Security cameras are considered a way to bring peace of mind and to safeguard your business and its assets. Video surveillance cameras cut down on theft and act as a deterrent by making sure your business isn’t targeted.

However, your surveillance system can offer a lot more as the real value in having a surveillance system comes from taking advantage of all of its capabilities.

Surveillance systems are more advanced than they were a couple of years ago. Today you are able to monitor and analyze employees, traffic patterns within your store and protect your company from fraudulent claims.

1. Changes in Employee Productivity

It’s well known that when employees know their boss is watching, they are more likely to work harder. But this could have two other side effects that could either make or break your working relationship.

• The Bad: If employees feel that they are constantly being monitored to find them doing something wrong, they will be less likely to experiment which could have lead to productivity gains. Instead, you will have an employee simply doing their job as written in the book, and nothing more.
• The Good: On the other end, if you use the surveillances as a way to offer positive reinforcement and a way to spot and reward good work, the outcome will be an employee that not only loves what they do but is willing to put in more effort and productivity then before.

The trick is you want your employees to feel like video is making their hard work and dedication noticed and appreciated, rather than being used against them.

2. Resolve Internal Conflicts

No matter what type of business you are in, conflicts are bound to occur. It might be a dispute between a customer and an employee, or it could be between two employees. When a disagreement occurs, managers will need to figure out exactly what happened. Many of these instances can boil down to a he-said-she-said, so having a video record to back you up can be invaluable.

A video camera can provide clear proof of the incident which will lead to a fair verdict.

Video cameras can also give insight on liability claims. From a customer having an accident on your property to employees filing a harassment, discrimination, or other suit against you the recording may have the evidence you need in these cases.

3. Criminal Activity Evidence

Sadly, criminal activity can never be completely avoided, so having a video surveillance system can provide investigators with evidence of any type of criminal activity or suspicious activity that occurs in or around your company.

4. Theft Reduction and Savings

Hands down the best way to prevent and reduce theft is with a video surveillance system. Just the presence of a security camera can make a potential thief to rethink their plan.

With incidents of theft being reduced dramatically, your company will not only save money but it will keep your business secure.

5. Real Time Monitoring for a Better Experience

Video surveillance systems come equipped with the latest in analytic technology giving you insight into more then just your employees.

Video surveillance systems use analytics to track people as they walk through your stores, seeing and analyzing what your customers like and dislike and what catches their attention.

For example, do your customers spend time on their mobile device before they decide on an item, or do they go directly for what they’re purchasing and then straight to the register?

Your business can use these analytics to determine what will have the biggest impact on customer decisions.

Commercial video surveillance will also allow any approved employee to monitor critical areas of the business.

6. Improved Safety

Since security cameras can monitor your employees, it can be used in case of an emergency. For example, if an accident or other incident occurs, the surveillance system can provide an immediate alert to help that employee.

In some industries, federal and state safety regulations require a surveillance system for compliance.

7. Digital Storage

Surveillance systems can also act as digital storage systems. The footage can be stored digitally through cloud based storage systems, giving you more information which you can analyze for future use.

8. Access Control

Video surveillance systems work hand-in-hand with access control systems. Having video surveillance allows you to playback video in the event someone has attempted to access your building using another employee’s badge, a lost badge, or an access denied event.

9. Peace of Mind

Having the ability to remotely view one or multiple buildings from afar at your leisure will give you peace of mind.