Business owners have made much progress protecting their premises in the last few years.
They’ve also increased their budget on security systems and other tools that protect them from theft or violence.
However, there are a lot of choices available, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the choices.
In this article, we’ll discuss how you can choose the best surveillance system for your business based on your needs, budget, and goals for the future.
Installation
Installation is one of the essential steps in choosing a security system. When considering a new home security system, you need to consider how much time and money it will take for someone to install it. Some companies won’t charge for installation, but others will charge quite a bit.
You want to avoid problems with installation because it can be expensive and difficult if done incorrectly.
Before signing on with any company, be sure you understand what comes with the package and what doesn’t (such as installation).
Pricing
Before you start negotiating, you must understand that price is only one of the important factors in choosing your surveillance system.
While it is fair to say that you get what you pay for, there are many ways of saving money on a surveillance system without compromising quality.
One way to cut costs is by buying directly from the manufacturer. When buying through an authorized reseller or distributor, your vendor may try to take advantage of their relationship with the manufacturer by charging more than they would if you were buying directly from them.
Another way to save money on your surveillance system is through financing. Many vendors offer payment plans or low-interest loans that can help purchase your new security system more affordable and manageable over time.
If this option isn’t available or doesn’t work with your budget, consider asking if they’ll give any discounts related to purchasing timing (such as floor models) before making a final decision about which vendor and product line will best suit your needs.
Type of camera
When choosing a camera, there are many factors to consider. The most crucial element is to make sure the camera can capture the necessary images, so pay attention to resolution and night vision.
Resolution: This refers to an image’s number of pixels (or dots). The higher the resolution, the sharper and more detailed your picture will be—and the more you’ll be able to zoom into any given area on your surveillance footage.
Night Vision: Cameras with built-in infrared illumination allow them to function in low light conditions or even total darkness—so when bad guys break into your home at two o’clock in the morning while you’re sleeping soundly upstairs with nothing but a lock on your front door between you and danger, they won’t escape detection thanks solely due being filmed by infrared cameras.
Other features worth considering include motion detection
Type of storage
You’ll need to decide whether you want internal or external storage. Internal storage is built into the camera and cannot be changed.
It’s a good option if you’re permanently installing your cameras in one place, but not ideal for a mobile surveillance system.
External storage is separate from the camera and serves as an extension of its memory capacity. External storage can be any device with enough space for storing video footage: network attached storage (NAS), USB drives, hard drives—you name it.
The benefit of using external storage over internal storage is that an image can easily be copied onto another device.
This makes sharing footage between multiple users easier than having everyone share access to just one piece of equipment.
Amount of storage
One of the essential factors to consider when choosing your surveillance system is how much storage space you need.
The amount of storage depends on what kind of business you have, as well as how many cameras you want to use.
A less expensive model with less storage capacity will suffice if you have a small business or home with only a few cameras.
Customization
You can customize the system to fit your needs. The most important thing to remember is that you should be able to add additional cameras as your needs change.
If you have one camera now but later decide it would be helpful to monitor a few more areas of your home, you’ll need a system that allows for expansion, or you can always start with an extra camera when you purchase the system.
After that, there are several other ways that you can customize a surveillance system:
You can customize it so that different cameras monitor certain areas (such as one camera for each room).
You can customize it so that different cameras monitor different things (such as the front door with one camera and the windows with another).
You can customize it so that certain people are monitored by different cameras (such as monitoring children at play while leaving adult activity undetected).
And finally, if you want something even more customized than this—like motion detection zones where specific types of activity trigger alerts—then buy smart security cameras instead.
Features
Motion detection: A feature that detects any movement in the camera’s field of view and triggers a recording session automatically.
Video analytics: A feature that analyzes captured footage for abnormalities or patterns, such as people walking on a particular path or vehicles entering and exiting a specific area.
Audio capture: The ability to listen in on conversations or sounds from an area monitored by the camera(s).
Traffic monitoring: The ability to track traffic flow and alert you if there is an incident on your roads or parking lot. This could include accidents, heavy traffic flow during rush hour, etc.
Alarm system integration: Ability to integrate your security systems with cameras so they can send notifications and trigger alerts when anything happens within their range of coverage (e.g., motion detection sensors tripped).
Camera types (indoor vs. outdoor): Indoor cameras are typically smaller versions of outdoor ones meant for indoor use only (as opposed to being mounted outdoors).
Areas of the business that need protection
A few coffee cups and a sign that says “open”? Or the jingling sounds of coins as they drop into a money box?
If your business is anything like mine, it’s probably full of people—not just customers. You’ll also have employees and contractors who come in and out regularly.
To make sure your business is protected (and so you don’t have to worry about security), here are some areas where cameras should be installed:
- Areas with high traffic (the lobby, entranceway, parking lots)
- Areas with high value (storage rooms or vaults)
- Areas with high risk (anywhere vulnerable to theft or vandalism)
- Area’s housing sensitive information (HR office)
Choosing a surveillance system is more complex than it seems.
Choosing a surveillance system is more complex than it seems. You need to know what you need, what you are paying for, and what you are getting.
You also need to know how to utilize the system once installed and maintain it to continue working correctly. Here are some ideas on how to choose the right type of surveillance system for your needs:
Ask yourself if there is any reason why someone would want to break into your home or business. For example: Are there valuable items such as jewelry or computers inside? Do you reside in a neighborhood with a criminal history?
If so, then go ahead and get yourself some security cameras! The first thing that comes from buying cameras is protection from theft because these devices cannot be removed without being noticed by neighbors or employees on-site at all times (if necessary).
It’s also crucial during this step because camera systems can be programmed using different modes, such as scheduled mode only works when no one else is around, while live feeds allow anyone who wants real-time access anytime, day or night 24 hours per day, seven days per week including holidays throughout America today!
Conclusion
After reading this article, you better understand all the factors in choosing a surveillance system.
This will enable you to choose one for your company with greater knowledge. We hope it’s useful.
