A Security system is a big investment. Choosing the right company and products that best suits your needs is vital to the success of the venture. It’s important to understand the common mistakes companies often make when selecting a future security provider.
1. Implementation Approach
A commonly overlooked aspect when installing a security system is the short and long-term strategy used to implement the system. An important question to ask yourself is: What do I want this system to accomplish? Do you want it to decrease theft or vandalism, help with workman’s compensation claims, and/or restricting access to restricted or sensitive area? Some of these goals may be long-term and others short. Formulating your goals can make sure that the security system you select will accomplish those goals and the company installing the system can clearly understand the expectations of the system.
2. Hiring the Wrong Security Company
Security companies are plentiful. Searching for the right and qualified company for you can be a major undertaking. So how do you narrow down the field to just a few companies to get bids from? When do you find the time to check references and perform background checks on the companies you do select? These are important factors that will impact not only the initial project, but your company’s security for years to come.
So how do you get the right security company? Start by asking other companies that you have relationships with, they can be your vendors or current customers. Ask who they employ for their security and how their experiences have been with the security provider. This should get you started with a good list of names while also checking company references. Next, make sure you check the certifications of the company. There are numerous industry and manufacturer certifications a company should have. Finally, investigate how long the potential company has been in business. A company that has been in business for less than 7 years can be a risk to choose. Reason being that a typical security system will last for about that length of amount of time. You want to make sure you are choosing a company that has many years in the business and will be around for the length of your system.
3. Selecting the Wrong Equipment
Selecting a poor security company can be bad, but selecting the wrong security products can be even more devastating from both a financial and from a time standpoint. Wrong equipment doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s a bad product or manufacturer. This may be the case but it can also be that the security company sold you only cameras when what you really needed was access control. Or you have a guard service and the interface software isn’t user friendly and is difficult to learn. Or worst case scenario, they sold you equipment that doesn’t do what you need or do enough for you. The decision to implement a security system, whether it’s cameras, access control, or an intrusion alarm, can be a large investment. Getting the right equipment the first time is crucial. Prior to selecting the equipment, ask for a demonstration at your location or request to see a system installed at another location. This simple step may take some scheduling and time, but will greatly improve your odds of installing a system that works well and solves your goals.
Buyer’s remorse is not a good feeling to have after purchasing a security system. Simply understanding the common mistakes will help you make an educated decision when it comes to your security project. More importantly, it can be the difference between receiving a system that will serve you well for years to come and becoming an aggravation that wasted too much of your company’s time and money.
Daniel Cogan is the president of Access Security Corporation, located in Bucks County, a security firm which has been securing the Philadelphia tri-state area, New Jersey and Delaware for over 38 years. Access Security provides commercial and enterprise integrated security systems that include Access Control, Burglar Alarms and Camera Surveillance Systems. He personally has over 15 years of experience in the design, installation, and servicing of door access control systems, intrusion alarms and survei