What to Look for When Purchasing a Security Surveillance System

1. Lower internal or external theft 2. Reduce or eliminate vandalism to assets and property 3. Provide video evidence for workman compensation and safety issues 4. Monitor operations of the business, facility or campus Next you will need to determine a simple budget for the project. Your budget should be based on the value you feel the system will add to your business or institution. You should also consider any return on investment that may come from the system (i.e. lower insurance costs, lower workman compensation claims, reduced shrinkage, etc...).

With a list of objectives and a basic budget you can now begin to look for the ideal IP video surveillance system that can accomplish your goals. It is important to do some research on your own before talking with different security companies. Also ask friends and business associates for recommendations and to see if you can see their surveillance systems.

Once you have some basic understanding of what video surveillance has to offer and you have done some due diligence its time to bring in the security companies. You should select the companies based on how well they fit your needs. Ideally they should have experience in your industry; they should have excellent references or testimonials from past clients, and should have completed projects of comparable size.

Each security company will often use different manufactures products to try to meet your needs. Look for products that offer the following key attributes:

Once you have proposals from each of the companies carefully review them. Ask questions until you feel completely comfortable with the company you want to choose. Always remember that there is room for negotiations. Don't select an inferior company just because the price is right. Talk with the companies and see what value engineering may be able to be done or discounts that can be applied for various reasons.

Lastly carefully review the purchase or lease terms of your agreement. Make sure you know if you will own the equipment or you will be renting it. If you are leasing the system know the buyout terms? Ensure you can meet the payment terms and there are established milestones for when payments will be made.