In this short article, we cover the five main reasons companies should invest in a commercial CCTV system. CCTV systems provide businesses with a range of benefits.
This article is a short read, so if you’re looking for something more in-depth, read our extensive guide covering the 14 reasons to invest in commercial CCTV for your business.
Today.s article is broken down into clear, concise sections. You can read the article in full, or click on any of the links below to navigate t a section of interest.
Table of contents
5 Reasons to Invest in Commercial CCTV
There are so many reasons to invest in a commercial CCTV for your business. It’s a sad fact that businesses are targeted by criminals for a range of reasons.
Petty and organised theft, arson, vandalism and trespass are all security threats businesses face. A professionally designed, expertly installed surveillance system helps deal with and tackle these threats.
Protecting assets and staff, detecting and deterring intruders and monitoring employees are all relevant business & security objectives.
Let’s get started with the article.
Protecting Staff, Assets, and Property
Businesses of all sizes should invest in CCTV, to provide safety and security to their staff. Well placed cameras in the car park give employees peace of mind when leaving work after dark. As they walk through the car park to their car or the train station, CCTV can provide an effective layer of security and safety.
CCTV will also be an effective deterrent to muggers and other criminals, who may target people leaving work. For companies, an investment in CCTV will also help protect its property from vandals, intruders and thieves looking to break-in, cause damage and steal company property.
We always recommend business owners balance the cost of a CCTV system against the cost of an employee being mugged, company cars being damaged or company property being stolen.
Then there is the cost of disruption to business operations – more on that later in this article.
Related case studies
In the next section of this article, we look at how CCTV systems can improve staff productivity.
Monitoring Staff and Visitors (Safety and Productivity)
In all businesses there are those who consistently arrive late, take long lunch breaks and spend half their day chatting by the photocopier. That’s not to mention the ten toilet breaks they take too!
Internal CCTV cameras can help a business monitor staff for timekeeping and productivity. Footage can be used where needed in disciplinary situations.
Furthermore, internal security cameras can provide visitors with peace of mind knowing they are visiting a business that takes security seriously. This particularly applies to:
- Warehouses
- Factories
- Construction sites
In the following section of this article, we focus on how CCTV helps deter and catch criminals.
Deterring and Catching Criminals
Businesses are the target of all sorts of crime. Petty criminals look to vandalise vehicles. Sophisticated, organised criminal gangs target businesses to break in and steal valuable equipment.
Either way, without CCTV in place the only deterrent a business may have is a guard patrolling infrequently. Crimes could be missed, property damaged and major disruption caused.
Where crimes are still committed, security camera footage can be used to convict the perpetrators. To secure a criminal conviction, camera footage must be of a high quality and the system needs to record the time and date stamp accurately.
Related reading
What are the solutions?
One of the most effective forms of security for a business is CCTV Monitoring.
Remote CCTV monitoring is where your security cameras are monitored 24/7 by a team of security professionals. If a security threat is detected, your off-site team can communicate with the intruder via tannoy and will contact the keyholder or the relevant authorities, to take the appropriate action.
In fact, CCTV monitoring can save businesses up to 80% of the cost of employing physical guards.
Providing Evidence for Internal Disputes
Unfortunately, from time to time there are incidents at work such as:
- Staff bullying
- Altercations
- Theft
- Accidents
A solid CCTV installation can provide the necessary evidence to solve internal disputes and take the appropriate action.
Businesses need to consider the implications of accidents at work, staff bullying, and theft on their reputation. No business owner wants to preside over an aggressive culture, where staff are treated poorly. This can lead to a high degree of staff turnover and worse.
Disgruntled employees could seek to take legal action against an employer for negligence.
How can CCTV cameras help to detect & deter this threat?
Furthermore, internal CCTV cameras can help avoid bogus personal injury claims made by employees looking to make a fast buck. With the right evidence in place, these claims can be dealt with before they reach a solicitor’s inbox.
These issues often occur in office-based businesses. If you are in charge of workplace security, read our guide to the best office CCTV systems.
Avoiding Operational Disruption
Seamless business operations help the smooth running of an organisation.
When a business is the victim of crime, The Police need to be called, insurance claims made, paperwork filled out and more. This all adds up to hours of unexpected work and disruption to the business’s commercial activities.
Therefore an investment in CCTV will help reduce crime and negate the time it takes to deal with it.
Looking For a Commercial CCTV System?
If you’re in the process of finding a new surveillance solution, you find out more on our page dedicated to commercial and business CCTV systems.
Alternatively, pick up the phone and call us on 0800 689 1835.
