9 Mistakes to Avoid When Buying a Video Security System

This year, according to a recent National Retail Security Survey, you'll lose 5% of your revenue to
employee theft and shoplifting. So if you have $500,000 in annual sales, that's a $5,000 loss.
!ou can avoid losing a "ig portion of it "y e#uipping your store $ith a state%of%the%art video security
system. &ith the latest advances in surveillance systems, small retail stores, service stations and mom%
and%pop stores can ta'e advantage of the same level of video security you might find in "an's, casinos
or government offices.
(ut that doesn't mean all surveillance systems are ali'e. &hat's more, it's important to have a good
technical support team "ehind you to $al' you through placement, set%up and the latest upgrades.
)n this article $e'll e*plore the latest advances in video security as $ell as costly "lunders. +ere are ,
mista'es many retailers ma'e $hen choosing a system.
1. Buying a security system out of a box
These days you can $al' into a lot of retailers and find a -complete- security system all in one "o*. )t
seems simple, "ut it can lead to a num"er of pro"lems. .irst, these systems are not really designed to
meet the needs of most retail "usinesses. /ften they come $ith lo$%end, lo$%resolution cameras.
So, you may not get the sharp, in%focus picture #uality you need to clearly identify a suspect.
0dditionally, they typically have cameras designed for a single purpose.
0nd that "rings us to the second mista'e1
2. Buying too fe cameras or the rong ones
(efore "uying e#uipment, ta'e a careful loo' at your floor plan. 2oo' at vulnera"le "lind spots and
high%traffic areas. 3onsider $here you'll need coverage. .inding the right 'ind of cameras and 'no$ing
$here to place them is perhaps one of the most important tas's $hen planning your security system.
Too often, first%time "uyers purchase a four%camera "o*ed system and then discover they really needed
more cameras. (ut they're stuc' "ecause the video recorder that came $ith the system can only handle
four cameras.
4lus, a good system $ill include a variety of cameras. 5epending on your "usiness, you may $ant
indoor cameras, all $eather cameras, even infrared cameras to cover dar' areas. (uy too fe$ or the
$rong cameras and you may have to purchase a second system to get the coverage you needed in the
first place.
!. Buying "#ro#rietary" e$ui#ment
4icture this. !ou've got a system in place. (ut a camera "rea's. /r you decide to add an infrared
camera. )t should "e easy, right6 Thin' again. 7any system manufacturers, especially those that ma'e
all%in%one "o*ed systems, ma'e e#uipment that's not compati"le $ith other manufacturers'
components.
So if you purchase the $rong e#uipment, you may not "e a"le to upgrade simply "ecause you started
$ith proprietary e#uipment. (e sure to purchase e#uipment that has "een developed to easily
integrate and upgrade $ith other e#uipment.
%. Buying cameras ith a fixed foca& &ength
.i*ed focus means that the camera lens can only produce a focused image from one distance length.
0d8usta"le focus lenses allo$ you to ad8ust the focus $ithin a range of distances. So you can identify a
suspicious character up close or a license plate from far a$ay.
&e recommend cameras $ith an ad8usta"le focal length of at least 9mm. This allo$s you fle*i"ility in
setting up your cameras to capture the image area you $ant.
'. Buying a system ith a V()
Stay a$ay from surveillance systems that use old%fashioned :3R technology to record your video. .irst,
:3Rs have a lot of moving parts that commonly $ear out. Second, videotapes can get stuc' or "rea'.
0nd lastly, armed ro""ers loo' for videotapes that have recorded their actions.
0void these hassles and go digital $ith a digital video recorder. 5:Rs $on't $ear out li'e a :3R. They're
far more relia"le and there are no tapes to "rea' or steal. !ou have to ta'e care that you are "uying
technology that meets your needs. 5:Rs are top technology "ut don't "e guilty of1
*. Buying the rong +V)
Recorders for security systems are designed to give the a"ility to vie$ multiple cameras at once. (ut
they are limited to the num"er of cameras they can handle. So again, "uy a 5:R capa"le of handling
the num"er of cameras you need.
)f you thin' you'll add cameras in the future, consider "uying a 5:R that's a"le to manage the
additional cameras so you $on't have to replace the entire system $hen you e*pand.
,. -oor or no technica& su##ort
3amera placement is 'ey to the overall effectiveness of your system. So you'll $ant the support of
people $ho 'no$ ho$ to install a system properly. This does not mean you have to hire an e*pensive
security firm that could cost an arm and a leg. 7a'e sure that your sales consultant matches a system
to your floor plan and $al's you through the set%up process.
.. S#ending too much for &o $ua&ity
There's a lot of e#uipment on the mar'et today. Some of it's good and some you should avoid. 7a'e
sure you're dealing $ith a video security company that stands "ehind their e#uipment. 5o they offer a
price guarantee6 5o they provide fast delivery6 0re their products "ac'ed "y a money%"ac' guarantee6
5o they provide free technical support6
So $ith all this in mind, don't ma'e this final mista'e1
9. /ot buying because you "can0t" afford a system
)f you thin' that e#uipping your retail store or $arehouse $ith a top%#uality surveillance system is
e*pensive ; it's even more e*pensive and dangerous not to. 2osses from theft start from day one.
Too many retailers $ait until they've "een stung "y shoplifters, employees or "y an armed ro""er, to
ma'e the decision to put in a system. +o$ever, the time to do it is no$, "efore you lose more money to
theft. )t is an e*pense of doing "usiness.
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