The home security market gets plenty of attention from the media. On the other hand, businesses are just as likely to utilize security equipment as homeowners. But business owners may not be willing to upgrade equipment as readily.
Upgrades are an added expense that puts stress on a company’s budget. The result is that businesses often wind up sticking with old systems that really don’t do an adequate job.
Suffice it to say that an old security system is not the best for protecting a business’s interests. A system already more than five years old is not up to par with modern standards.
A system older than 10 years is even less secure. If you are not sure as to why that is, just consider the evolving nature of crime.
Criminals Learn to Adapt
A Digital Journal piece published in April 2024 offered numerous reasons that businesses should consider upgrading old security systems. A careful analysis of the article reveals one underlying reason that trumps everything else: criminals learn to adapt. They have to in order to survive.
It is easy to see how crime evolves by looking at something completely separate from business security: credit card payments.
Before the credit and debit card era, we paid for everything with cash. Transitioning to plastic forced criminals to adapt. They did. They learned how to steal credit card information. They learned how to build and install credit card readers.
With the world rapidly moving to mobile payment solutions, criminals are having to adapt yet again. They are now in the process of developing sophisticated devices that allow them to intercept mobile payment data while standing at a distance. It will not be long before waving your phone in front of a payment terminal will be too risky.
Likewise, criminals have figured out how to overcome older security technology. They know how to get around basic intrusion systems. They know how to silence old alarms. They know how to disable wired CCTV cameras.
Internal Security Concerns
The Digital Journal piece also touched briefly on internal security concerns. They did so in relation to companies that use security systems to monitor what happens inside the four walls, in addition to keeping intruders out.
Interior video surveillance cameras illustrate the principle easily enough. Installing cameras on the production floor can make a significant difference in tempering employee behavior. If employees know their work is being monitored, they are less likely to goof off, violate company policy, etc.
Upgrading a company’s security system to include internal video cameras where none previously existed can make an enormous difference. Cameras can improve productivity and cut down on employee theft.
Security Equipment as a Deterrent
What it really boils down to is using security equipment as a deterrent to unwanted activity. The principal applies both to keeping intruders out and keeping an eye on employees who may not have any issues with breaking the rules. It is disappointing that employers have to think along such lines, but such is the modern world.
Here’s what Vivint says a modern security system offers business:
- Intrusion Deterrence – Everything from security cameras too noisy alarms keep intruders away. Criminals do not like being watched. They prefer to keep quiet. If faced with a security system that watches their every move and makes a lot of noise, criminals are more likely to move on.
- Theft Deterrence – Though it is often unpleasant to admit, employee theft is a real problem for many businesses. Video surveillance cameras are a significant deterrent to it. Employees are less likely to steal if they know the floor is being watched.
- Access Control – A modern security system does more than just surveil activity inside and out. It also provides access control. Different areas of the premises can be kept off limits to unauthorized persons, thereby making a business even more secure.
- Peace of Mind – Operating a business can be stressful. Business owners and managers can use all the help they can get reducing stress. A reliable security system can play a role by giving owners and managers some extra peace of mind.
- Constant Monitoring – Added peace of mind is a benefit of around-the-clock monitoring. Professional monitoring alerts to burglary attempts. It alerts to potential fires, floods, and even carbon monoxide leaks. Early detection minimizes risks by getting first responders on scene more quickly.
- Insurance Discounts – Installing a security system can lead to insurance discounts for businesses. Just as with home security, insurance companies recognize the reduced risks that comes with security systems. That reduced risk could be reflected in annual premiums.
An old and outdated security system may still function just fine. But if it is too old, its function is limited. It is also a prime target for experienced criminals who have long since learned how to defeat older security technologies. Thus the insistence that businesses should strongly consider upgrading outdated equipment.
Installing a New System
Businesses without existing security systems should take note that they might be living on borrowed time. If it’s true that security systems act as a deterrent – and it is – criminals will always look for easier targets that are left unprotected. That means a business without a security system is more vulnerable than a business with one.
In the two years since the start of the COVID pandemic, we have seen a gradual up-tick in crime. We have also seen more criminals brazenly attacking businesses. No one knows how long things will continue on as they are now. In the meantime, business cannot afford to be left unprotected by outdated security systems or no security at all.
If your business has no security system, now is the time to change that. The same goes if you are operating a system that is more than 5 or 10 years old. Crime evolves. Security has to evolve with it. If your company is not up to date in the security realm, it is at a higher risk. Do something about it.
