Security technology is improving at a frightening rate. If you are looking for a security system to help you protect your business site, you have an incredible range of different options from AI CCTV towers to motion detection alarm systems.
Sometimes, it can be hard to keep up with it all. But has technology advanced so far that it has mitigated the need for manned guarding services altogether?
Security is certainly better when you embrace technology, but are security guards themselves still as valuable as they always have been or is your business site just as safe protected solely by security technology?
The answer is that it very much depends on the size and location of your size and the nature of your operations. One thing that can not be argued is that businesses do need security as business assets are commonly the victim of theft and vandalism across the globe. But what form exactly should your security take?
Manned Guarding
24/7 manned guarding is an incredibly effective way to protect your business from crime. Security guards have been the heartbeat of the security industry for many years and remain so to this day.
Advantages of Manned Guarding
Just some of the many benefits of having highly trained SIA licences security officers protecting your property include:
A visible crime deterrent
Your alarm system might be able to detect an intruders movement once they are on your site, but the highly visible presence of manned guarding will often deter criminals from targeting your property in the first place.
Lower risk of false alarms
Security technology has improved to such an extent that false alarms are rare, but they are still possible, and much less likely when your security is provided by human guards.
CCTV and Alarm monitoring
So far, we have looked at manned guarding and security technologies as two separate options but the fact is that the most effective security systems combine the two.
Security guards can use CCTV to identify threats in real time and use the information they have observed to intercept intruders before they do any real harm.
Disadvantages of manned guarding
There are a few possible reasons why manned guarding might not always be the best option, however.
Cost
By far the biggest factor in many commercial sites moving towards a technology only security model is to save money. 24/7 manned guarding isn’t cheap, there is no way around that, but being the victim of a crime isn’t cheap either, and in the long-run on large-scale sites, manned guarding has been proven time and time again to be a cost-effective choice.
Security guards cannot cover the entire site at all times
No matter how good your security guards are, they will never be able to monitor activity across the entire site at all times, as effectively on their own as they are able to when utilising CCTV.
You need to trust your security guards
Putting your faith in a manned guarding service requires a huge amount of trust that you have picked the right security guards to protect highly valuable assets that are crucial to the future of your business.
Security Technologies
In the modern world, the list of security technologies is almost endless from CCTV systems to biometric access control gates that use fingerprint or facial recognition to verify the identity of those entering the site.
Benefits of security technologies
24/7 coverage
CCTV and alarm systems will keep your property protected at all times of the night and day. Modern systems can even be monitored via your mobile device allowing you to check up on your site whenever you feel like it, or an alert is detected.
Cost saving
Security technologies allow you to save money on your security costs, without compromising the security of your site or the safety of your staff.
Can be used to gather evidence
Should the worst happen and a crime is committed on your property, CCTV will capture the entire event. This footage will be incredibly useful for the police in tracking down the culprit and can be used as key evidence in both court and insurance claims.
Disadvantages of security technologies
False alarms
They are rare, but false alarms are an ever present possibility with a technology controlled site, even with the most modern of AI technology.
Humans are still required
Whether they are on site 24/7 or remotely monitoring CCTV from afar, human security guards are still essential if you want a real-time response to security alerts detected by your security technologies.
Overall, the most effective of all security systems are created from a combination of BOTH manned guarding and security technologies with security guards utilising technology to aid them in the task of keeping your property safe and secure at all times.