The 6 Best CCTV Locations To Protect Your Business (PDF)
By Joe Allen, Vice President/Owner Sonitrol August 14, 2015
No matter what type of business you’re in, an integrated CCTV surveillance security system is one of the best ways to protect your property, building, compound, construction site, office, warehouse, school, retail store or church. Investing in a modern closed-circuit television (CCTV) system that is integrated with security technologies such as audio detection, managed access and 24/7 verified video monitoring can save you money and time, while reducing insurance premiums and potential losses. Using CCTV cameras is also one of the best ways to help keep your employees and customers honest and safe, providing a watchful eye to deter crime and keep you informed. But where are the best places to position your CCTV system to make sure you minimize your risks?
Here are the 6 best CCTV camera locations to protect your business:
1. The Front Door CCTV
All businesses should have a camera located at the front entrance to make sure every visitor can be monitored and that the business visibly demonstrates that it is serious about security.
High-end retail and art, jewelry, coin and antique sellers who deal in rare and valuable merchandise often keep their doors locked to buzz in customers upon arrival. CCTV and a voice intercom system is a convenient way to verify who is at the door, and whether or not they may be a security risk to you or your business.
2. Stock Room CCTV
If you’re a retail store or have a valuable inventory of goods attractive to criminals, installing a security camera to monitor comings, goings and product removal can greatly cut down on your losses. In some cases we also recommend a managed access system as well as video surveillance. With CCTV you can quickly clue into employees who make pilfering merchandise a habit when they think no one is looking.
CCTV surveillance cameras are also excellent for use in, and just outside of, remote stock rooms, not only do they allow you to monitor access to the stock rooms, but can also increase employees’ safety when they need to make stock runs through isolated, otherwise unseen areas.
3. CCTV Cameras Around Loading Docks, Back Alleys And Rear Entrances
Loading dock areas are notorious as they not only provide a way for unauthorized items to leave your business, but also become a less-obvious entry point for clever thieves. Installing CCTV security cameras in these areas give you an unobtrusive way to monitor what and who goes into and out of your shipping and receiving areas.
Many restaurants and strip mall retail stores have back doors that open onto alleys or parking areas and these areas have to be watched and monitored as they are prime targets for criminals looking to gain access to safes and back-office money-handling areas.
Installing CCTV video monitoring systems near back entrances not only allows you to record any attempt at forced entry, but also lets employees make sure that no unauthorized goods are leaving through the back door while accepting a delivery, taking out trash or stepping out on a smoking break. We have seen a tag team of employees and their friends perform major criminal activities this way, and if they know they’re being watched in CCTV the thieving mostly stops.
4. Use CCTV To Watch Cash Registers, POS Transactions and Back Offices Where Money Is Counted
Concerned that money is being skimmed from the cash register, bank deposits? Do you have cashiers who ring in unauthorized discounts, or do you have a bartender who gives away a few too many free drinks? Installing CCTV with a bird’s eye view of cash registers, employees using them, POS terminals and other cash handling areas will let you clearly see when business is being conducted as expected, and when you’re losing money and action needs to be taken.
5. Workspace and Office CCTV
CCTV can be an easy and effective way to monitor on-the-job employee conduct. Placing CCTV cameras in common work areas and near workspaces lets you see what’s going on throughout your office or facility, and can help to curb excessive on-the-clock socializing which can lead to low productivity.
Don’t forget the afterhours cleaning and maintenance crews. If you’re unsure of whether or not after-hours crews are completing all the work you’re paying them for, check up on them on CCTV from time to time, you might be surprised.
6. Perimeter Surveillance CCTV
Making sure your customers and employees and their vehicles are safe when they’re on your property is important, especially if they’re required to walk to and from their vehicles in the dark at extremely early or late hours. CCTV of parking areas and around the perimeter of buildings and property can greatly curb break-ins, vandalism and increase the personal safety of customers and employees as they enter and exit their cars.
Visible CCTV surveillance cameras located around a building can deter and prevent acts of theft, vandalism and other illegal activities.
Don’t forget to ask your insurance company for discount premiums for implementing a CCTV camera-protected business, they should provide you with much lower payout risk than camera-free properties.
However in conclusion, not all CCTV cameras are equal. Some CCTV security systems just record what they’re watching, but the best and most effective CCTV cameras are hooked up to a live monitoring station where trained security professionals are watching the CCTV live, and they will notify the Police immediately they see an illegal act happening. For example, the Sonitrol verified CCTV video surveillance system is not only the best on the market, but also has a proven record of catching more than 172,000 criminals caught in the act of committing a crime.
Joe Allen, Vice-President, Owner
Sonitrol Security of Delaware Valley
(877) 652-3060
www.sonitrolde.com
