Business surveillance cameras are an investment in your business where the return on investment may be hard to measure. But because they are becoming more affordable for the small business owner, more small businesses can have this added layer of security. There are several reasons why a business owner would want to install a surveillance camera system, but the top two are to deter customer theft and to encourage employee productivity.
The main advantage of having a surveillance camera system at your business is to deter theft and other criminal acts. If a criminal thinks he is being watched, he is less likely to attempt a petty (or not-so-petty) theft. In some cases, business surveillance cameras can help bring down the costs of insurance, as they are considered an extra security measure.
Another advantage to installing business surveillance cameras is to encourage employee productivity and to discourage theft by employees. When installed and used within legal boundaries, a business surveillance system discourages employees from breaking rules. For example, a security guard may be less likely to abandon his post, or a risky new-hire may be less inclined to steal from the cash register if there are cameras recording everything.
The best way to install a business security system is to only buy the surveillance camera systems that are available off-the-shelf. You’d be surprised how many choices there are. Choosing a modular system that can be easily upgraded is another way to save costs on the front end. You don’t always have to install a dozen high-resolution video recorders and capture round-the-clock security footage. Some small businesses have their sole business surveillance camera aimed at the front door, and some may have two cameras: one aimed at the front door and the other aimed at the cash register.
Not that many years ago, CCTV surveillance systems used VHS tape recorders to store security footage, but with digital video recorders (DVRs), the options are not only less expensive, but more efficient, and they do away with bulky video tapes. Digital video recorders not only record at higher resolution, they can be programmed to record at certain time intervals, or to record only when motion is detected. Compared to the cost of having security personnel, business surveillance cameras are far less expensive in the long run.
While some businesses outsource the monitoring of the security cameras, others set up a wireless link so that the owners themselves (or designated employees) can monitor the camera feeds at any time over the internet. Feeds can be viewed over a laptop, a remote desktop computer, or even a smart phone. Police can then be summoned if something suspicious is discovered.
Logitech (makers of mouses and computer peripherals) is one manufacturer of off-the-shelf business surveillance cameras that install easily without running cables or drilling holes in walls. These wireless security cameras are popular in restaurants and convenience markets where they can be trained on the door where deliveries take place, the cash register, and the front door. Anyone working in an office in the back can keep an eye on the video on a PC or laptop to see when customers walk in. Some of the types of businesses that use off-the-shelf business surveillance systems include professional offices, small markets, small retail businesses, mall kiosks, and restaurants.
Many business owners are surprised to learn just how many types of surveillance camera systems are available. There are choices with regard to resolution, color versus black and white, infrared night vision, and low-light recording. Hidden cameras are quite popular for obvious reasons, and today’s cameras are tiny enough to be hidden just about anywhere and blend right into the surroundings. Because the camera isn’t visible, however, it won’t deter customer theft, but it will record any suspicious activities.
Image quality with business surveillance cameras is measured as resolution, given as a number of TV lines. Standard resolution cameras usually have 350 to 380 lines of resolution on a screen. While this is reasonably clear, a resolution of 400 or more lines will make details clearer. High resolution is anything over 500 television lines.
Though most people automatically assume that color surveillance cameras are preferable to black and white, it isn’t always the case. While color images are easier to see, black and white cameras have better sensitivity in low light conditions. For businesses where it may be necessary to record in low light, but not in complete darkness, black and white cameras may be the best choice.
The lens on a surveillance camera affects image quality as well. Most professional-level security cameras have a box body and lenses that can be changed so that they can monitor up close or at a distance. Some business surveillance cameras have the ability to zoom, as well as the ability to pan (move side-to-side) and tilt (move up and down). These so-called PTZ (for pan tilt zoom) cameras are more expensive than fixed focus cameras.
PTZ cameras are most frequently used in setups where someone is monitoring the camera feed. They can sometimes be set to automatically rotate, too. Some of the more sophisticated PTZ cameras have advanced applications like facial recognition software or license plate recognition software, though license plate recognition is used most frequently in red-light cameras at busy intersections for traffic enforcement.
