Perimeters of buildings and grounds can vary significantly – from suburban areas with open space to urban environments bordered by sidewalks and industrial sites with fenced-in facilities.
The technology for protecting these facilities varies as widely as their perimeters, but the key to detecting and stopping intruders before they gain entry is an integrated security solution. In addition to providing enhanced security, integrated solutions also offer many opportunities for dealers and integrators to upsell the system or to add services that create additional revenue.
A control panel can serve as the heart of an integrated system. It can accept alarms from various devices – detectors, surveillance cameras and more – and use those alarms to trigger actions that focus the attention of security personnel or a monitoring center operator. This level of integration along with advanced programming capabilities enables dealers and integrators to offer customized perimeter security solutions.
Certain features and services can be considered “add-on offerings” to a more traditional perimeter security solution, enabling the dealer or integrator to charge for these services in addition to the standard monitoring fee. These services provide end-users with increased levels of security and convenience, and the dealer or integrator gets new opportunities to increase revenue for their business.
Here are five revenue-generating integrated perimeter security system add-on services for dealers/integrators:
1. Event notifications with video snapshots.
Video surveillance cameras are a key component of most perimeter protection systems. With an integrated system, security control panel events – such as an alarm triggered by a beam detector – can trigger camera actions, including sending video snapshots from cameras focused on the area direct to end-users, so they are instantly alerted via email or text.
Video information and the action that triggered the panel event are aligned, so customers gain more information about what is happening at the facility. By including the camera’s DNS or IP address in the notification, the customer can connect directly to the relevant camera simply by clicking a link in the notification. This enables them to make more informed decisions during a possible perimeter breach and can help to reduce false alarms.
In addition to panel events triggering camera actions, cameras can activate points on the control panel through video motion detection or video analytics. IP cameras equipped with on-board video analytics ensure a constant eye on the scene and instantly alert to conditions that require action. This could include alerting to a person crossing a perimeter, abandoned objects, illegal parking near a loading dock door, or a person loitering near a fence line.
The analytic alert can immediately fault the corresponding point on the control panel until the alert clears. This prompts the control panel to communicate the alarm to the monitoring center, or to send video snapshots in an event notification. This extra layer of protection provides alerts to potential security risks before they occur or alerts to perimeter breaches as they are happening.
Some control panels can perform this level of integration with no dedicated wiring, third-party service or complex automation software required – the control panel treats the camera as an integrated device and provides commands directly via a local area network. This eliminates the need for a server connection, which can be a point of failure and increase the complexity of the installation. This approach also reduces installation, configuration and operational costs for the dealer or integrator; thus, increasing the amount of revenue gained through charging for event notifications with video snapshots and other advanced capabilities.
2. Remote command and control.
Apps for remote control and monitoring of panel functionality and viewing of video offer another opportunity for recurring monthly revenue, especially for perimeter protection applications. End-users often expect the availability of mobile command and control of systems, and this can be offered as a chargeable service.
With an integrated system, the same app that can be used to arm/disarm a system or area or control doors can also be used to view live video from IP cameras integrated with the system. All of this can be done using a smartphone or tablet over the Internet, a local wireless network or over cellular, depending on the control panel model.
3. Abnormal condition alerts for building entries.
Securing the perimeter of the grounds is the first line of defense, but it is also important to consider technology that assists in preventing unauthorized entry to the building itself.
Outside of the traditional use of a building’s security system, consider areas that need to be opened for authorized employee use, but restricted to others. Security control panels with integrated access control come into play here – enabling those authorized employees to gain entrance. But how do you prevent vulnerabilities from employees who prop or inadvertently leave a door open?
Advanced control panel programming capabilities can alert security personnel or the monitoring center when this happens. For example, a panel could be programmed to delay the reaction of a point for a specified time – from one minute up to an hour depending on the user’s requirement – and disarmed points can be monitored for abnormal conditions. This can be used for emergency doors to ensure they have not been propped open or for loading dock doors or roof hatches inadvertently left open to provide an enhanced level of building perimeter security. Technicians can program the system to annunciate locally or send an alert to the user via text message and delay the supervisory report. This can serve to remind the user to close the door or hatch before a report is sent to the monitoring center.
The ability to monitor doors even when a system is disarmed is a service that certainly goes beyond what end-users expect from traditional security systems – and of course presents another way to add revenue.
4. Audio integration.
Integrating security technology with a public address system is beneficial for initiating pre-recorded messages based on security events. For example, a camera or beam detector that alerts to a person crossing a perimeter line can cause the control panel to automatically trigger the public address system to play a message in the area. The announcement can alert the intruder that he or she is under surveillance, which may stop the person from entering. At the same time, the system can notify security personnel through two-way radios, ensuring a faster response.
Integrating audio with the security system is a great way to upsell a perimeter security solution to drive more revenue for the project.
5. Live intervention services.
Combine these latest security technologies with services that enable the monitoring center to intervene at the time of an impending perimeter breach or one in progress, and you have a powerful deterrent that may prevent possible intrusions.
Video monitoring services can enable the operator at the monitoring center to intervene with audio. Once a video or intrusion alarm is transmitted to the monitoring center and verified through video images, the operator can take immediate action with audio intervention using a nearby camera that is equipped with a loudspeaker. If intruders are warned that they are under surveillance and that the authorities have been contacted, they will likely flee the area.
This added layer of security is an effective means for preventing damage and theft – and it also provides verification of alarms, which often results in a priority response from law enforcement for real security events. It provides another opportunity to add to monitoring fees, generating higher recurring monthly revenue.
Paul Garms ([email protected]) is Director of Regional Marketing at Bosch Security Systems Inc. Request more info about the company at www.securityinfowatch.com/10213805.
