How to choose a commercial security camera system installer

What is a commercial security camera installer?

A commercial security camera installer doesn’t merely set up cameras without guiding users through the process. A good installer will also help you:

• Choose the right products for your needs
• Decide where to install cameras
• Guide you through expected costs and timescales
• Answer any questions or concerns about the project

While commercial security system installers provide a wide range of installation services, a commercial security camera installer focuses on any surveillance features your organization or business requires or desires. Not only will a professional CCTV camera installation provide peace of mind, but your installer will ensure that the cameras considered are the right fit for your needs, helping to transform your organization’s security processes from reactive to proactive.

What a security camera system installer can do for your business

Alongside helping business owners to select the most appropriate system for any given application, security camera system installers work to develop an installation plan accounting for costs, timescales and wider security needs. CCTV camera installers can also support businesses by teaching security staff how best to prioritize certain security requirements to make the most efficient use of resources.

Understand your security priorities

Before finalizing security camera installation plans, it’s crucial to understand the specific security goals for your space and industry. Consider the following:

Are there any particular areas of concern in your building, such as places with limited physical presence or with items of particular value?

You may want to position a new security camera system with a view of your storage room, for example, or install outdoor cameras to make sure that your parking spaces, stairwells, and entrances and exits are covered.

Should your cameras be discrete, or would you prefer larger, visible cameras?

Dome cameras are discrete and may go unnoticed, while larger security camera types can serve as visual deterrents to reduce the chance of criminal activity. 

How will you be monitoring your business security camera installation?

Consider the spaces that you need more visibility on, and how you will be using any video footage. Your security camera installation professional can recommend the right products for storing video footage, whether your cameras should have built-in analytics, if you should have remote access to your camera feeds and suggest interoperable products for managing your video system after camera installation is complete.

Are there regulations your organization needs to comply with?

There are certain standards that all industries have to abide by when it comes to video monitoring, and some sectors have more specific rules. In industries like education, government, finance or law enforcement, or in a setting such as airports or stadiums, a security camera installation expert can give you guidance on what rules and regulations your video security system must meet.

Understand what CCTV systems you need

With a wide variety of video security systems on the market, it can be challenging to find a solution to suit your needs. Once you’ve determined where your priorities lie, CCTV system installers will work with you to create a customized system of security cameras and software.

Areas that can present particular difficulties often include:

• Outdoor environments – Environmental factors such as weather conditions, wildlife and vandalism can lead CCTV system installers to recommend certain products, for example, ruggedized cameras able to operate in extreme heat or cold, or cameras with built-in wipers to improve visibility in wet or snowy conditions.

• Tight areas – Smaller rooms and corridors can often present infrastructure challenges such as limited space for cabling that could lead installers to recommend wireless IP cameras. Additionally, wide-angle cameras may be required to adequately cover the intended target area.

• Building perimeters – Cameras intended to cover open areas like building perimeters may benefit from adjustable and remote-monitored cameras, granting security teams the ability to adjust for multiple views using a single camera rather than relying on a network of fixed-view devices.

Commercial security camera installation experts will also take you through the different software and hardware options compatible with your new security cameras. As well as help you integrate existing systems alongside newly installed security cameras, eliminating the need to purchase new software and devices.

Find the most strategic camera placement

It’s important to account for several factors when choosing where to place your business security camera installation. Your CCTV camera installer will be essential in this process. 

Things a commercial security camera installation professional will review include access points and where key assets are located. They will also assess lighting and HVAC systems that can affect the efficacy of your security cameras, whether you’re opting for a wired security camera or wireless cameras. 

The security camera system installer will account for how much sunlight there is during the day, as well as any artificial light sources in operation at night. These factors will inform where your security cameras should be placed, as well as if you need a camera with infrared night vision or the ability to adjust for changing lighting environments. Your CCTV installer will also help you decide whether you need CCTV cameras inside, outside or both.

Consider additional camera features

As well as determining the number of cameras you need and where they’ll be placed, you should also consider whether there are any special features needed for your security cameras.

Cameras in factories, for instance, may require added protection from heat or dust, while outdoor cameras such as parking lot security cameras or cameras for exterior areas of an airport, may need to be extra-durable or have in-built protection from extreme temperatures. To make monitoring any number of cameras more efficient, a commercial security camera installer may recommend cameras with built-in video analytics to help teams accurately identify and locate potential incidents, rather than having to sift through hours and hours of footage. These advanced camera systems will need professional installation unlike a home security system.

Ongoing maintenance and troubleshooting

Once your camera network is installed, a good video security installation professional will be available for any ongoing support needs.  Ways in which a security camera system installer can be of assistance include providing technical support if a camera should unexpectedly stop responding, offering troubleshooting tips or conducting an on-site evaluation and performing necessary maintenance.

