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Why should I use CCTV at my business?

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Video surveillance is not a “one size fits all” industry. Some businesses do not use or need CCTV while other companies use top of the line video surveillance along with several other security measures. Determine your business’s needs, and then look for CCTV equipment that matches those needs. Below are some of the reasons a business might consider purchasing CCTV:

• Crime Prevention: According to a 2005 American Management Association survey, fifty-one percent of companies reported using video monitoring to prevent crime, an increase of eighteen percent over four years earlier. If your company, or other area businesses, have suffered from vandalism or theft in the past, place CCTV cameras and signs stating that you use CCTV in conspicuous locations in order to deter thieves.

• Apprehending Criminals: CCTV can help you apprehend and convict criminals by providing pictures of criminals and video evidence of the crime.

• Employee Monitoring: If you have had complaints from employees about harassment from co-workers, or if you are afraid of violence at the workplace, you can use CCTV to monitor employees. In addition, you can use CCTV to monitor employee performance. Be careful, though—videotaping employees gives the impression that you do not trust them, and that impression hurts employee morale. You also need to tell your employees that you will be using CCTV at the workplace.

Regardless of your reason for using CCTV at your business, make sure that you comply with federal privacy laws. You cannot record audio footage or listen in on the conversations of customers, clients, and employees. In addition, businesses can only use CCTV in public places. Several companies have faced legal battles because they placed video cameras in dressing rooms or bathrooms. Again, this is considered invasive and unnecessary for the primary uses of video surveillance.

The reasons behind using CCTV also play a role in where you place your cameras and how many cameras you have. If you are concerned about crime, for example, you should focus your cameras on entrances, exits, parking lots, and the most likely spots for crime. In addition, the larger and more dangerous your workplace is, the more cameras you will want to use.

Businesses from warehouses to banks to dot com startups use video surveillance, but you have to determine your company’s needs and risks before you can make a wise decision on what kind of video surveillance is right for your company.

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