When you’re a business owner, you do any and everything you can yourself in the interest of saving money. With all the time, resources, and hard work you’ve put into running a successful business, finding ways to minimize cost and increase your margins is worth the extra effort to complete tasks yourself. Not only can doing things yourself save money, but the act of self-reliance is often accompanied by a sense of pride.
There are times, however, when “doing it yourself” is not the best path to take. For instance, you would likely not want to go skydiving with a parachute you made yourself. In such high-risk instances, it’s worth investing in a solution designed, tested, and maintained by professionals whose livelihood is predicated upon how well their products function.
The same could be said for your business’ surveillance system. Do-it-yourself (DIY) camera systems are growing in popularity, and some business owners have decided to roll the dice and install these systems in their own facilities. The truth is, DIY cameras play to business owners’ sense of immediate cost-savings but do not provide comprehensive coverage. When you consider the high-risk case of protecting your business, investing in a professionally installed and maintained surveillance system isn’t just the best option—it’s the only viable option.
The “cost savings” myth
Sure, a DIY camera is likely to be a cheaper purchase than a high-quality, commercial-grade professional option. DIY cameras cost less to consumers because they cost less to produce—or, more bluntly put, they simply aren’t as good. DIY products are almost certainly inferior in picture quality and durability than a camera from a renowned manufacturer such as AXIS™ or Honeywell™. What’s more, DIY cameras have far fewer features and choices when it comes to camera functions and storage options. Where an AXIS™ camera might have infrared capabilities, remote zoom and focus, or enhanced low-light features, a typical DIY camera often comes with “what you see is what you get” features, limited mounting options, and can only see a limited distance—and good luck with that picture quality.
The “cost savings” myth breaks down along two fronts. Firstly, if your DIY camera ever breaks down—and they will—who is going to fix it, and at what cost? High-quality, professionally installed cameras are built to last, and even if they do develop a problem, a maintenance agreement could cover the cost of repair or even replacement. The time and money DIYers spend repairing and repurchasing their camera often catches up quickly to the cost of a professionally maintained system—and they’re still getting an inferior product with inferior coverage.
This last point brings us to the second issue with the “cost savings” myth. Because DIY cameras aren’t as customizable when it comes to mounting, features, or storage options, you are entrusting both an “okay” camera and your own knowledge of how cameras function with the security of your business. The benefit of investing in professional surveillance camera installation isn’t just limited to the high-performance cameras—it’s also in the wealth of knowledge professional security companies have accumulated over years of providing surveillance services. In the same way you wouldn’t want your accountant to personally build your house, you should leave the engineering and installation of your business’ surveillance system to those who are trained, certified, and otherwise skilled at doing so.
Securing your perfect solution
DIY camera systems have come under great scrutiny in the media, with dozens of stories surfacing of camera hacks and other security breaches. In several cases, the flaws that allowed the hacks were built into the software itself. This begs the question: how secure is your security solution?
Professional surveillance solutions come with professional-grade security. The software is far more secure than that of DIY options, and concerns about security can be addressed by either the installer or the manufacturer. Again, the knowledge of a professional security company is vital in setting up a system that not only secures your facilities, but also is secure in and of itself from outside attacks.
At the end of the day, it’s not worth gambling with the security of your business. Invest in a security solution that not only utilizes high-performance, high-quality cameras, but also takes your facility’s unique design and needs into account. At EPS Security, our engineers and consultants use the benefit of 65 years of experience to craft a solution to accommodate your situation. Our technicians undergo extensive training and learn the ins-and-outs of camera installation and maintenance so you don’t have to. Save your worries for running your business. We have your security covered.