Saturday, July 18, 2009

CCTV Services, An Asset That Business Can Not Do Without

By Ben Sparks

Many small business owners feel that they can not afford to install CCTV services. The reality is that CCTV services, when used in a manner that exploits all of their advantages, provide a valuable asset to any business. When all of the advantages of CCTV services are utilized, the CCTV system will pay for itself in a very short time.

Even the most unsophisticated of customers can recognize areas of a store that have CCTV coverage. The black dome in the ceiling can have a camera inside of it that is monitoring a set of shelves or merchandise cases. The simple fact that the black dome is there is an indication that a CCTV camera may or may not be inside. If there is a camera inside, "big brother" is watching. The mere existence of the dome serves as a deterrent to shrinkage.

How many businesses actually know what their busiest days and hours are on the store floor? Through the use of CCTV services the customer traffic flow can be monitored and charted. Through the use of this monitoring and charting, staffing in the store can be optimized to provide the most staff at the busiest times. This leads to greater customer satisfaction and repeat customers.

Many businesses think they know who their valuable employees are. In many cases, appearances can be deceiving. When management is not on the sales floor or in the manufacturing area, they do not truly know who is working with the most productivity. Just as CCTV services monitor customers, the same services can monitor employees to determine which employees are the most productive. This surveillance can be accomplished at any time and provides management an accurate view of just who is working and who isn't.

There is hardly a business in existence today that has not been threatened by a nuisance lawsuit. A customer claims that a slip or fall on a wet floor or on ice outside the business caused them serious injury. It is extraordinarily difficult to prove that the plaintiff is lying about the slip or fall without actual evidence. CCTV services can provide that evidence. The time/date stamp on the video can show that the plaintiff did not slip and fall at the time that they stated they did. This evidence is incontrovertible and highly admissible in a court of law.

CCTV services provide an additional layer of protection for the business owner. The original intent of CCTV coverage, controlling shrinkage, is still a valid and obvious use. In actuality, CCTV services also provide an additional wide range of options for use that any business will find valuable and will help to increase the profit margin of the business.

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