CCTV VS Security Guard : Which Works Best for Business
If you are here, you must be contemplating the options for your security against theft and intrusion that is a huge concern for businesses for a long time by now. Now what to do for your business security?
History has it, guarding against theft had been the best option until now. However, do you still need to consider a security personal when you have technology that is more efficient, doesn’t have human needs and budget-friendly as well? Therefore diving into the debate and considering both options to meet your requirements, let’s figure out your business needs and security budget.
People debate which one is the better option without considering the business requirements. Let’s see what are they?
- Considering the area where your business is.
- Are you an entrepreneur or a large organization?
- Considering the cash flow or security budget.
Consider your surroundings.
Your surroundings or better said your business area is one of the major elements that have a hand in your security plan. You’d ask why?
Isn’t theft and intrusion the reason for your security concerns? So let’s suppose you are running a grocery store and your business is in an area where theft and intrusion are the highlights on a regular basis. Now, what are you going to do about it? Of course, plan out a security system that can help keep out the daring burglar that can easily break in or find a loophole through your security agenda without much fear.
Saudi Arabia is known for lesser theft and burglary rate compared to other states and businesses do not pay much attention to their security. So now according to the crime rate in your business area or state, your security would be minimized or enhanced.
Now, what are you supposed to do as a grocery store owner when you have a high crime rate threatening your business.
Let’s dive into the debate of CCTV vs Security personal.
As an entrepreneur with a higher risk rate, you would want a budget-friendly but no-loophole security plan. Should you consider hiring a security personal? Or should you consider having surveillance for record and recovery for later?
- Surveillance/ Security equipment
- Hiring a security personal
Let’s know your surveillance options and their advantages first.
The regular analog cameras (CCTV) and Digital IP (Internet protocol) have improved over time. With the advancement in technology, the prices are now cheaper and budget-friendly. If you have a small business and lesser crime rate CCTV would do the job. Recording your daily to daily business activity can give you peace of mind and would help with later recovery.
However, if you want to work with advanced technology the Digital IP works for you. The live streaming from distance is easy to maintain and you can view and record it yourself. Some of the surveillance nowadays have:
- Motion sensors
- Strobe lights
- License plate detection
- Thermal sensors
- Remote monitoring
- Audio warnings
- Mobile video surveillance
Now with the help of motion detection, you don’t need anyone to watch the monitor for you as it would detect any activity and it doesn’t take much time to record or detect as you would immediately be detected even if you passed through it in no time. And it usually records the activity instead of recording 24–7. Remote monitoring is one of the live and record options that we have considered before, now what are the audio warnings?
Audio warnings help ward off the crimes that are detected by the surveillance. However, mobile video surveillance is not the same as remote monitoring as it lets you download an app on your mobile so you can watch your business activity even from afar. So what advantages the surveillance provide you over having security personal.
- It is budget-friendly and much cheaper than a hired personal pay in the long run.
- The daily activity log can help record any undetected activity through a naked eye.
- The sight of surveillance usually keeps the criminals think twice as it records for later use.
- Motion sensors and audio warning can immediately alert the local security or make one go for law enforcement.
- As it records 24–7 and live streams as well, you can keep an eye on indoor theft that any of your employees can commit.
Now if you are a large organization with a higher security budget you maybe wanna go for both options. See why?
There are two options for large organizations when it comes to surveillance.
Fully hosted surveillance: For larger organizations, a third party hosts a complete solution for surveillance management, live streaming, camera installations, maintenance, camera software maintenance, and servers to store the records.
Complete security solutions: From surveillance management to security personal management a third party gives you a complete solution and provides you security by working with both personal and technology to meet your needs.
And if you don’t want to rely on a third-party, remote monitoring is the option for you, see why?
In large organizations with a better security budget, a security professional is in front of the monitor to watch out for suspicious activity or any damages caused by a personal or natural event. You can have more than one person to watch the monitors and dispatch law enforcement or call out local security if needed. But why not only the surveillance if we have such advanced technology?
The answer is: Surveillance has disadvantages as well.
Disadvantages of surveillance:
- Low quality.
