Installing a Security Camera System? Wear a Mask!

Leonardo da Vinci did more than paint the Mona Lisa – he was also a safety pioneer! Seeing some of his fellow artists coughing while chiseling and sanding marble, he had the idea that a piece of cloth dipped in water and stretched over the nose and mouth could make the job safer. He was onto something. Safety masks have become a job site necessity for many different professions and hobbies.

Our lungs are delicate and hard to repair. Over the past 300 years or so, advancements in chemistry and industry have continuously caused us to learn this fact the hard way. In fact, we have used tons of chemicals before knowing the myriad of ways these nifty potions turn our bodies into toxic goo. Most of the time, we can’t even see it happening.

Those glass fibers of dust you see in the attic, basement, or from drop ceilings  floating around are going to end up in your nose and mouth.  There is no chance of coughing up glass fibers since they stick like micro-sized needles and can be carcinogenic.

If you install CCTV systems, take my advice and spend a few dollars on a mask.  Make it a standard policy for yourself, and don’t wait for the company to make it a requirement.  That last breath you took in might just show up on your chest x-ray in ten years.

Consumer Confidence, An Essential Competitive Advantage

One thing that consumers seek when making a purchase is confidence in the company that they are buying from.  This is especially true when one decides to purchase surveillance equipment.  The costs of surveillance equipment have decreased over the past few years due to increased demands for it.  Therefore, more and more purchases are being made by individuals for residential applications.  Unfortunately, residential customers have very little knowledge of surveillance systems.  The only thing that they know is that they need surveillance.

This is why it is important for a surveillance company to gain the consumer’s confidence.  Acquiring the customer’s trust is essential in obtaining their business.  The key to consumer confidence is product knowledge.  Buying from someone who knows what they are talking about makes the consumer feel confident.  This is vitally important when the customer is purchasing something that they have very little knowledge about.

Having the most updated information concerning surveillance equipment is a major competitive advantage.  The more that a sales person knows about their product, the more selling points they have to use in order to win more sales.  Customers want to buy from people who can make the absolute best recommendations for what they need.  The customer wants to feel like the salesperson is genuinely concerned about meeting their surveillance needs and not just trying to make a sale.

Surveillance companies need to not only know their products, but what their customers want out of a product.  Knowing what customers want, or what they will want in the future will help determine exactly what products to offer them.  Having the right product line can not only meet customer needs, but create new ones as well.

Taking Care of Your Investment

Well you finally decided to go ahead and make that investment and have that new CCTV system installed, now what.

Well, there are a lot of people that think once it is installed, that is all you have to do. And for the most part, it is. There are a few things that I would suggest so that things don’t get out of hand all at one time.  If any of your cameras are located near trees or any other kind of landscaping that might still be growing, be sure to set a schedule and keep them trimmed back ahead of time. It would be a shame to need to go back and find a piece of video only to find out that a tree branch had finally gotten big enough to block the camera view that you need to see.  The best way that I have found to make sure this kind of thing does not happen is to set a day once a quarter and check for this sort of thing. Other good things to do and look for at this time include cleaning and lenses, check to make sure any camera housings are still weatherproof by opening them up and making sure there is no water or condensation in the bottom of the housings. Also check any exposed wiring to make sure the insulation is still in place and in good condition. If the wire is in conduit, make sure all the connections are still connected and all boxes still have covers on them. These are just a few things I would suggest you put on that schedule. I’m sure if you set down to make a list, there are other things you can add to the list to help protect your investment.

Stop Getting Tangled in Network Camera Cables

When most people take make the move from analog cameras to Network Cameras (IP Cameras), what they need in the ways of video recording, archiving, and cables is the biggest challenge for them to learn.  Unless you are a network engineer or seasoned IT vet, you’ve probably never had to deal with switches, PoE ports, or port forwarding.  After gaining a strong grasp on these things, Network Surveillance systems are breeze.

How Does a Network Camera Send Video Signal?

Unlike standard analog cameras which connect to a DVR via BNC cable, IP cameras use standard CAT5 cables to connect to an NVR (Network Video Recorder).  They are the same network cables used for connecting computers to routers, modems, and each other.  In fact, many houses and businesses are already outfitted with a CAT5 network throughout.

How Does a Network Camera Receive Power?

The majority of network cameras are Power over Ethernet (PoE) compatible.  Essentially, the same CAT 5 network cables can be injected with power using a PoE injector or a PoE switch.  This helps reduce the amount of wires required to make a camera operational and often saves time since, again, many sites are already outfitted with CAT5.

The fear of new and different technology often keeps people from implementing the best possible solutions.  Armed with the understanding of Network Camera connections, there is no reason not to make the upgrade.

How to Plan an Install From Start to Finish

Every good installer is an expert note taker and this is why installers are some of the best people to take with you on a walk through. A notebook can be a powerful tool for both the installer and the client, so it’s always a good idea for both parties to keep track of any ideas and concerns on paper. Another great tool to have when planning an install is a camera to take pictures of important things such as placement of a DVR or an area that your customer has concerns with. When you are evaluating your customer’s needs, be sure to ask questions about everything, to avoid creating gray areas in the installation plan. Knowing every expectation that your client has up front can help you avoid costly mistakes and hours of extra labor on the back end.

After you have taken the time to meet with the customer and taken many notes and pictures it’s time to sit down as a team. Your team should include the following: a sales person, an engineer, and an installer. Make sure you go every aspect of what needs to be done to fit your customer’s application. As you sit down and discuss the security plan, toss questions back and forth between the team members. The salesperson will know what feature the customer is looking for. The engineer will know what products the customer will need to make this system work correctly and the installer will inform you of what if any special equipment will be needed to accomplish your final goal.

Once all the planning is done and the system has been sold your installer will put all the products into place. Quick tip: it is a good idea to have a installer with a great attitude towards you and your company as they will be spending the most time with your customer. Once your installer is finished, your engineer will come in and make sure everything is working as it should and teach the customer how to use all the features of their security system.

Your part is not done yet as you will need to follow up with the installer, the engineer, and your customer during the whole process. Be very proactive to make sure everything is going as planned and that you are the first person contacted in case something is not working. When the project is complete let a few days to a week pass and send your customer a follow up email or a thank you card.