When burglaries hit the news, there will be someone making rounds in your neighborhood handing out information about security monitoring. Often, the representative will be a young, hourly-wage canvasser without anything to say past the script they’re given.
And then, there will be the occasional person knocking on doors to take advantage of businesses and homeowners. Unfortunately, even when there is a real service to be provided, fear mongering leads to home owners signing 3+ year contracts with security monitoring companies they never knew before….and, often, with national companies who never knew the first thing about a consumer’s neighborhood.
With burglaries being all-too-common still in the greater Atlanta area, there have been an increasing number of knocks on neighbors’ doors. But, how do you really identify the best small business surveillance system for the home or company in Locust Grove, GA?
As a home- or business-owner, you need to know how to protect yourself—not only from theft, but from companies who are more interested in signing you into a contract than in providing the most expert knowledge for your community.
Know what to ask when someone comes knocking on your door, especially if a recent theft has occurred (which, statistically, is often followed by serial thefts in the same area). Be prepared to:
Ask about contract length
Ask about any and all fees that exist outside of monthly monitoring
Ask how installation works (fees, who’s sent to your home, etc.)
And, ask about the company’s existing presence in your neighborhood
Remember: the oldest trick in the book to serial burglaries is to make the excuse of providing a service, including security service itself, when in fact a neighborhood is being cased.
After you’ve fully vetted a door-knocker, and followed up with calls and consultation with the company, you’ll want to start thinking hard about equipment and surveillance systems.
The greatest luxury we have in today’s market is new, fast-moving technology, where competition is running so hot that companies have been pressured down in prices. With these technologies developing so fast and furiously, parts and systems have become less expensive to produce and install.
Whatever system you look at, there are many interchangeable factors to take into account for both home and business owners. In fact, especially with the boom of local entrepreneurialism, many homes might be business sites—and, many businesses are so small that systems marketed toward homeowners are, in fact, the most appropriate.
So, what’s the best?
The first question to discuss with your provider is, wired or wireless camera systems? This will depend on both the function and the aesthetics that are important to you. Most consumers have trended toward wireless, however analog cameras are still considered safer for many proprietors and individual cases.
Next, you’ll want to consider whether you only need indoor or outdoor systems, or both. These cameras can be routed together to the same control panel, even where the hardware itself is different (e.g., a wireless system inside and analog outside, or vice versa).
The verdict on the very best small business surveillance? Of course, it depends. But to be sure that you, your employees, property, and your other assets are safe, be sure to discuss your needs with the vetted professional that you’ve found to do the work. It’s in this level of consultation where your work in vetting will really pay off—thus, raising the bar of security surveillance for you and your Locust Grove community.