It’s widely reported just how many threats commercial businesses face. Immense security vulnerabilities abound — from the lack of proper training of security personnel to theft and burglary to outdated technology. Physical security threats that face commercial enterprises vary considerably given just how different a business’s needs are from another’s. A small mom-and-pop-run store experiences different kinds of threats than a large office building or a chain restaurant.
In a recent article for Security Magazine, Corey Mutterperl, the vice president of Speco Technologies, pinpoints how important remote video verification (RVV) systems are for businesses to respond to these wide ranging threats. Why? They can help patch up safety gaps that exist as a result of outdated surveillance camera systems. He points to false alarms as one glaring example.
“A recent Parks Associates study found that nearly two-thirds of security system owners experience false alarms annually,” Mutterperl writes. “As the fines associated with these alarms reach an average of $1.8 billion per year in the U.S., the cost of false alarms often seems to outweigh the benefits of video surveillance.”
He explains that RVV can help lower the high rate of these false alarms. Ultimately, this will result in better and more efficient response times, instilling business owners with greater peace of mind. An RVV system can either replace existing systems or augment those already in existence.
Mutterperl outlines some of the benefits of these RVV systems:
- Lower rates of false alarms: These remote systems require multi-factor authentication before an emergency service is alerted — this means threats have to be confirmed before law enforcement or medical emergency services are notified about a threat or a breach.
- Response times become more efficient: By making for improved threat verification protocols, these RVV systems can ensure that real emergencies “receive faster attention from police and other first responders” by weeding out these false alarm scenarios, Mutterperl writes. This prevents these services from being stretched too thin, which can make the difference between life or death or a business becoming severely compromised.
- Save a business money: Many commercial businesses have limited budgets for security resources. Mutterperl writes that RVV systems ensure that “these business owners avoid fines and mitigate the costs of burglary, theft, vandalism, unauthorized access and other crimes.” This can lead to considerable savings for cash-strapped small businesses.
At the end of the day, it’s all about offering efficient video surveillance systems that can keep a business safe and secure, while avoiding putting too much burden on first responders and law enforcement services. Remote monitoring and real-time threat assessment that provides more robust vetting to those responding to a breach creates a safer environment overall. This is especially crucial for small businesses that in many ways are the bedrocks of their community.
For Mutterperl’s full recommendations, check out his article here.
Peter Cavicchia II 