What are the benefits for business investing in IP Surveillance and the accompanying accessories

Cameras for Operations Makes Complete Sense

In South Africa and Africa today , businesses should be turning to IP Surveillance systems for a number of reasons. With policing numbers and efficiency lacking crime figures are escalating  across the continent ,not only in opportunist based crime but also syndicated crime .Business owners should be taking measures to protect themselves their staff  and Assets from crime, theft, abuse and numerous other threats 

There are a number of business sectors that can clearly benefit from having IP Surveillance  systems including the Heavy Industry , Agriculture, Conservation ,education  , retail, transport and logistics  hospitality and many others 

If you own a business and do not have any form of surveillance systems in place, a few of the considerations you should take into account to realise why having IP Surveillance installed could be a positive step forwards:

Crime Prevention

Just the sheer sight of a camera observing the interior and exterior areas of your premises is enough to help Deter crime, whether it be theft, vandalism or violent behaviour.

CCTV notices placed in visible areas have been proven to  deter criminals from breaking into buildings or causing criminal damage to private property. And for those that ignored the warnings and committed a crime, the option of offsite monitoring  footage captured goes a long way in reducing the response time of private security or the police to identify those responsible and bring them to justice.

The addition of certain accessories such as outdoor speakers linked to a control room for live audio notice or automated voice activation, or  an addressable i/O controller to activate defence mechanisms be it Pepper gas ,or Paint and dye stain technology on to the threat

• Early Detection of a threat (Detect)
•  Quicker response to threat (Armed Response)
•  Notification to threat they are being watched (Deter)
• Activation of counter Measures (Defend)

Staff Safety & Performance

Observing staff at work has been considered a taboo subject for quite some time in South Africa depending on the industry, specifically the unionized industries . Most employees do not like the idea of having their every move watched however, for certain businesses this is a necessity. As it is a proven statistic a large number of loss caused by insider threat,is It’s not simply about measuring performance and making sure certain staff are not taking too many breaks, it’s actually more about the health and safety of your staff when using machinery or ensuring OHASA compliance or dealing with members of the public.

In industrial, manufacturing and transport operations, if an accident occurs whilst operating dangerous machinery, the IP Surveillance high definition footage will provide a clear indication as to the root cause of the accident and in extreme cases, be presented in court as evidence of negligence . The footage may also provide invaluable lessons to employers and staff alike to highlight changes that need to be implemented at the place of work to minimise the risk of repeat incidences.In places where members of the public are dealt the with on a regular basis such as receptions, retail stores and public services, verbal or even physical abuse is a growing problem. IP Surveillance across a number of manufacturers includes audio linked to recording and video analytics to do specific detections When a camera is present, studies have shown that staff are more inclined to try to defuse the situation where a disgruntled customer may have taken issue with the company in question rather than be confrontational.

Surveillance  footage is also critical where members of staff are clearly being verbally or physically abused and will be invaluable for the authorities to analyse and take appropriate action if an incident occurs. In the current environment specially IP Surveillance temp measurement cameras are invaluable in creating a first line detection for increased temperatures of staff whom may have contracted Covid-19 or even another virus which could infect the other staff such as the common flu which has a direct impact on moral and staff absenteeism

• Increased Productivity 
• Early detection of infection
•  Less internal theft 
•  Less Occupation Health and safety risk 

Insurance Claims

Sadly, there is a growing culture of false insurance claims given the insurance claims industry which offers big pay-outs. As well as a number of highly visible claims being declined 

A business that has a IP Surveillance system installed can protect themselves and mitigate the losses as well as non payouts by the insurance industry, which is also based on the economy downturns ,a generalization of course “Disclaimer “, thus avoiding hefty payouts to customers Ensuring this is achieved simply by presenting the insurers evidence the Surveillance system has captured.

• Better likely hood of Pay-out 
•   Possibility of lower premiums 
•  Proof of incident 

Conclusion 

In covering all the above very few companies are actually certified or even qualified to do an assessment and recommend placement of surveillance cameras or types of cameras. Unfortunately this also includes household global names in the security industry.  Based on this it is highly recommended to contract in a professional Security consultant who not only has experience but also a certification such as a CSMP? CPP or PSP to do a onsite risk assessment in conjunction with a risk treatment plan with the client , this may or may not include IP surveillance. But will ensure a positive outcome.

The above article is based on the Hatari Advisory team experience and certifications . for more details contact the Hatari Advisory team on info@hatariadvisory.co.za