Your business is your livelihood, and your office is the one part of your business you want to keep safe above all else -- especially if said office happens to be in your home. Whether it’s to protect expensive equipment, products or sensitive data, you want to keep out unauthorized visitors. No matter how big or small your business, every office needs at least basic security, and with today’s technology, it’s possible on any budget.
The Basics
Before we get into high-tech security system options, first make sure that you have the fundamentals covered. Most of these simple solutions are quite affordable.
· Doors: External doors should be solid wood or metal, not hollow; and at least 1 3/4-inch thick
· Locks: Standard doorknobs can be easily jimmied; replace with single- or double-cylinder deadbolts
· Windows: Flimsy latches should be replaced with keyed locks, and don’t forget blinds or curtains to hide your goods from sight
· Lighting: Motion-sensing lights outside of your office will help deter intruders
Professional Systems
If you’ve got serious valuables in your office and you have room in your budget, consider a professional security system. A security company can install a hard-wired system throughout the walls of your office to connect any combination of door and window sensors, motion detectors, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and security cameras to a control panel.
Companies like FrontPoint and ADT charge an installation fee and monthly monitoring fee. Prices vary widely, but according to Consumers’ Checkbook, the cost for installation and three years of monitoring ranges from $2,000 to more than $3,300 for the same job.
DIY Wireless Systems
There are also many wireless security systems available you can install yourself. They can be friendlier on your budget and provide the same benefits as a wired system, like tracking and controlling your system from your smart device. But they require more maintenance (such as changing the batteries), and there is some argument that interference from other wireless devices can trigger false alarms.
Single Camera security system: Also called Internet Protocol (IP) cameras, these simple devices run on downloaded software and attach to your computer or a bracket on the wall. They are quite cheap, starting around $80. “Cloud-connected IP cameras are seeing a dramatic increase in market share in the video surveillance and monitoring market,” says Chris Gillone of CudaEye, a video surveillance system that records and encrypts video data. “We have small business owners monitoring their operations while on vacation on other continents.”
Small high-definition cameras are also making their way into the market. “With clear image detail provided by HD cameras, business owners can monitor a scene and … search through footage to detect if a wrongful act occurred,” says Willem Ryan, senior product marketing manager at Avigilon, an HD-video surveillance software company. Avigilon’s discreet HD Micro Dome is slightly larger than a golf ball, and provides clear image detail in up to 2 MP resolution.
Wireless Security Kits: Installing your own “smart” security system is fairly easy. A system complete with Wi-Fi remote-controllable camera(s), LED lights and web-accessible monitoring software can start at just $100.
You can also buy a kit that’s as easy to install as using double-sided tape to attach sensors to door and window frames. Depending on the number of sensors you want, you can buy a system for about $85 that includes a few window/door sensors, motion detectors and a key fob to disable the system before entering. Many systems will set off a piercing siren that will scare away thieves and notify you when something is amiss.
Making the Most of Your Security System
In addition to preventing loss from stolen goods, you can increase the ROI from your security system in other ways. Additional uses for a security system in an office include “tracking the arrival of deliveries and counting inventory remotely or after the fact, monitoring the flow of traffic of people entering and exiting an office or storefront and monitoring employee safety practices,” advises Ryan.
Today’s technology allows small business owners to easily install security measures to help ensure their livelihood remains safe and guarded. Whatever option works best for you, the fact remains, there’s no reason to go without some sort of security system.
: technology, innovation, entrepreneurship, small business