- Maintenance cost.
- Facing the weather
- Having a loophole.
- Cybercrime.
Low quality:
If you are opting for low budget surveillance, they don’t have alarming systems, motion sensors or mobile video surveillance, so you are opting for something that has a low video quality, different angels that can have a loophole to get through them without being detected or blind spots in the software of hardware that can cost you more than your savings.
Maintenance cost:
First of all, the installation of the cameras cannot be done without a professional. It costs you along with buying more than one camera since one is never enough. Software and hardware are bound to call for maintenance due to system defaults. Either a physical defect due to rain or storms or any internal defect due to a software failure.
Having a loophole:
If your employees try to commit a crime, they’d know how to get around the cameras. Professional burglar know what to do to penetrate the security system, so if you don’t have any security guard around, there is a chance that surveillance takes you down as the effect of the fear for watchful eyes doesn’t last as long as the person in sight ready to make you think twice.
Cybercrimes:
Cybercrimes usually do not happen unless you are a huge private or government organization with heavy surveillance and remote monitoring alongside the security professionals, however, some criminals go for making loopholes in the cameras if you are working with digital IP to sneak in and make a quick work so security personnel can pose a threat to them and deter the crimes if you think your business is at the risk of it.
Now let’s get to the advantages and disadvantages of hiring a security guard.
Advantages of hiring a security guard.
They pose a threat to the bulgers:
A security guard or security personal can make a bulger or intruder think twice. Physical security can immediately keep them at bay when detected or imposed as threats to the business. Hiring a security guard can not only impose but also act immediately on the spot that makes them useful for derating the crimes. The personnel is trained to handle the situation before it accelerates. Either be it detecting the suspicious activity or controlling any aggressive situation.
Controlling aggressive customers and helping you increase the business and maintain the repute of your business:
The security personal provides immediate action security. If you have an aggressive customer, a security guard can immediately control the situation so they won’t make any noise and cause a bad repute or disturb your other customers that can cause a serious dent in your business. An aggressive customer can also cause damage or cause injuries that can be quickly controlled by the help of the security personal. While having a security guard around your business can give the customers a sense of security as well as your employees.
And this sense of security can help your business keep its growth and give a boost to it as compared to your rivals.
How having a security guard over mere surveillance can help your business in a crowded area?
Having your business in a crowded area can impose threats as mere surveillance can’t be efficient if it’s crowdy. It can record but can’t detect suspicious activity or impose any threat on burglarof intruders as they can go undetected through them with the help of the edge that the crowd provides. If you have security guards they can address any situation first hand.
Though security guards have their very own disadvantages, let’s consider them:
- Security guards can’t always be reliable.
- Small businesses often don’t have the budget to hire a security personal.
- A single person can’t be at all the places at the same time.
Security guards can’t always be reliable:
If a security guard considers to commit the crime himself, you cannot do anything about it. Security cameras can record such activity. If a security personal acts bad on their job security cameras can help catch it and act as evidence for later interrogation. However, they can get past the cameras as well if they are at the job given how they know the insides and outs of your business and penetrate your security system easily.
Small businesses often don’t have the budget to hire a security personal:
Though cameras need maintenance, they still are much cheaper than hiring a security guard. Their insurance, health issues, taking breaks and having a time limit, as well as sleep issues, make them unreliable as well as costly of how you can keep an eye on your business activities 24–7. Surveillance doesn’t have these human issues and no time limit despite their maintenance and management issues.
A person can’t be at all the places at the same time.
An individual can’t keep all the places secure, they can act quickly and handle situations but they cannot keep an eye out on small thefts at a different place despite them patrolling. Let’s get back to the grocery store. In a grocery store or a mall, all departments or sections cannot be eyed by a few individuals though they can impose as a threat they still cannot keep the pickpocketing and quick minor thefts at a different place than their presence.
Therefore if we conclude our debate of what would be the best option for your business firstly consider your business type, your budget and how large is your business. Combining security personal with surveillance would be the best option if your budget and business type allow it. Remote monitoring, which means live monitoring and recording along with security personal can give a better sense of security and help you boost your business.
