What is Remote Security Camera Monitoring?
Remote security monitoring refers to someone monitoring surveillance cameras from another location, which could be down the road or across the country. These tools typically use internet-connected devices to stream camera footage. This approach allows real-time observation of video feeds from security cameras placed at various sites. Cameras can be installed in homes, businesses, public places, or industrial facilities. As long as those locations have internet connectivity, a camera monitoring company can view that feed. Remote monitoring is conducted by security professionals, homeowners, or business owners and offers several advantages:
With advancements in technology, remote security camera monitoring often includes artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning algorithms. These technologies can analyze camera feeds in real time, automatically detecting and alerting security personnel to unusual or suspicious activities. This technology improves the efficiency of monitoring and enhances security by reducing the risk of human error.
All these technological advancements probably sound expensive. For the average business owner, having a security guard (or several) on-site can seem out of reach. For many small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs), it is. Onsite security is an expensive undertaking, but there’s risk involved when things aren’t being monitored. So, what do you do?
The answer is remote camera monitoring. This service offers a bank of security cameras that a remote security professional will monitor. Remote video monitoring keeps eyes on your business at all hours of the day and night. But how much does it cost? What are the benefits?
Remote Video Monitoring vs. Live On-Site Security
Both approaches offer distinct advantages and come with their own set of considerations. Understanding their strengths and limitations is essential to choosing the most effective security solution for a given situation.
A few differences stand out when you measure security camera monitoring against remote security monitoring. Those differences have to do primarily with the location of the security guard as they view your camera footage.
On-Site Security-Guards
Traditionally, businesses seeking security services had two options: Install CCTV cameras or hire a security guard. Sometimes, companies did both.
We’ve come a long way from that limited and often labor-intensive set of choices. Today’s cameras offer full HD quality and the flexibility of real-time monitoring in the cloud. They’re light years away from the outdated cameras of the past.
However, security guards are pretty much the same as they’ve always been. The biggest change is actually the cost. Security guard labor costs are rising, and there is a significant shortage of human beings to staff these posts. Companies report difficulties even finding the qualified personnel to fill these positions. One study of 400 security guard companies in the U.S. shows that they employ fewer live guards than before the pandemic. Worker shortages even cause security companies to pay hefty bonuses to attract talent. These costs go straight back to the customers who hire these firms.
What happens when security companies can’t find the workers they need? Inevitably, they run the risk of lowering their standards. At the same time, the National Association of Security Companies (NASCO) says on-site guards are dealing with an uptick in criminal activity.
Onsite security guards have always eaten up the most significant chunk of your business protection budget in a recurring cost model. Instead of the one-time costs of installing video monitoring, live guards regularly cost you a sizeable amount of your security budget. There are also risks associated with a guard getting hurt at work.
How does this differ from remote video monitoring?
Remote Security Monitoring
Given the state of the security labor shortage, many companies are using technology to fight back against criminals. This technology uses your existing cameras to monitor your business from a centralized hub. Instead of having multiple guards roaming the grounds at night, remote video monitoring needs just one guard in a monitoring station plus several cameras to see every nook and cranny in your business. Of course, if the law permits, you could cut out the onsite guards entirely and replace them with virtual guards. They do cost money every month, but the costs are much less than maintaining the same level of security on your property.
Technology is the great enabler. By partnering with a security monitoring company with next-generation video surveillance, you cut costs.
Benefits a Security Camera Monitoring Service Has Over Traditional Live Guards
Remote security camera monitoring service offers a range of benefits, making it a popular choice for enhancing security and surveillance in various settings.
Some of the key advantages include:
Remote Video Monitoring Service Costs
A remote video monitoring service costs a fraction of the typical costs of an onsite security guard. When combined with the features of today’s AI cameras, you get much more bang for your buck than you will with traditional on-site security guards.
Artificial intelligence and the algorithms that make up this computer science have made our cameras smarter. They offer advanced movement detection even in low light. They can be solar powered, so they literally can be put just about anywhere outside without needing expensive cabling. These cameras can be programmed to detect a human crossing a geographic boundary. They can even sound audible and visual alarms to scare a trespasser off. While that sounds expensive, the cost of technology has dropped in direct proportion to improvements in these tools.
Now combine these smart cameras with a remote video monitoring service. Remote camera monitoring makes use of these great tools but also adds human intelligence and intuition into the mix. How much would you pay to have this kind of peace of mind? Surprisingly, it might cost less than you’d think.
Average Onsite Security Guard Pricing
Here is the typical cost of having one human security guard onsite at your business. This assumes that you have at least one guard present for at least 12 hours a day. If your business is open longer, then it would cost less; conversely, 24/7 security would cost more.
Average rate per hour $15.38
Average cost per month $5,721.36
A virtual security guard service, like Pro-Vigil’s, costs a fraction of that!
The more onsite guards you can virtualize, the more you will save. That cost savings in the first year alone can pay for the video camera installation.
If you lack video surveillance or are still using outdated CCTV tools, how much does installing next level video solutions cost? Let’s look at the price of installing video cameras in your business.
Costs of Installing Video Surveillance
How Much Will it Cost to Install Security Cameras?
The backbone of any remote security monitoring service are the cameras that handle so much of the work to secure your business. There are three costs associated with remote camera monitoring:
Remote security monitoring services do include human guards – they just aren’t walking around your business at night. A virtual guard service monitors your video surveillance cameras in a secure facility that uses high tech systems to watch your company from every angle. But unlike onsite security guards, virtual guards are in a professional central environment where there are no distractions. These trained professionals are there to do one thing during their shift: be the eyes and ears of your business when you cannot. They are, in turn, supervised by a manager who ensures they are focused completely on the task at hand. Can you say the same about your onsite security guard?
When combined with the sophistication of today’s video technology, a remote security guard service offers businesses a powerful, affordable presence 24/7/365. It’s the next evolution in security that your business simply can’t afford not to have.
Pro-Vigil – Video Surveillance and Security Camera Monitoring Service
Pro-Vigil is an industry leader in remote camera monitoring. We use the most sophisticated camera technology available today and combine it with best-in-class training for our remote security teams that monitor your business. We’re proud of our long track record of helping clients sleep a little better at night. We can show you the benefits of remote camera monitoring and design a package that fits your business—and your budget. Call on us. We’re here to protect your investment—and your people.
