How to Choose a Commercial Security System
Be it a home, business, or a marquee facility such as a museum, you want to protect it from intrusion, theft, and other threats. However, the question that often comes to mind is, “how.”
The security industry offers a diverse range of security solutions. From key access cards to video surveillance systems and alarm monitoring, you have a lot of options. However, with a limited budget, you can’t spend liberally on every solution available.
So, as a business, how do you choose a commercial security system that meets your needs?
Know Your Industry Rules and Realities
Start by understanding your industry. For example, if you’re in the marijuana retail industry in Canada, you must follow specific regulations when it comes to securing your stores. Without adhering to these laws, you will be liable to government penalties.
However, these regulations also define what systems you should procure and how you should configure and arrange them. If you’re in the pharmaceutical, marijuana, or other industries that involve controlled substances and heavily regulated items, start with knowing your regulations.
The second part of this is understanding the unique attributes of your industry.
For example, in a large retail space (e.g., department stores or big box stores) you must monitor each aisle as well as track the flow of people as they enter and exit your store.
When it comes to securing a production plant or logistics warehouse, you will need to install a video surveillance system as well as a physical barrier around the perimeter. If you have a data center, you will want to implement access control systems to restrict unauthorized entry.
Identify Your Threats and Prioritize Systems
Second, you must identify your threats and, in turn, prioritize systems that will deter them.
For example in retail, your primary threat is that of internal and external theft. As a result, your goal will be to deter it by monitoring every vulnerable area (e.g., product aisles, cash registers, etc) with video surveillance, prevent unauthorized access to stock rooms, and install an alarm- -based intrusion detection system to deter break-ins.
Besides knowing the reality (and rules) of your industry, you can identify your threats — and select the systems necessary to deter them — by getting an audit from a security consulting company, such as Logixx.
In fact, you should get an audit or assessment done prior to any design, procurement, and implementation work for securing your facility.