Have you ever arrived at work to find your property has been subject to theft or vandalism? Perhaps your property has video cameras covering your key areas. You go to review the video and realize that (a) the cameras weren’t working or recording (b) you’re not sure when the event occurred – it may take hours of going through footage to find just a few minutes when the event occurred (c) you finally find the footage with the intruders! Unfortunately, they are wearing dark clothing and hoodies – it’s impossible to identify them; you’re now watching as criminals are doing damage to your assets.
The issue with traditional CCTV systems is that they are reactive in nature. Without capturing license plates or high quality facial images it is very hard to identify the culprits after the fact.
Remote Video Monitoring is proactive – since people are watching cameras in real-time they are able to catch intruders in the act.
Since remote video monitoring is based on real people watching events in real time they are able to actively deter criminals through speaker systems or notify police of a ‘live crime in progress.’ Police response times for these types of events is typically 4-8 minutes within a metropolitan area compared with 50-60 minutes from typical alarm companies, who’s alarms are typically unverified and false in nature.
More and more businesses are now utilizing the benefits of Remote Video Monitoring technology across a range of industries as part of their standard security, and thankfully, seeing a drastic drop in theft and vandalism as a result.
As crime continues to rise, so does the need to take advantage of security industry experts and the latest in surveillance technology, because not only are you providing yourself a more sophisticated layer of protection, but potentially reducing security costs by 25-50% compared with traditional methods of service.
10 Advantages To Using Remote Video Monitoring:
- Save Money
UCIT remote video monitoring solutions are typically 25-50% less expensive than using on-site security guards. Businesses currently using guards should consider exploring how video monitoring can help improve their bottom line.
- Reduction in Theft / Vandalism
UCIT client reports indicate an 85% reduction in daytime theft. Our monitoring centers are currently stopping an average of 25+ crimes per month. Reducing theft or vandalism not only can result in saved money from lost materials but can also save management time, prevent business delays and limit insurance / legal costs.
- Insurance Approvals
UCIT has worked with several insurance providers over the past 10+ years to have our video monitoring solutions be accepted as a valid guard replacement within the security warranties for insurance policies. Although every case is different, and sometimes insurance companies require a physical person onsite after-hours, there have also been instances where companies have shown underwriters the steps they’ve taken to secure their projects through video monitoring to help decrease risk and insurance premiums. UCIT often works with clients’ insurance providers directly.
- One Low Monthly Fee
A common pain point for companies in the security industry are the notion of hidden fees and the inability to create accurate budgets. UCIT provides options for clients where all services and even upfront installation and equipment can be rolled into an all-inclusive monthly fee.
- Never Sleeps / Does Not Need Breaks
Security guards that drift off to sleep or take lengthy breaks during overnight shifts has forever been a challenge in the guarding business. Remote Video Monitoring staff are closely monitored by multiple levels of supervisors and have analytics within their monitoring software notifying managers of their activities. When monitoring operators need to take a break their posts are taken over by trained relievers until the break is over and the operator is ready to properly cover the site again.
- Cover Multiple Areas at Once
An onsite guard is limited in what they can see in front of them. Often, large sites can take a significant amount of time to get around and can be challenging or even dangerous for them to navigate. Using remote video monitoring allows for cameras to view multiple parts of the site at once from vantage points that may be impossible for guards to get to.
- Cannot be Intimidated or Threatened
Standard protocol for most guards once they have detected a threat is to find safe cover and call the police. More active guards that deter criminals from entering restricted property actually can make businesses more vulnerable to liability claims if he guards are injured. Video cameras and speaker systems cannot be intimidated, threatened or injured by intruders.
- Verified Crime = Quicker Police Response Times
Live video monitoring gives authorities confirmation that there is an event happening in real-time. Since the event is verified UCIT has experienced average police response times within metropolitan areas within an average of 4-8 minutes. This differs drastically from unverified traditional alarm systems, where police response can be as long as 45-60 minutes where clients are also subject to false alarm fines.
- Records Activities 24/7
In addition to monitoring during non-business hours UCIT’s remote video monitoring solution provides the added benefit of recording site activities 24/7. Having recorded and archived footage of on-site events can prove extremely valuable to provide video evidence of activities that occur during business hours. UCIT’s clients can utilize our Video Review and Analysis (HYPERLINK TO SECTION ON WEBSITE) to search through archived video on our clients’ behalf to find incidents such as accidents, delivery verifications, or even help prevent dishonest trade billing.
- Remotely View Your Site
Having ‘eyes’ on your site can prove to be a valuable project management tool. UCIT can provide clients with access to site cameras on PCs, laptops, or mobile devices. Our ‘User Tree’ settings allow clients to customize access to certain sites and certain cameras within those sites based on certain parameters and company policies.