Monitor Your Business From Anywhere

There is no question that modern technology has given us the tools to be safer and more secure, and you can now monitor your business from anywhere in the world. Technology helps us achieve our goals and then safeguards what we have built. Lowering losses from theft, natural disasters and arson means you will maximize profits for your firm, so continuous monitoring of your business property is a direct route to a better bottom line.

The first modern surveillance technology was Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) systems, which recorded "video surveillance" on VCRs. This was great when it debuted, but showed itself to be cumbersome, costly, low in image quality and costly in archiving and supplies (tapes). With three developments - better cameras, improved telecommunications and faster, cheaper computers - the analog era has given way to the efficiencies in cost and operation of this new digital technology.

Choose wisely
You may think it's as easy as buying a few $19 webcams, a "security software" package and some cables. Unfortunately, you would be wrong. First of all, most webcams lack sufficient range and resolution to give you consistently usable images. In addition, not many are made to survive the rigors of being mounted on the outside of a building, where one good storm could short it out or knock it down. It costs more at the outset, but getting quality components for your security system will save you time, money and headaches in the long run.

Other "patchwork" systems - like connecting webcams to your office computer, and logging in from afar with one of the go-to-my-computer applications - are likewise second-rate and lacking the very features you really need. You really need to read up on the technology and the way that first-rate security systems are run by people who know what's what. This article should serve as a decent introduction, but don't stop here. Make your way to some authoritative Web sites and invest a little time so you know what you really need to do to safeguard your property.

A better way
What you want is to be notified of "security events" that you define for the system, like door openings, windows and other unexpected motions when the business is supposed to be closed. You also need to "check in" from time to time, just to take "a gander in real-time" at what's happening at your business. Fortunately, there are now all-in-one systems that have everything you need - the cameras, the connections, the communications prowess - to safeguard your property and let you monitor your business from anywhere, via phone or PC.

The best cameras will be weather-resistant, with "always-on" sensors that track the status of windows, doors and even cabinets or desk drawers. The best also have motion sensing and can integrate other sensors (light, sound, weather, etc.). Since you do want to check in once in a while, integrated video monitoring enables you to see live video streams as they occur, or review images that have already been recorded. You can access your system from anywhere in the world with a PC, PDA or cell phone.

Custom settings
If you get your system from a full-service security firm, it will likely be integrated with Web-based security monitoring and alert software, allowing you to view, manage and repurpose live video from one, two, five or virtually any number of cameras, right over the Internet. Most systems worth their salt will also allow custom setting that are based on sensor reading, motion detection or schedules tailored to your firm's activities and hours of business.

You can be on a business trip in another country and still receive e-mail and cell phone alerts than can include clips of the latest video recorded. You can log into the system, also, to review previously recorded images. For added security in case of fires or tornadoes, some systems will forgo a local storage device, or use local storage in addition to backing all video up remotely at the service provider's central location.

Cost-effective protection
Remote monitoring of this kind was a dream even just 20 years ago. Today, there are iPhone applications and other portable ways of tapping into the business's security system - from the office, from your home, from your vacation in Peru. There is virtually no threat or event against which you cannot protect yourself with a steady stream of information. You can even arrange for a local security firm to send alarms to the police, fire department or an armed-response company when certain pre-defined events occur, or at your direction.

Cost is negligible when compared to the potential losses. After installation, there are no tapes to buy, and just a modest monthly fee to the surveillance company. Your insurance premiums could possibly decrease, too - but what is sure to decrease are your losses to robbery, theft, pilferage, arson or other natural disasters, because your response time will be almost immediate in every situation. The ongoing cost of the system would be a tax-deductible expense, too, making the deal even sweeter than it already is.

About The Author:

An Alarm.com system is much more than an alarm. In addition to forwarding any home alarm monitoring to the monitoring center for emergency response, Alarm.com lets you remotely monitor non-alarm activity at the property around the clock, even when the system is disarmed. Fully customizable settings ensure you get exactly the information you want, only when you want it.

Please Rate this Article

5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5 

Not yet Rated