Being a business owner means you have what seems like a never-ending list of responsibilities. Purchasing a security system is one of them—and for good reason. There are several significant advantages to installing a commercial security camera system at your place of business.
The chief benefit of utilizing a commercial security camera system is that it helps prevent theft—whether by employees or outsiders—which saves you a lot of time, stress and money.
According to a 2017 analysis by online market research platform Statistic Brain cited by CNBC, employee theft costs U.S. businesses a whopping $50 billion annually.
A 2013 study by The University of North Carolina at Charlotte Department of Criminal Justice & Criminology, as cited by online research hub ScienceDaily, analyzed the motives and typical behaviors of male and female burglars. Besides considering a company's location and number of escape routes before settling on a target, the assessment found that “indicators of increased security (alarm signs, alarms, dogs inside, and outdoor cameras or other surveillance equipment)” were also closely examined.
“Most burglars would try to determine if an alarm was present before attempting a burglary,” states the study. “Among those that determined that an alarm was present after initiating a burglary, about half would discontinue the attempt.”
It isn’t just burglars and robbers who would be at a disadvantage, however. Employees with poor intentions and shoplifters (if applicable) would also be less likely to try and steal if they know they were being watched. Business owners may even have the ability to monitor their offices remotely, depending on the security system.
Commercial security camera systems enable business owners to be proactive in protecting their organizations, which includes their capital, inventory, and of course, employees.
When security cameras are strategically set up throughout a building—both on the inside and outside—you, your employees, clients, and customers can go about your business in peace with the knowledge that unwanted visitors are being carefully monitored. Additionally, today’s security cameras are equipped with the latest technology to capture the clearest picture possible, making identifying anyone who’s come and gone much easier.
While having effective security certainly wards off intruders, it could also have a positive effect on your business model, depending on your industry.
For example: Retail stores could greatly benefit from studying customer behavior via in-person and security camera footage. Although sales indicate which products are the most popular, security cameras capture what customers do before they make a purchase, including any other products that may have also caught their attention but were returned to the shelves. Essentially, the camera records the entire buying process—literally mapping their actions and whereabouts the entire time they're at the business.
This information can help improve the customer experience, by providing guidance on everything from redesigning a store’s layout to match foot traffic, to more effective product placement throughout the premises to better promote specific products and/or brands.
Remember, as online consumer resource MyCustomer.com stresses in a July 2016 article: “Think of foot traffic as an investment in potential customers. Each person is a little more likely to make a purchase if they’re already in the store. After all, there are only a few steps to take from the doorway to the register!”
Actual, documented proof of a crime or footage of an accident is a surefire way to confirm or refute an assertion in the classic “he said/she said” scenario. If an employee or a customer, for instance, claims he or she was hurt while at your place of business, you’ll be able to verify exactly what happened.