CCTV camera installers can also issue upgrades and regular system updates to ensure that your camera firmware and hardware is running the most recent versions of available operating software. Additionally, they can provide assistance in reconfiguring hardware devices or adjusting camera positions if security teams have noticed any issues when monitoring your CCTV camera feeds.

How to find the right business security camera installer for your next installation

Whether you’re looking for an installation for school security cameras or city surveillance for public safety, it is important to find an installer that understands your industry, as well as your business or organization’s unique needs. The right commercial security camera installer should have an understanding of common vulnerabilities and which cameras can address these issues to ensure your business’ critical assets are protected.

To help you decide whether a particular company is the right fit for your business, here are eight questions to ask your commercial security camera system installer:

How many cameras do I need to install?

The number of cameras required for your installation will be largely dictated by your budget. However, plans should be made to ensure that key areas are covered, and your security camera installer should be able to provide guidance regarding how to make the best use of available resources.

For example, it may not be necessary to remove and replace all existing security features to upgrade your system, instead, installers may recommend choosing a cloud-connected network or cloud security cameras that can be easily integrated into existing systems to reduce overall installation costs.

What type of cameras do I need?

A qualified security camera installer should understand the security requirements of your organization in order to build a customized deployment. The needs of one business will differ from another, and the type of cameras installed will vary as well.

For example, commercial office security teams may require remote-accessible cameras to view CCTV feeds outside of working hours, while high-security institutions guarding valuable data or assets may need night-vision, pan, tilt and zoom functions to reliably monitor access points at all hours. Additionally, security cameras for retail stores may need to be CCTV-type bullet cameras for monitoring specific entrance points.

Do you need hardwired cameras or are wireless cameras more preferable? Is high-resolution footage essential to be integrated alongside facial recognition software? Asking detailed questions about the type of cameras a security camera installer would recommend for your business will help you determine if they can offer the best solution.

Do your cameras meet my industry’s standards?

Make sure that any security cameras installed are compliant with standard rules and regulations, as well as any industry-specific ones.

For example, cameras for federal government agencies must be equipped with FIPS-compliant cryptography that meet high data security standards. Ask your commercial security camera installer about any applicable FCC or NDAA regulations for your system as well.

How easy is it to expand or upgrade my security camera system?

In order to future-proof newly installed security camera systems, businesses should consider scalability. If you have plans to open new locations or expand operations, it’s essential that your security systems are able to accommodate the addition of new networks on the same platform.

By making these considerations, security teams are able to use the same credentials, video management and monitoring software to operate cameras across multiple sites, and new hardware units can be added at any time without the need for newly planned infrastructure.

Do your cameras offer analytics?

Having security cameras is one thing – but having an intelligent system that can help you to plan and execute a better security strategy is another. Utilizing analytics can help to improve the efficacy of bespoke security systems. For example, cameras covering parking garages may benefit from motion detection, detailed vehicle categorization or license plate recognition software for parking management.

Visitor management analytics applied to cameras installed in main entrances and hallways can be used to help monitor occupancy levels and gain insights into how spaces are used. This data can then inform HVAC and lighting systems schedules to help improve energy efficiency.

Can I use my existing software with new cameras?

If you already have equipment in place, it may be that you’re looking to add additional security cameras, rather than ripping out the entire system and starting again. You should mention this to any potential installer and understand whether this is something they can work with when building a new video security system for you.

Do you offer ongoing support?

Whether it’s software upgrades or system health checks, it’s likely that your new security camera system will require some maintenance after installation. Additionally, service providers can offer immediate support to aid security teams in the event of detected emergencies such as natural disasters, intrusion events and the occurrence of vandalism, property damage or theft.

What are my warranty and insurance options?

A business security camera installation should benefit your organization for many years, meaning maintenance, servicing and support options must be appropriately considered prior to the installation.

Make a point to ask the service provider about available warranty conditions, including how the company intends to treat malfunctioning cameras, faulty equipment and their liability if any intrusion events should occur as a direct consequence of poorly installed or maintained camera equipment.

Look for providers offering a minimum of a one year installation warranty covering all cabling, weatherproofing and installation materials. Anywhere from one to five years is standard, as well as a 3 or more year for hardware warranty, depending on the product. Your business security camera installer should also offer ongoing technical support to ensure that the system is able to operate as outlined in your initial plans.

Insurance should also be discussed, with common requirements including coverage for any property damage that may be caused during installation, terms for compensation if work is not completed within a pre-approved timeline and outlined specifications and coverage for each individual hardware unit.

Do you need a commercial installer for your business security cameras?

Business security camera installation is complex and requires extensive knowledge and experience, meaning hiring a professional is always advised. The above questions should help you to choose a business security camera system installation expert that will be there for you from start to finish, from building a customized solution to maintaining your equipment for years to come.

Find a commercial security camera installer near you