CCTV alarm monitoring vs. Live monitoring: What’s the Difference?
CCTV alarm monitoring vs. Live monitoring: what’s the difference, and how does it affect security solutions? Several features make these two forms of security surveillance different.
The security industry is changing thanks to a market downturn, COVID, and labour shortages. These factors put companies and premises at risk. But few solutions can affordably provide comprehensive cover to clients. The common misconception is that in-person security is the best option for security.
But price increases are prevailing, and clients can no longer afford in-person security. They are turning to other solutions because crime is rising thanks to job layoffs, higher costs of living, and supply chain issues hiking the value of stolen goods.
CCTV alarm monitoring and remote surveillance with live monitoring are the logical security solutions that clients are turning toward. Let’s take a closer look at these two forms of remote surveillance and how they compare.
What is CCTV Alarm Monitoring?
The security industry is evolving thanks to the rise of technological innovation, security cameras, artificial intelligence, and the internet. These features can work together to provide a unique service to clients looking for security options.
Cameras are stationed around the client’s premises and linked to a monitoring station through a secure network. There are several ways to use this type of security.
Clients may decide that they want to do it themselves and buy cameras off the internet to monitor their property. Google Nest and Ring cameras do offer a wireless camera that is fairly comprehensive for the service it offers.
Alternatively, many security companies do offer a CCTV Alarm Monitoring service where an agent will check the property at regular intervals, depending on their policy.
The property is randomly surveilled for abnormal activity. If the system is turned on, these cameras will raise an alarm when sensing movement. Once the alarm is raised, the person who is alerted can take action. However, when the alarm system is turned off, like during working hours or when the owner is at home, the system does not generate an alarm and thus works as a recording tool for forensic purposes. The other important issue is the lack of knowledge about the operability of the system device. In case of any device failure, any alarm signal can be triggered thus the customer is not protected without knowing it.
The drawback of this system is the quality of these alarms. The number of false alarms is very high since any movement could trigger the system, be it a criminal or just a bird. After hundreds of false alarms, the people watching these systems will lose their vigilance and could potentially miss something. An overgrown tree or a spider web could also unknowingly obscure the view, rendering the camera effectively useless. This type of surveillance is called passive surveillance and offers an alternative, but not comprehensive, security solution.
What is Live Monitoring?
Live monitoring is a specialized form of remote monitoring that incorporates all of the elements of passive security features and more. Live monitoring is where highly trained professionals are employed to create the most comprehensive security solution in the industry. Live monitoring is a proactive security solution that takes action before an event occurs.
The service will utilize all passive security elements and improve them. The cameras are linked via the internet to the remote surveillance company where trained operatives watch the LIVE feeds conveyed by the surveillance system thus monitoring the property LIVE.
Smart cameras have changed the way that security can be provided. They can tilt, pan, zoom in, and use night vision, plus many other features that make them incredibly useful in detecting crime and preventing it.
With the CCTV system on the client’s premises, a remote watch officer surveils the premises 24/7. This around-the-clock surveillance is a game-changing service in the security industry. Live monitoring agents are supported by artificial intelligence in case the visibility is limited to provide full coverage to the premises. In case of any suspicious activity or, if there is an incident, the agent will detect the issue, raise and process an alarm, and initiate a high-quality protocol.
Managers with extensive industry experience supervise the live monitoring agents. They all have backgrounds in the military, law enforcement, and the security industry along with a protocol that helps efficiently alert the local law enforcement and ensures an effective response. This is the most comprehensive and affordable service clients will get when looking for comprehensive security solutions. Let’s take a closer look at CCTV alarm monitoring vs. live monitoring.
CCTV alarm monitoring vs. Live monitoring
How does CCTV alarm monitoring vs. Live monitoring compare? Live monitoring takes all of the benefits of CCTV alarm monitoring, adds to it, and creates a better security solution to prevent crime. CCTV alarm monitoring will address crime while it is happening or after the crime has occurred.
24/7 Protection
CCTV alarm monitoring will only alert the client when an issue is already happening on the property. This alert does not happen when the alarm is off. Most clients will turn the alarm off when they are at home or on the premises. This is when they are at their most vulnerable.
Live monitoring works 24/7, offering full coverage of staff, customers, and the premises no matter the time of day. This gives clients peace of mind while investing in security service, but it also gives anyone entering the premises peace of mind.
Partnership with Law Enforcement
CCTV alarm monitoring does not effectively integrate with law enforcement like a live monitoring service. Remote security companies work with law enforcement to provide live updates and present information on the premises if there is a security concern.
This is especially useful in active shooter situations. Schools would greatly benefit from live monitoring. Active shooter events are detected before the possibility of any shooting happens, thanks to the trained professionals watching the feeds who know how to detect those kinds of situations. If a situation potentially escalates, the live monitoring agents would be able to deliver live updates on the situation to law enforcement.
Reduce costs
Live monitoring companies employ individuals from other countries to provide the live monitoring service, which means that they are well paid in their country, but the service itself is affordable.
The fact that live monitoring uses a partnership with law enforcement to reduce the risk of crime taking place means that there are no liability costs like insurance premiums, property damages, or prosecution fees. This is a massive benefit to any client looking for an affordable yet comprehensive security solution.
In the debate of CCTV alarm monitoring vs. live monitoring, live monitoring triumphs over CCTV alarm monitoring. Swissguard is the leading provider of remote security solutions and delivers a comprehensive solution to clients worldwide thanks to the integration of expert staff, high-quality systems, and innovative business practices.