If you’re going to install a security system for your business's physical locations, then it should be comprehensive. Adding functionality, but failing to integrate it with existing security measures creates a disconnect. Along with reducing overall efficiency, this also means that you’ve created gaps where security breaches are more prone to occur. For example, failing to merge your access control management system with CCTVs that were previously installed can create blind spots that can become a problem if a security incident occurs.
Why You Should Integrate Access Control with CCTV
Access control methods such as key card or pin code entries are a great way to monitor who is entering your building. But they’re not infallible. For example, what happens if an employee loses their key card or has their wallet or purse stolen?
An enterprising thief may decide to visit your location. And they would then have direct access to your premises. Without integration into a CCTV system, it might be difficult to verify that it was, in fact, the thief who entered rather than your poor employee who was robbed. But with it, you can compare timestamps between the CCTV footage and your card swipe logs to confirm that the person seen entering your facilities wasn’t your employee.
CCTV and Access Control Combined Offers Real-time Oversight
Expanding on our example of the burglar intruder, combining access control with CCTV could have alerted you sooner that someone was in your building who didn’t belong there. For real-time support like this, you would want to create a proximity trigger that instantly begins filming at access points the minute an employee card is swiped. This can be a sophisticated method that relies on video analytics to match the fresh image with the employee photo on file.
When the stolen key card was swiped, the CCTV would have instantly shown that the person entering under the stolen card wasn’t who they were pretending to be. An alert would be issued to the relevant security staff and they could have moved swiftly to apprehend the intruder.
When Combined, Security Can Be More Efficient
Both CCTV and access control allow businesses to operate more efficiently. This is because the general logging of movements or card swiping is automated. Rather than having an employee, including security guards, manually log employee movements or stand guard at entry points, your security system is managing these tasks.
This means you can have your security team perform routine security checks throughout the facilities, and your other staff can focus on their key tasks. Best of all, when implemented properly, business owners can easily check data logs or video footage remotely.
CCTV Can Serve as an Additional Deterrent
While a very determined criminal will stop at nothing to break into your facility, the visible threat of CCTV and getting caught on camera can give many would-be burglars a reason to pause. And this isn’t just for people who aren’t part of your employee pool, but staff who might be thinking of stealing inventory or even worse, data.
Both CCTV and Access Control Are Scalable Solutions
Every business owner wants their business to grow. But often this comes with the financial pain of having to acquire larger facilities, additional employee office equipment, and of course payroll and associated human resources expenses. But both access control and CCTV are two security initiatives that are designed with growth in mind.
Especially with IP CCTV, installation is fairly easy as you don’t have to deal with the expense of hiring contractors to manage extensive wiring or even video storage equipment. Instead, you can simply install additional cameras as needed. Likewise, access control can be a flexible security management system that allows business owners to quickly add employees, update restrictions, and access logs.
Security is Stronger with Both CCTV and Access Control Integration
Comprehensive security ensures that there aren’t any gaps that could lead to physical or digital breaches in your business’ security protocols. CCTV provides a visual log of not just entry to the premises, but activities within your facilities. Meanwhile, access control provides a digital log of employee access and movements throughout a building. When combined, you can be confident that your facility is more secure. If you’re ready to upgrade your business’ security system and protocols, Four Walls Security is ready to assist you — and it begins with a no-obligation quote.
