Live Video Monitoring vs Onsite Security Guards

Should You Choose Onsite Security Guards or Video Monitoring?

Those who own or operate large facilities (such as truck yards, warehouses, automotive lots, construction sites, and other such areas) understand the importance of security. Theft, vandalism, or other security threats can cause significant damage and serious financial loss to your business. Therefore, it’s only natural to want to keep trespassers out of your property.

Understand what live video monitoring can offer and how this service compares to traditional onsite security guards.

It’s natural to want the best possible security services. However, every business also has a budget and any money you spend on security is money you can’t spend elsewhere. That makes it very important to find a security solution that is both effective and affordable. The bottom line is you want to get your money’s worth while keeping your company as secure as possible.

Two common options to keep large facilities safe are onsite security guards and remote video monitoring. Both services offer security protection. But which one should you choose for your business?

Here are some tips that can help you make the right decision for your organization.

Advantages of Security Guards

To determine which security tools are right for you, it’s a good idea to look at the potential advantages of each service. For security guards, one of the advantages is that they can react to a crime or suspicious situation when it occurs. Alarm systems and unmonitored security cameras can’t act when something happens. At best they can warn you of a crime in progress (by sounding an alarm, for instance) or capture evidence of the crime (by recording video).

Security guards are able to respond to suspicious situations and contact additional authorities (such as police) if there is a crime in progress.

Advantages of Remote Video Monitoring

Remote video monitoring solutions include cameras, physical access control tools, speaker systems, and more, all working in conjunction. When used together, these tools provide strong protection. Unlike passive security cameras, live video surveillance cameras are watched at all times by trained security professionals. Many cameras are also layered with artificial intelligence to provide additional information about a scene and alert the security team of a potential issue.

Those watching the cameras can take note of suspicious situations and react accordingly. For instance, they can remotely access lights or use live voice commands to deter criminals or question why someone is at the scene. If a crime takes place, they can immediately contact the appropriate authorities. This makes them much more powerful than passive services.

Another key advantage to live remote video monitoring is that cameras can be placed nearly anywhere. This makes them incredibly versatile, and it becomes possible to monitor every inch of a site with live cameras.

Choosing Between Live Video Monitoring and Security Guards

When it comes to choosing the right security tools, there are two main factors to keep in mind. The first is effectiveness. You obviously want to make sure that the service actually protects your property.

The second point to keep in mind is cost. As mentioned, every company has a budget and, while you certainly want strong security, you also have to take the price into account.

When it comes to the effectiveness of live video monitoring and security guards, the first thing that stands out is that both tools are more effective than passive forms of security (such as alarm systems or unmonitored cameras). Being able to respond to a situation in real-time is a critical advantage.

However, in many situations, remote video monitoring has an edge when it comes to the amount of a property that can be monitored. For most businesses, it simply isn’t feasible or practical to have guards watching every single inch of a property. It often just can’t be done. Most traditional security guards monitor a certain area (such as the front gates to a property) or they make their rounds throughout a site.

Security Guards can’t be everywhere at once and this leaves holes in your security.

Live video surveillance cameras can be installed so all areas can be monitored. This allows trained security agents a clear view of every single part of a property.

When it comes to cost, traditional security guards usually rank at the higher end of the security spectrum. Having enough guards to cover a significant portion of a property at all times often comes with a very high hourly cost. With remote video monitoring, most businesses are able to get better security at a lower cost than if they had used guards.

For more information on remote video monitoring and to find out how it can help secure your business, please contact us today.