The upfront cost brings a return for companies of all sizes as a crime- and hazard-prevention method.
Making your business the safest place possible should be a priority to protect the employees and/or customers that enter the property daily. And enhanced security isn’t just the right thing to do — it can also prevent theft, vandalism, and lawsuits.
Adding surveillance cameras is an efficient way to make your business safer, especially when paired with remote monitoring that ensures a trained security guard watches the feed when the property is most vulnerable.
Here’s a look at how making a surveillance investment can achieve ROI for your company.
Deter theft and vandalism
Video surveillance has significant value as a deterrent. Once visible, monitored cameras are up on a property, committing a crime immediately becomes more challenging.
For the most part, thieves are looking for the most straightforward score possible. Of course, they could be willing to take more significant risks if you have high-value or rare items on the property — but they usually keep it simple when stealing common goods.
Your business can deter theft by placing cameras strategically and installing signs letting potential criminals know the building or yard is monitored.
You can take things a step further with an investment in remote monitoring because it means a trained guard is always observing your feed. This security professional can interact with trespassers via loudspeakers and alarms and inform the authorities if necessary.
Prevent fraud
Globally, employee fraud and other occupational abuses lead to a 5% reduction in revenue for businesses. In the United States alone, companies lose up to $110 million per day to employee fraud.
Time theft is perhaps the most significant problem for these companies, as approximately 75% of all American businesses are victims of this practice. Examples of time theft include:
- Putting inaccurate data on time cards
- Getting another worker to punch in
- Taking extended breaks
- Constant use of phones
- Conducting personal business on company time
More serious employee fraud includes embezzlement in the form of billing fraud, check tampering, payroll fraud, skimming, and theft of goods.
Video surveillance can limit instances of fraud simply because employees know someone is watching. Avoiding that 5% reduction in revenue could be reason enough to invest in a surveillance system and achieve positive ROI.
Identify those responsible
Beyond creating a deterrent, video surveillance delivers evidence to the authorities if something criminal happens. Your cameras can identify those responsible for a crime, and, in some cases, you may even recover stolen cash or goods.
Today’s surveillance cameras are nothing like the old ones that were limited to grainy video. You can purchase cameras with full HD video, night-vision or thermal technology, and license plate detectors. These features make it incredibly hard for criminals to escape undetected, making it more likely police will apprehend the thieves.
Create peace of mind
An underrated benefit of installing surveillance cameras at your business is the peace of mind it creates for business owners and employees.
For instance, if you’re running a retail establishment, video surveillance offers workers a greater sense of safety because of the deterrent cameras provide. The same goes for office buildings with dimly-lit parking lots, as some employees might be nervous about walking to their vehicles at night. Installing surveillance cameras provides an extra layer of protection.
Liability protection
According to the National Safety Council, employee injuries cost American businesses $163.9 billion in 2020. While $44.8 billion of that money was in the form of wage and productivity losses, $61 billion was devoted to administrative expenses like legal fees and insurance.
Your insurance might cover many lawsuits your business faces, but that doesn’t prevent the negative PR that follows if an employee or customer is injured on your commercial property.
Cameras can help proactively spot risks on the property that may be addressed before someone gets hurt. And while many injuries are legitimate, surveillance cameras can also catch fraudulent claims that help businesses avoid lawsuits.
This surveillance system also allows you to document and address dangerous employee behavior before an injury occurs, potentially keeping your workers safe while on the job.
Lower insurance rates
Making a surveillance investment could lead to lower insurance premiums for your business.
Thieves and vandals are less likely to target your property when you have these cameras, there’s less risk of employee theft or fraud, and improper injury claims will be recorded. All those factors lower the overall claims risk you represent to insurance providers.
Investing in video surveillance
If you’ve concluded that a video surveillance system will benefit your company, shop around for a setup and provider that meets your needs. Going with a firm offering professionally monitored video surveillance is often a good choice because of the added protection it provides your property, staff, and customers.
Mobile Video Guard is a leading provider of monitored video surveillance systems. We can assist as you install cameras in strategic spots around your commercial property, and our off-site security team will identify threats as they arise and intervene. Contact Mobile Video Guard to get a quote today.
