Camera Surveillance Systems Are For More Than Security

Camera surveillance systems were traditionally deployed for security purposes.

Today, surveillance systems are used for so much more than just security. 

Advancements such as remote viewing through the internet, high-resolution cameras, and long term storage with rapid playback have provided many additional benefits.

These include benefits in:

● Legal liability
● Operations
● HR
● Safety
● Marketing and sales

In this article, we will take you through a brief description of how a surveillance system can lead to improvements in each of these areas.

Legal Liability

Unfortunately, we live in a world where some may choose to take advantage of businesses by filing false claims related to damages.

Today’s security cameras are installed to prevent liability as much as to provide security. Professional video footage of an incident provides almost irrefutable evidence. Legal issues are resolved quickly and smoothly based on this clear evidence.

This has come to benefit our customers in many cases where they were not at fault.
For example, in a retail environment, one of our customers was falsely accused of providing unsafe conditions, which led to a customer slipping and falling. In this case, however, video footage conclusively proved that the individual had opened and poured out the soda that they then (intentionally) slipped on. Having full coverage of the area where the incident occurred and providing it to local law enforcement turned the situation from legal liability to one where charges were issued to the individual.

In condominium corporations, cameras in common areas such as hallways, party rooms, and amenities allow the to charge any damage caused back to the specific resident responsible.
In buildings with high Airbnb use, we recommend providing full coverage of common elements, including all hallways, elevators, and stairwells. If a temporary guest causes any damages to common elements, they can be traced back to the unit they are staying in.

Operations

Camera systems allow you to keep your eyes on what is happening 24/7. Checking in on the status of snow removal or garbage pickup becomes as easy as opening an app. If you missed the event itself, you could rewind the footage to verify.

Using manufacturing and warehousing as an example, you can easily confirm that equipment and people are working as they should. You can also track shipments and confirm what was packed on which truck, especially useful for 24 hour or multi-site operations.

Human Resources

Although not the primary intent of cameras, they can often boost productivity and reduce tardiness in employees. It usually doesn’t matter whether you actively check the footage or not, when someone feels like there is a small chance of being watched, they are more likely to act responsibly and remain accountable for their actions.

Safety

Within a more traditional manufacturing or warehouse environment, cameras encourage all workers to follow safety precautions in place properly.

Knowing that their activities are being recorded ensures these safety measures are not skipped. Employees know that if they do not do their part, they can be held responsible for their negligence. Furthermore, it provides opportunities to review near misses or injuries to determine the root cause.

Cameras provide additional safety not just for you but for your employees as well. One of our customers was able to utilize a camera surveillance system we installed for them to protect their workers better when an issue occurred on a production line.

In this case, an employee had been accused of unsafe actions. It was believed the employee’s negligence had caused material to dangerously fly off a piece of equipment. However, after reviewing the video, it was clear that the employee was working safely. In fact, a defect in the machine created the problem. Were it not for their surveillance system, management would not have been able to address the exact problem (in this case, a defect in the machine), and take the proper actions to protect their workers.

Sales & Marketing Technology

We are seeing a massive boom in security cameras being used to collect data related to sales and marketing. Analytics can be loaded onto cameras to capture metrics such as how many people enter a store each day. Heat mapping analytics can be used to see if particular in-store items are attracting more attention than others.

In some cases, high-resolution cameras also allow for video streaming to potential customers across the web. For example, to provide a live view of a resort so that customers can see current weather conditions.

Conclusion

When considering cameras for your business, remember that they provide multiple benefits in addition to security. If you are thinking about installing a new camera surveillance system, reach out to Square Security here or call 416-460-7218, and we can help make sure the proposed system provides your business with maximum overall value.

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