Five considerations when choosing a video surveillance solution

From enhancing site and public safety to managing congestion and analyzing behaviour, video surveillance systems offer broad applications. However, relying solely on manual monitoring can be very costly, while the potential for human error increases risk. Plus, with so many different use cases across various industries, no single video monitoring system can meet the needs of every business.

In this article, we’ll walk through the top five things to consider when shopping for a video surveillance solution for your business.

1. Real-time monitoring and accuracy

For many use cases, a real-time video monitoring system that detects suspicious behaviour, motion or other noteworthy activity offers substantial advantages. AI-powered monitoring significantly reduces missed events compared to manual methods, eliminating lapses in attention caused by distraction or fatigue, even when reviewing extensive footage. With automatic alerting, a video surveillance solution can notify the right people at the first sign of an issue, making it possible to intervene quickly and minimize the impact.

Precise detection is crucial for effective video surveillance. If your video surveillance system can’t accurately detect and classify people, objects, vehicles and other factors in the environment, you risk wasting resources on false alarms or missing critical events. A system that eliminates human error minimizes both false positives and negatives, providing reliable security and peace of mind.

Key takeaway

A video monitoring solution should provide alerts in real time and be highly accurate. Working in combination, these features support the broadest range of use cases and help ensure you can effectively monitor your premises.

2. Your industry

The features most important in a video surveillance solution can vary considerably by industry. For example, highly regulated sectors like finance or healthcare have to meet specific data security and privacy requirements defined by industry regulations or government standards.

What you intend to monitor (and why) can also differ significantly by industry. Retailers might want to combat shoplifting, whereas schools may want to prevent loitering and unauthorized entry. A feature known as scenario-based detection involves training the system to specifically identify situations like these. Video monitoring also offers significant benefits beyond crime and safety detection. Across various industries, it provides valuable data for improved operations and enhanced experiences. For example:

• • • Retail: Analyze customer behaviour (traffic flow, dwell time, heatmaps) to optimize store layouts and boost sales.
    • Transportation: Enhance passenger safety and experience by tracking movement to manage crowds and detect unattended baggage.
    • Municipal operations: Improve traffic control and public safety by capturing and analyzing data on traffic patterns, detecting incidents and monitoring crowds at events.

Key takeaway

Selecting a smart video solution requires prioritizing industry-critical needs and compliance requirements for optimal performance. A tailored solution, incorporating features like enhanced security or AI-powered machine learning, will yield the best results.

3. Environmental factors

Where you place your cameras will influence the features you need, as will changing environments. Outdoor cameras will need weatherproofing plus night vision for effective low-light monitoring. Indoor cameras in challenging lighting conditions (low light, harsh contrasts or variable brightness) will benefit from enhanced processing capabilities and equipment such as noise reduction, High Dynamic Range (HDR) or thermal imaging to support improved performance.

The size of the space to be monitored is another important factor. Large areas like malls or airports will require more cameras and a robust video management platform able to handle numerous high-resolution feeds and wide coverage zones. The number of areas to monitor can also determine the value of choosing a cloud-based or centralized solution, allowing consolidated data management and analytics.

You’ll also need to consider the available bandwidth at your site. Remote or poorly connected locations may rule out some cloud-based video monitoring solutions. In such cases, on-premises or edge analytics systems (where video data is processed at the camera) would be better alternatives. Ultimately, you want to make sure you have access to fast data processing to prevent delays and false negatives.

Key takeaway

Choose a video monitoring system suited to your deployment environment – consider whether it will be indoors or outdoors, the area’s size and the network resources available – and look for a solution with the appropriate capabilities.

4. Cost and ROI

As with any technology investment, carefully weigh both the upfront costs and the potential long-term savings against the benefits of a solution. Consider not only your project goals, but also opportunity costs and industry best practices. For example, video monitoring can secure insurance benefits, improve understanding of environmental, employee and customer factors, and ultimately boost efficiency or revenue.

A Video Surveillance as a Service (VSaaS) solution or monthly subscription fees offer flexible, predictable operating expenses instead of the higher upfront costs of on-premises systems. When calculating your return on investment (ROI), factor in potential savings from reduced theft, improved operational efficiency and lower staffing costs. This ensures your investment aligns with both your strategic objectives and industry realities.

Key takeaway

Selecting an effective video monitoring system relies on a thorough cost-benefit analysis. This analysis should consider both upfront costs and long-term operational impacts, including potential ROI and alignment with business goals.

5. Ease of deployment and use

Think ahead to the experience of deploying and using the video surveillance solution you’re considering. Will it easily integrate with your existing cameras, security systems and business management software? Does the vendor offer support throughout deployment and beyond, maximizing your ROI? Is the user interface intuitive enough for your team to master without extensive training? A positive answer to these questions points to a smoother deployment and a positive user experience.

Also look to the future: will you need to add more cameras or expand to other locations? Choosing a scalable solution will accommodate future growth. Given the rapid advancements in AI and video analytics, prioritize solutions that support new features through software updates, ensuring access to cutting-edge capabilities and maximizing your long-term ROI.

Key takeaway

A video monitoring solution might have all the features you need, but if the deployment and user experience are problematic it will be difficult to realize the full benefits. Favour solutions that offer a smooth deployment and intuitive experience – or engage an expert partner who can support you every step of the way.

Find the right video monitoring solution for your business with Bell

Bell partners with leading vendors to deliver customized video monitoring and analytics solutions powered by Canada's best 5G network.¹ We provide comprehensive support, from solution selection to implementation, ensuring fast, secure, high-resolution video and image transmission, even for large-scale deployments. Moreover, our 5G edge network guarantees data privacy, compliance and reduced latency for faster response times.

Explore all our building and site management solutions.

Source:
1. Based on a third party score (Global Wireless Solutions OneScore™) calculated using wireless network testing in Canada against other national wireless networks. See bell.ca/5g for details.