Sam Card, CEO of Cards Technology, talks about the benefits of having a state-of-the-art camera system on-premise at your business along with features you want to be sure to include.
My company is interested in purchasing security cameras for our facility to prevent theft. What should I look for in a business-grade security camera system?
Sam Card: To protect your business facilities and customers, we recommend commercial-grade camera systems that are easy to use and provide reliable, 24/7 oversight. The systems we use are high-definition surveillance solutions that provide higher-resolution video and recordings than consumer-grade analog systems. The software used is very intuitive, making it easier to search for a specific time period or kind of activity. You don’t have to look at hours and hours of footage to find what you’re looking for.
Should I speak with my IT person about the new camera system I am thinking of installing at my business?
Sam Card: Yes! It’s always a good idea to talk to your IT people when adding any kind of technology to your network. If your existing network is old or needs to be upgraded to host your new system, a new network can be built alongside your current one so you don’t experience any downtime during installation of your camera system. It’s also a good time to assess your network for any future plans you may have like providing guest wifi or adding more cameras down the line.
What other benefits will I receive if I install a camera system?
Sam Card: Your customers will feel more secure inside and outside your business because they know the cameras are always watching. Cameras are a definite deterrent to criminal activity as well as general loitering and off-hours traffic.
Cameras are a good tool to monitor activity during business hours as well. Cameras watch everyone – customers, employees, vendors – giving you peace of mind knowing that your business is being checked for undesirable happenings.
On another note, you can also use your camera system to set up a webcam feature on your website. Many of our clients use their cameras as a webcam for their website, and one client uses their cameras to promote fishing tournaments. People watch weigh-ins on their webcams which promotes the marina.
How will I know if my camera fails and stops recording?
Sam Card: We proactively monitor the camera systems we install, and we get notified if the cameras go offline for any reason. This is very important because the last thing you want to find out when you need a recording is that your system failed. We inspect and perform routine maintenance like cleaning the lenses and updating software every 6 months.