Old but New – Commercial Alarm Solutions and Monitoring

What to look for and the current state of the market

Commercial – Alarm and Video Monitoring Solutions

1. Instant Video Verification: Look for a system that provides professional live video monitoring to confirm there is a real threat on-site before the customer is ever contacted. This can help eliminate false alarms and reduce associated fees.
2. Integration with Door Access Control and Video Surveillance: A commercial alarm system that seamlessly integrates with door access control and video surveillance is a critical tool for loss prevention and liability protection.
3. Scalability: Ensure that the system you choose can grow with your business and adapt to changing needs.
4. Reliability: Choose a system that is reliable and has a good track record of keeping people safe.
5. Cost: Consider the total cost of ownership, including installation, maintenance, and any fees.

When it comes to selecting a monitoring option, consider the following

1. 24/7 Professional Monitoring: Choose a system that provides professional business alarm monitoring services around the clock.
2. UL Certification: The monitoring center should be UL Certified to ensure compliance with all security standards countrywide.
3. Enhanced Reporting: Ensure the solution selected includes clear and frequent reporting of alarm systems status, recurring testing, and incident reporting that includes activity logs of all interactions with the software and monitoring center or dispatch guard service.
4. Real-Time Alerts: Look for a system that can send real-time alerts to your phone or email.
5. Mobile App: Consider a system that has a mobile app that allows you to monitor your system from anywhere.
6. Customization: Choose a system that allows you to customize alerts and notifications to meet your specific needs.
7. Ease of Use: Look for a system that is easy to use and does not require extensive training.
8. Solution Design: modern solutions are becoming more intelligent and add many strategic and convenient features as well as aesthetics. Working with an experienced partner to help design and install the solution by taking advantage of smart gadgets and peripherals is key.

Home monitoring features

1. Apple HomeKit Integration: Some systems support Apple HomeKit integration, which allows you to control your security system using Siri, the Apple Home app, and Google Assistant as well as allow you to connect your security system with other smart home devices.
2. More modern solutions support IFTTT integrations, which allow you to create custom automation rules for your security system.
3. Look for systems offering a smart door lock with Bluetooth and NFC interoperability functionality, which allows you to lock and unlock your door using your smartphone.
4. The best way to build your secure home solution is to get the right expert team and have a designed combination of features and sensors that all work together to ensure your system fits your family lifestyle and at the same time utilizes all the types of modern sensors and connectivity rendering it maximum effective.

Key components to provide the best solutions to safeguard your business assets and staff

An effective alarm solution for a commercial business should include the following modern parts

1. Control Panel/The Hub: The smart control panel plays a vital role in Commercial Alarm Systems. It keeps a close eye on the performance of all detectors and promptly sends an alarm signal to both the owner and the Central Monitoring Station.
2. Motion Sensors: The motion detector alerts the owner at the initial signs of a home or office intrusion. It is securely mounted on the wall, and strategically placed in front of doors and other potential entry points for intruders.
3. Door and Window Sensors: The opening detector alerts at the earliest indications of intrusion through a door or window. It is installed on various openings, including roof windows, which might be left open when leaving the house.
4. Glass Break Sensors: A Glass Break Sensor designed to detect glass breaking within a range of up to 9 meters. If a window is broken by intruders, the system promptly alerts users and notifies the security company. Notably, passing cars and barking dogs do not trigger false alarms at the same time.
5. Video Surveillance: A 4k security camera system can help deter crime and provide evidence in the event of a break-in.
6. Access Control: Access control solutions elevate security measures, offering tailored access, promoting accountability, securing confidential information, safeguarding valuable assets, ensuring personnel safety, and seamlessly integrating with other security systems.
7. 24/7 Professional Monitoring: Professional monitoring services can provide around-the-clock alarm monitoring and dispatch emergency services if necessary.

To make the most effective security alarm solution for a commercial business, it is important to combine these components in a way that meets the specific needs of your business. For example, you may want to integrate your access control system with your video surveillance system to ensure that only authorized personnel are allowed into certain areas of your business. You may also want to consider integrating your alarm system with your building automation system to help reduce energy costs and improve efficiency.

It is important to work with a professional security provider who can help you design and install a custom alarm system that meets your specific needs and budget

State of the Market and Trends

Over the recent number of years, there has been a major shift in terms of services and providers across the industry with some concerning outcomes.

With all major telecommunication giants across Canada getting into the business through acquisitions of major security service providers, being in a different industry the overall experience and features of the services as well as the service and key pricing aspects have really been shaken up and deteriorated.

On the commercial side, the newly formed providers have dropped key services such as cellular backup and guard dispatch, clear reporting for incidents/activity, and unclear billing that came along with it. The solutions became a way to buy into large “small business merchant” portfolios and continue collecting recurring fees for less service/support, and a few years after increasing the fees. The monthly rates are attractive at first but the solutions advertised include minimal hardware specs and components often require additional addons that exponentially increase the overall cost to the business. Customer support, product knowledge, technical expertise, and overall business segment know-how have now all been lost in triage in the short few years of this shift.

Selecting the right partner

Always remember – you have options when selecting the right partner – when it comes to security, especially during such times as now, don’t just checkmark it. Reach out to TNSG.

• The need for modernization while maintaining key features and competitive pricing.
• Important to employ the right hardware configuration and strategically use door sensors with the motion/glass break detectors.
• Know your options with the call lists, guard service/police dispatch options and live video monitoring.

Conclusion

We at TNSG take pride and continue to push technological boundaries, strive to be a business partner by providing key expertise, the latest technology, custom-designed solutions that actually help individual businesses large and small, delivering client service, in-depth and on-time reporting, UL-certified monitoring across Canada, and include cellular backup systems, options for guard and police dispatch including false alarm insurance features to help protect your business when your staff mostly needs us to be the right partner and let you focus on running your business. We ensure our pricing is competitive with an excellent and extensive feature set that will not be beaten as well as continue to evolve and lead the security industry in Canada.