Security has changed. Conventional systems and solutions have been augmented by the evolution of technology and transformed by the rise of artificial intelligence. Security surveillance platforms can now provide estates, business parks and retail centres with far more control and insight. The data created by systems powered by artificial intelligence and the analytics delivered by platforms designed to interpret this data allows for more powerful and relevant security monitoring that protects both individual and property. However, there remains a perception that the technology is too costly and the solutions too complex for anyone but the largest of enterprises. It is a perception, according to Nico Venter, head of marketing at Watcher Surveillance Solutions, that is about to change.

Contact Watcher now for more information — watcher.co.za

“Conventional security has largely relied on clunky systems and the human factor in order to ensure that spaces are safe because the technology has been either too limited or too expensive,” he says. “The old ways were simply the easiest, but they have shortcomings that can have serious security repercussions. Security guards need to take a break or may look away, which immediately result in vulnerabilities.”

Now, imagine if the security guard didn’t need to take a break? Or if they never needed to look away from the screens, even for a second? This is precisely what artificial intelligence does. The control room is suddenly monitored 24/7 by the intelligence that never sleeps and that’s capable of catching discrepancies and concerns in an instant, notifying the relevant individuals in real time and significantly reducing risk to property and individual.

“AI and right algorithms and software can be used to reliably identify potential threats. Once the system has identified a threat, the system will keep track of actions taken and will escalate it should it not happen timeously. All actions taken by surveillance operators are logged for future reference and review,” says Venter. “This technology is not something that lives in the future, either. It’s here, today. Organisations of all sizes can leverage these capabilities to streamline their surveillance systems and manage multiple properties to greatly improve their security and peace of mind.”

Right expertise

The one challenge, however, is to introduce this technology without the right expertise. While these technologies are intelligent and ubiquitous, they do require the necessary knowledge and skills to ensure that they get the right results. The operational complexity of these systems is underestimated and, as a result, companies often fail at this point.

“These are legitimate concerns for organisations,” says Venter. “They don’t have the budget or capacity to invest into high-end technology that could potentially end up not working properly. This is where managed surveillance services offer real value. Instead of building the expertise from the ground up, companies can use a trusted partner for proactive security surveillance. The technology problems? Well, they belong to the service provider.”

Managed physical security services for estates, business parks, freestanding businesses and retail centres ensures that every aspect of surveillance is controlled from a central control room that’s aligned with regulatory requirements such as Popia and GDPR and that’s capable of handling comprehensive surveillance across multiple sites. Instead of a company investing into the heavyweight tech, managed services handle everything from the ground up.

“The multiple technical moving parts that comprise a comprehensive security ecosystem are expertly managed from a central point of contact,” says Venter. “The AI, the control room, the software, the real-time alerts – these are all tightly managed within a controlled environment that meets specific customer requirements. This also allows for absolute data security and to further leverage the data gained from the surveillance systems to improve security and premises.”

By centralising security into one space, the cost comes down while the reach and capabilities go up. The video management system developed by Watcher Surveillance Solutions is GDPR and Popia compliant, can be implemented across multiple locations, and uses the latest in AI and intelligent analytics to provide companies with the kind of security they need.

“We provide the entire ecosystem, from the cameras to the power support and redundancies to the connectivity back to our centralised control room,” says Venter. “We can curate surveillance solutions for multiple sectors and organisation sizes – from a small estate to a mega industrial park, and everything in between – at a cost point that really doesn’t dent the bottom line.”

Contact Watcher now for more information — watcher.co.za.