Video Surveillance – Do you have a clear picture of your options?

In the past 5 years, we have seen enormous advances in DVR video surveillance technology.  Not only has the quality gone way up, but the cost has also come down.  So it may be time to take a look at the video system you have protecting your facilities.  Have you ever been watching the news and saw the picture of a robbery suspect or saw video of inventory shaking off the shelves during an earthquake and thought, how are you supposed to tell what is going on?  Being armed with quality video is a great step.  Before jumping in and buying a new system, make sure you ask yourself some questions.  The answers will guide you with making a good decision and get you the most value for your dollars.

 

If you find yourself complaining that you can’t seem to find a store selling video tapes for your "tape machine", then you have likely reached critical mass. It is time to upgrade!  Look back at the situations in which you had to use your video system to look back in time and find some video.  How often do you get video that you can use?  If the answer is less than 75%, maybe it is time to upgrad.  Are your cameras black and white?  It might be time to upgrade. A video system, while it can be a deterrent, ultimately, if you can’t get good footage which helps you, then it is time to upgrade.

 

Camera types will vary depending on desired quality, light exposure from canopy lights, head lights, or the sun, so keep in mind there is not one camera which will solve all your problems.  Be careful when selecting equipment to meet the varying needs in diriment areas of your business.

 

Believe it or not, the payback might be much sooner than you think.  Have you ever had a pump hit and not know who did it? It only takes one major incident and the video system has paid for itself.  One retail robbery which results in quality video for the police to catch the bad guy, then the new system is paid for.  Right?  Catch one cashier skimming a little off the top and you have likely just recovered your investment.  Now ask yourself, does the deterrent of good quality video prevent the problem from happening in the first place?  Likely so in many cases.  If the system cost $199 from the big box store, you will get very little out the system. Also if the system is $20,000, do you really need a system with that many bells and whistles?

 

How about checking in from your smart phone to make sure your employees are actually working or to see if it is raining heavy at a remote site which might explain that Veeder-Root alarm?  Or remote access from a PC to record an incident?  How about HD video to get a license plate?  How about long-term storage?  Maybe system alerts to tell you the system is not recording or a camera is down?  Or motion detection recording to save space on your hard drives interest you?  How about capturing a screen shot when a transaction occurs at your cardlock?  Want to remotely move a camera from your iPhone?  There are many very helpful features available now.

 

Well obviously you’re going to want cameras in locations to cover the problem areas, but also consider a shot(s) which gets the big picture as well as the entire lot or entire store.  Get shots of cashier activity, customer faces, cash drawer, underground storage tanks, dispensers, and dead zones--like behind the building.  With the HD quality available now, you can install less cameras and get more picture.  This means in an area which you currently have two tight shots to get detail, you may be able to replace them with a camera that can get a clearer shot without being so zoomed in.  Don’t forget the entrance/exit for possible license plates.

 

Use your video as a sales tool for cardlock.  Customers like knowing their employees are protected with video. Maintain the video system.  Don’t just turn it on and walk away.  Check the camera angles regularly, adjust them if needed such as when you move gondolas of install new equipment.  Educate yourself on the potential of the system. If a camera goes out, fix it as soon as possible.

 

While there are many decisions to make to get a system which will be a productive tool for you into the future, be careful not to overspend and conversely, don’t go cheap.  Hopefully you will never need to use video from your system, but what if?

 

Article Provided By:

 

Brian Decker

POC 2014 Speaker

Retail and Cardlock Operations Manager