are often unoccupied for extended periods of time. While they may not contain the types and quantity of items of a fully occupied home, burglars know that it still contains plenty of valuables they can turn for a quick and easy buck.

Home security systems make vacation properties less attractive to thieves, some polls reveal by up to 60%.  Of course, when those homes are occupied they are even less attractive. Smart home technologies address security needs on both fronts and keep away troublemakers by making the home look occupied. Using Z-Wave technology to set up customized lighting scenes, to turn on, dim, and turn off lights at varied intervals owners can make it look like someone is in the home.

Security Systems Also Provide Weekday and Off-Season Oversight

Having a vacation home can be a source of enjoyment, but worrying about the property when you are away can steal the joy. This is because so many things can go wrong in the blink of an eye and since you are not at the property you may not be aware of a problem in enough time to correct it before it causes major and costly damage. That is enough to cause anyone stress.

Fortunately, there are smart affordable solutions that keep homeowners in the know, 24/7. The ability to check-in on the home at will with remote video is a huge benefit, so you know the status of the home and any activity. As the seasons change, there are additional benefits that can alert you to problems and protect your home from common damage causing problems, such as leaks and frozen pipes. Features like flood detection, temperature monitoring, and generator supervision address many of the issues vacation homeowners face.

About Security Instrument

Security Instrument is Delaware’s largest full-service independently-owned security firm serving thousands of customers throughout Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland. We understand the needs and challenges of vacation home ownership and work with clients to accommodate their schedules for installation and service.

Whether you are upgrading an existing system or installing a new one, the effectiveness of your access control system will depend greatly on the preparation you do before installation in evaluating the environment, materials and circumstance as well as knowing how you will use it in the immediate and projected future.

Avoiding Extra Cost, and Headaches

As a business, you want to delegate your electronic security budget wisely and have components that are well-designed, and expertly fit to your specific objectives. That requires a bit more effort than a plug-and-play system. The good news is that if you ask yourself some simple questions, you can identify your real needs and communicate them to your commercial security company and the technician. If you have trouble nailing it down, don’t worry. A professional security integrator can help you sort out your needs and explain the various access control technology options.

Top Questions to Ask Before Installing Access Control

Here are the top questions to help you find solutions that are right for your business and facility.

Why Do You Need Access Control?

  • Do you need to increase safety by controlling entrances and exits?
  • Do you need to avoid replacing keys or rekeying locks?
  • Do you have a high employee turnover rate?
  • Is it important to know who is on the premises at all times?
  • Do you need to make certain areas off limits or accessible only to some?
  • Is it important to protect products, supplies, or equipment?
  • Do you need to closely restrict or monitor access at all times?

Should Your Access Control System Include Biometrics?

  • Are there areas you need to know when it was accessed and by whom?
  • Do you need to make certain areas off limits?

Should Your System Include the Perimeter of the Property?

  • Is it important to restrict access to more than just the exterior structure?
  • Are you wanting to prevent vandalism?
  • Do you have outdoor storage areas that need protection from theft?

Should You Have Layers of Access Control?

  • Are there other areas that need to be restricted to the public but accessible to most employees?
  • Do you need to restrict some areas to only upper-level management?

What Features Will Benefit Your Business?

  • Proximity (touchless)
  • Biometrics
  • Remote smartphone control
  • Key fobs or cards
  • Keypads
  • Scalability
  • Integration with video surveillance systems
  • Tied to other smart devices such as occupancy sensors or temperature detectors

Whether the focus is on tighter cash or inventory controls, theft detection and deterrence, or improved labor management, access control and integrated solutions from Security Instrument positively impact retail operations. Contact us today to learn more. 

About Security Instrument

Never compromise your security. Always use professionally designed and installed access control systems, specifically designed your needs. Security Instrument Corp serves thousands of retail customers throughout DE, MD, NJ, and PA with advanced security solutions for storefronts and small business owners.