Is Managing Security on a Tight Budget Even Possible?
In today’s world, security of your assets, staff and visitors has become more urgent than ever before. With the increasing risk of theft, damage to property and unauthorised access, Facilities Managers, School Leaders and Business Leaders, need to be even more proactive in developing robust security measures. Often balancing security and safety with budget constraints can provide the biggest challenge for leaders, which can show up in a variety of ways. But fear not! In this article, we share how managing security on a tight budget can be achieved.
The Rising Costs of Advanced Security Solutions
Quality security systems such as CCTV and access control can be expensive to purchase, install, and maintain. So finding ways to secure the necessary funding can be a challenge, in itself. The next challenge is justifying the cost to those who hold the purse strings, so to speak. Exploring grants can be a smart way to offset costs. This, in addition to working with resellers who have accreditations with manufacturers, will ensure optimal discounts which will ultimately shave a lot off your investment.
Integration of Security Systems
Integrating various security systems such as CCTV, access control or automated gates can be complex and expensive, particularly if existing systems are outdated or incompatible. Having a central management platform for the various security systems presents a huge time-saving benefit, having all your systems in one place. We would recommend a Paxton system to combine access control with CCTV management on a single platform. Its ease of use, reliability, and competitive pricing make it a wise choice. For CCTV, there are a variety of manufacturers, we would recommend, including (but not limited to) Hikvision and Vista. We do not exclusively recommend any particular brand as we offer bespoke solutions, based on individual requirements and budgets.
CCTV and Access Control Upgrades and Maintenance
Keeping up with advancements in security technology and ensuring systems are updated and maintained to provide the best protection possible can often be time-consuming and without the correct expertise, can be impossible to maintain. It is important to ensure systems are professionally installed and regularly maintained for optimal performance. Outsourcing the maintenance of your CCTV or Access Control systems can save you a great deal of time in trying to manage it yourself. In the long term, this will also save you money as your time will be better spent focusing on your main role. Service Level Agreements (SLA’s) are a worthwhile investment and will give you peace of mind that your systems are being monitored and any issues are being resolved as and when they happen.
Understanding the role of CCTV Monitoring
Remote CCTV monitoring significantly improves the security of a facility or site. Even when managers are absent, enabling real-time surveillance of premises allows for monitoring activities, detecting security threats, and responding promptly to incidents. Implementing a comprehensive CCTV solution and monitoring real-time surveillance will significantly enhance the security of the premises and will ultimately deter any would-be criminals from advancing, ensuring the safety of your premises and its occupants.
Steps to Secure your Premises, Without Breaking the Budget
We understand that it can be a minefield putting a security plan in place and with it, comes a huge responsibility to get it right. So we have broken down the steps for you below to give you a guide;
- Create a tailored security plan specific to your requirements as a business or organisation.
- Analyse your assets and identify your potential security concerns.
- Assess any vulnerabilities and decide on a robust system.
- Ask your colleagues in the same industry for their recommendations of what has worked well for them.
- Consider a broad range of security measures such as access control, CCTV and live surveillance to maximise the robust security of your premises.
- Decide which doors you would like to control entry over and use smart card solutions to raise your security to the next level.
- Implement a regular maintenance plan to monitor your security solutions and ensure that they are running smoothly and are consistently keeping your business or organisation secure.
All of these measures can be carried out by a professional security integrator. They will understand your objectives and ultimately put in place a security plan for you, within your budget. This will take away the confusion, helping you to achieve peace of mind that your security is well looked after, whilst being completely budget-friendly.
