Video Surveillance: The Saving Grace of All Businesses
Everybody knows the value of video surveillance. In the case of car accidents, it is always useful to have some form of video evidence at hand, just in case the other party (or parties) decide to shy away from their responsibilities. In fact, it is not uncommon for car owners to have video surveillance equipment installed in every which direction inside the car — you can never be too careful, it seems!
However, when it comes to video surveillance for your business, some owners, especially those that operate out of commercial properties, tend to rely on the building management’s security system rather than taking things into their own hands. After all, since there are already surveillance cameras pointed at the front and back doors of your business, why spend the extra money on even more cameras?
The fact of the matter is that video surveillance offers a number of benefits to the everyday business owner beyond just crime deterrence. Let’s examine the many ways that even basic video surveillance system may benefit the business as a whole.
1. Loss Prevention
We begin with the obvious: theft. Placing security cameras throughout a business can help prevent anything from petty crimes (such as vandalisms) to serious break-ins. However, video surveillance can also prevent crimes from within. For businesses that carry sensitive information, for example, placing surveillance around restricted zones may help to boost security and safeguard the company’s assets. Canon’s VB-R11 security cameras, for example, have built-in intelligent monitoring system, which automatically alerts possible intrusion and track targeted subjects around your premises. Another model, the VB-M50B, even comes with infrared capabilities, which means that footage can be shot in low-light or no-light environments.
2. A Safer Environment
Protecting your business is just as important as protecting your employees. If you are running a business in a factory environment, safety is more important than ever. Video surveillance plays a big role in that because you are able to monitor workflow (either delayed or in real time) and spot safety lapses along the way. In a laboratory setting, for example, video surveillance will be able to tell you if your employees are wearing the right safety gears or following protocols when management — that’s you — is not around.
3. Frivolous Lawsuits
The vast majority of employees will not do this, but there is a small possibility that some of them may bring fraudulent lawsuits to the company. Security cameras, then, are the best deterrents against these types of false accusations. Sometimes, disagreements or even physical altercations between employees may also be settled via video footage, thus protecting yourself and the business.
4. Improved Customer Service
If you are in the retail business and have a team of customer-facing employees, having video surveillance is a great way to improve customer service experience. If you as an employer would like to check out how your frontline service staff are doing at the moment, security cameras like Canon’s VB-H651V allows you to view live video via a browser anytime, anywhere. Instead of seeing this as 24/7 monitoring, see it as a way to improve training for current and future employees.
At the end of the day, no matter the kind of surveillance you decide to employ, it all comes down to safety, security and accountability. Having those elements of your business down pat means that you can focus your attention on everything else.
The Best of Both Worlds
A basic surveillance system will allow you to achieve most of the abovementioned benefits. However, for a wider, more comprehensive network of surveillance solutions, you want the hardware and software solutions to work together.
As such, Canon is proud to be working with Milestone, a software company that specialises in analytics and video management — the software to our hardware solutions.
What does this mean for you as a business owner? In short, aside from the superior hardware capabilities of Canon’s video surveillance equipment, we now have access to Milestone’s software innovations, such as queue detection, people counting and facial recognition technology.
To find out how these solutions can be tailored to you, whether you are in the retail or commercial business sector, keep the upcoming Milestone Seminar (2 September 2016) on your radar. Business leaders and keynote speakers from Canon Singapore and Milestone will be attending the event to share best practices and perform live demonstrations of their products and services. There are even opportunities to win attractive lucky draw prizes at the very end, so watch out for that!
To register, please send your name, company, contact details and the name of your Canon Singapore Sales Representative to thinkbig@canon.com.sg.
Date: 2 September 2016
Time: 930am to 430pm
Venue: Sheraton Towers Singapore