Over the last few years, the security industry, for both home security systems and business security systems has seen a remarkable evolution in security products and features, mainly relating to advances in technology that allow you to better monitor your security system from anywhere, and from virtually anything.
2018 looks to continue the trend of exciting, and accessible, security features that you can use to protect your property and loved ones better. Below we’ve compiled a few of the products and services we think will make a big impact on security systems this year.
Homeowners Will Get More Selective With Home Security Providers
Research and Markets, a leading market research firm, predicts that the market for home security products will reach $51.5 billion by 2022. As with any surge in market demand, new companies will be born to rise up and try to satisfy consumer demand. However, the home security space is unique in among the many providers of consumer goods.
When selecting a home security provider, you need to find a company that not only has a solid reputation for security services, but also a long, stable history of supplying home security monitoring and maintenance. You don’t want to enter into a multi-year contract with an unproven security provider who could be out of business before your contract ends or comes up for renewal. Consumers should look for home security providers that have a proven track record of stellar customer service and enough market saturation to sustain future growth.
Video Monitoring Will Become a Standard in Home Security and Less of a Luxury
Video monitoring is nothing new. Home security systems are often packaged with high-definition video capture and streaming products to provide greater protection than simple sensor-based systems of the past. Consumers now have the option to install video cameras internally, to monitor particular rooms or spaces within the home, as well as externally, to monitor access points and hidden areas around the home that could be entry points or access targets for potential thieves.
For years we’ve provided a number of cameras and camera systems, like our high-end, day/night cameras and DVRs and SkyBell doorbell, as options for new and current customers who want to see what’s going in or around their home at any time.
In 2018, we expect to install and monitor far more cameras and video security products to deter crime and keep home security and commercial security systems performing at all optimal safeguarding measures.
Video Alarm Verification Continues to Increase Emergency Response Times Over Simple Alarm Triggers
Late in 2016, we wrote about the benefits of video verification in alarm systems and how video capture benefits homeowners, business owners and law enforcement in different ways. One of the most eye-opening stats, however, was:
“With video verification, when a surveillance camera notices activity, the monitoring alarm center receives notice right away. A trained alarm center operator reviews the video footage, verifies what is transpiring, and reports it to the police right away. If the trained operator is watching a burglary in progress via video, it will be issued a higher priority. A burglary in progress is treated as a “priority 1,” by law enforcement. An alarm triggered without video verification is usually considered a “priority 3,” a much less important priority. The change in priority level from 3 to 1 means a much faster police response time. In the case of a tripped alarm, seeing is believing.”
In 2018, we think the proliferation of video cameras in security systems will only continue to increase the divide in response times for crimes-in-progress verified through video, and response times to possible crime-in-progress from traditional alarm sensor triggering.
Interested in learning how a new or updated alarm system can work for your home or business? Learn more about our services or contact us today to see how we can help.
An access control system is simply the method of managing entry and access into specific buildings, locations and areas within buildings. Knowing who, and how, different people can access property is a fundamental concern of any business owner.
The traditional type of access control system is lock and key. However, with advancements in security system technology access control has moved beyond a metal lock and business owners now have the ability to control accessibility into their facilities with electronic keycards, keypads and touchscreens that provide different levels of access and security, based on individuals’ access needs.
Access control systems give business owners and building managers an extra layer of security and control of their property. Depending on the type of technology you use to manage your system, access to property can be granted or denied in real-time and your system can log exactly who accessed your property and when.
Using an advanced access control system provides greater security detail and a number of benefits to traditional security methods.
Top Benefits for Commercial Access Control Systems
You Can Manage Individuals’ Access to Specific Areas of your Business or Property
Every business has a hierarchy of employees. Some employees need to be able to access sensitive equipment, like a secured network server, while others simply need access into the main office in order to their jobs. An access control system allows business owners to put sensitive equipment into different rooms of their business and only give access to those areas to employees that need to be able to use that equipment.
Access History Logs and Automated Environmental Controls
In addition to managing employee access to different rooms and buildings, access control systems log all entry into secured locations so that business owners can review who has been into specific areas, and when, if a problem or potential threat ever arises. Access control systems also allow for adjustments in the environment such as turning on the lights in a secured room or adjusting the temperature when someone scans to enter. The simple touches such as automatically changing the environment can lead to long-term energy bill savings.
Enhanced Efficiency for Security Needs and Changes
Never change a lock again. Keys often get lost or stolen, leaving your business vulnerable. On top of that, employees come and go. When employees leave, especially employees that previously had access to sensitive information and equipment, changing locks and re-securing areas of your business can be a hassle. With advanced access control systems, access can be granted or removed very quickly and electronically so that business owners don’t have to worry about legacy access becoming a threat.
Enhance Safety for your Business and your Employees
Business owners can use access control to restrict access to dangerous equipment or sensitive systems to prevent any unnecessary tampering and potential for accidents. Less accidents, mean less hours spent dealing with workers compensation forms and even lawsuits. Also, security experts in Information Technology will tell you that the first thing they review is ways around physical security with the intent to access a server room. Once they have access, it takes no time at all to setup a remote connection to leak sensitive customer and employee data.
Deter Criminal Activity
Criminals can recognize an access control system and know that it is not only more difficult to break into, but the chances are much higher that authorities would be notified immediately if a break in were to occur. Access control systems are a signal to potential criminals that this business has a more mature security system, and very likely has cameras rolling to record activity, too, making it an undesirable target.
Advanced access control system give business owners a more secure business while also providing convenient, flexible and cost-effective means of maintaining that security.
Thanks to technology, it seems every corner of the communications realm has been universally altered. This includes security monitoring, which has evolved since the early days of home security equipment.
During this evolution process, we’ve learned that two technologies are better than one. But how exactly has home security been impacted by the changing times?
Here’s how Security Monitoring works— from the olden days to our modern approach. Read More »
