By Blended and integrated commercial security systems are the future. Nothing less will do. Sound hyperbolic? We don’t think so, and here’s why: Integrated systems that combine the best of intrusion detection, access control, video cameras, and more are simply more effective and valuable to business owners and property managers than stand-alone solutions.
Think of it this way: Are you still using the same mobile and connected devices that you used five or ten years ago? Of course not. Huge advances have been made in mobile technology that allow for blended device ecosystems that would have been impossible just a few years ago.
The same is true of commercial security systems for businesses large and small. Advances in WiFi and interconnected “smart” technology allow video cameras, alarms, intrusion detection, access controls, and all the other aspects of your commercial security system to work in tandem in ways that make them easier to use and better at protecting your business. Here’s a quick look at how each part of your security system works on its own and as part of a blended solution:
Outer Perimeter Security
Security begins outside the walls of your business. Video cameras can help keep an eye on everything from parking lots and delivery docks to employee break areas and green spaces. But cameras aren’t the only way to boost your security from the outside in. Optimizing access control means taking advantage of everything from fences and signage to landscaping and lighting to create natural delineations between public and private spaces—and make the best use of your security resources.
Inner Perimeter Security and Access Control
Access control is vital to good commercial security. It isn’t as simple as locks and keys to keep people out during non-business hours, either. Good access control means that the people who need to get in can when they need to, while the people who don’t belong can’t.
Modern electronic access controls allow you to grant access to certain people at certain times and to revoke it when needed. And they do even more than that. They keep track of who is where when so that you have a record if you need it. This helps with everything from security to collecting valuable data on patterns that can help your business run more efficiently.
Perimeter security also includes alarms, window-break sensors, door open/close sensors, and other technology that can tell you when the perimeter has been breached, all working in concert to form a protective shell around your business.
Interior Security and Commercial Security Cameras
Security doesn’t stop once someone is inside your building. After all, employee theft is one of the leading causes of inventory shrinkage in America, and an estimated 33% of all business bankruptcies can be directly tied to employee theft.
That’s not taking into account other reasons for monitoring activity inside your business, either, which range from shoplifting to assessing customer behavior patterns to see what’s working and what isn’t.
Interior video cameras with digital back-ups help you keep an eye on things, even when you’re not around. Today’s integrated systems often mean that you can call up security footage directly from your mobile device. These systems can also provide data to back you up in the event of an incident, and it doesn’t even have to be something as serious as theft. If there is a disagreement between employees or a customer dispute, video surveillance provides a valuable tool in sorting the matter out.
Video cameras don’t have to work by themselves, either. Many companies are choosing blended security measures that keep an eye on what’s going on within their walls while also maintaining building design and aesthetic. These solutions include video verification systems that can be tied to custom triggers that tell the system when and where to start capturing video, which you can then watch on your mobile device in real time.
Commercial Security Monitoring
One thing that all security systems have in common, whether residential or commercial, is that 24/7 professional monitoring is essential. While today’s blended security solutions give you more control than ever over the day-to-day operation of your commercial security system, there’s only so much you can do. You need to sleep, spend time with your family, get on an airplane, whatever. And when you do, you want the freedom that comes with reliable 24/7 monitoring.
24/7 monitoring and reporting does more than give you opening and closing reports or notify you of alarm events, though, of course, it does that, too. It gives you a range of options suited to your specific needs and way of doing business so that you can keep your finger on the pulse of your commercial security, even when you’re not around.
This can mean that you get automatic responses to alarm events accompanied by texts or emails supplying needed information as it happens. Simply put: if an event occurs at your business, someone will be on top of it, day or night.
Custom Blending
At A-TEC Security in Kansas City, we don’t believe in one-size-fits-all solutions. That’s why all of our commercial security systems are tailored, designed, and installed to meet the risks, challenges, and concerns faced by individual business owners.
This means custom blended systems that incorporate commercial security cameras, intrusion detection, alarm systems, access controls, and everything else that your business may need. We work with you every step of the way, so you get only the solutions and products that you want, and not anything that you won’t use or don’t need.
What’s more, our blended systems are scalable so that they can grow with you and your business. In this age of ubiquitous wireless, Wi-Fi, and internet-connected (and inter-connected) technologies, you can’t afford to rely on a bunch of stand-alone security components. You need an integrated system that works together to protect every part of your business, every hour of every day.
A-TEC Residential and Commercial Security in Kansas City has all of the latest and best integrated security solutions for your home or office, as well as 24/7 monitoring that you can count on. For more information or to start installing your new system, contact A-TEC Security today.