Bullet cameras are, as the name indicates, bullet-shaped, and they are usually waterproof. Some of them have infrared night vision technology so that they can record in complete darkness, usually at distances of up to 50 feet. Bullet cameras are popular because they are easy to install, and they work well within a 25 foot radius with a standard lens. Different lenses are available for covering larger areas with a bullet camera.
Board cameras are fixed-lens surveillance cameras, and they may be packaged in a box housing, or they may be made to install in a ceiling dome. They can have pinhole lenses for hidden camera applications, or they may have wide-angle lenses that work well in ceiling dome mounts. While they do not pan, tilt, or zoom, they are quite inexpensive, and are a good option for businesses with tight security budgets.
Some businesses add a dummy camera to their real surveillance cameras. These are exactly what they sound like: fake cameras. It’s a cheap alternative to the real thing, and its function is to provide a visual deterrent to crime by letting people know that they are being monitored. They are used in homes and in business surveillance systems to prevent customer theft and vandalism.
Like most business decisions, the decision to install business surveillance cameras has its advantages and disadvantages. The use of surveillance camera systems is increasing all over the world, and as they multiply, the debate grows about the sheer number of them and the reasons for having them. Though there are many arguments in favor of business surveillance cameras, there are also arguments against their use, and it is important for any business owner to consider the drawbacks to business surveillance cameras as well as their advantages.
Numerous groups and individuals oppose video surveillance, and some of the points they make are valid. Is it healthy for society to have Big Brother-style access to people’s entire public lives? Some worry that it could eventually lead to monitoring of private spaces, and there have been cases of business surveillance cameras being used to spy on people in places where they have a reasonable expectation of privacy, such as restrooms and locker rooms.
Cities usually justify the use of surveillance camera systems on street corners, at traffic lights, and on lamp poles in public places by claiming that they are monitoring the city and preventing crime. While this may be a valid point, many innocent people would rather that the cameras not be there in the first place. While there are laws in place to restrict the use of surveillance cameras in certain situations, but some people are concerned about the privacy of future generations being invaded incrementally through legislation.
The use of surveillance camera systems in homes or businesses can make the people there feel like they are not trusted. Employees that are watched constantly tend to have lower morale, even if they do toe the line with respect to company rules while they are in view of the cameras. Many people find it vaguely creepy to know that their every move is being monitored, and many of these people are perfectly trustworthy. While many business owners say that the use of cameras prevents employees from wasting company time checking Facebook, sending a text message, or simply doodling distractedly while transitioning from one task to the next, the drop in morale and employee loyalty could negate the benefits of such a system.
Another risk is the reliance on business security camera systems to the point where other, more basic security measures are neglected. The replacement of human security guards with cameras may save money, but what can a camera do to stop crimes as they are occurring. Sure, recording evidence is helpful in prosecution of crimes, but would the presence of a security guard have prevented the problem in the first place?
And the drawback to business surveillance cameras that bothers the most people is simply the great potential for the technology to be misused or abused. While prosecuting, say, an employee for theft may be a perfectly valid justification for having a surveillance camera system, with very little technical expertise, video security footage can be sent out to any number of LCD monitors across the world. Reputations can be ruined, and ridicule or flat-out invasion of privacy can take place very easily.
The point is, if you do choose to install business surveillance cameras, make sure that you stay well within the rule of law with respect to where you place them, and how you use the security footage recorded. Many people do not know, for example, the basic fact that you are not allowed to record video and audio surreptitiously at the same time without prior court approval. You are also not allowed to monitor areas where people have a reasonable expectation of privacy, and this often includes places like employee break rooms as well as changing rooms and restrooms.
Business surveillance cameras can be a great security tool when use properly. They’re inexpensive, easy to install, and they can be monitored from anywhere. However, it is extremely important for those who use surveillance camera systems to make absolutely sure they are within the letter and spirit of the law when installing these systems. One lawsuit for invasion of privacy can wipe out several years’ worth of savings over the cost of other, more low tech security measures.