10.8.19 – SIW – GRANT GRAHAM
Savvy security integrators are turning to proactive monitoring as a new source of RMR
For security integrators, two things are very clear: A customer’s video surveillance monitoring needs are changing and it is imperative that service providers change to meet those needs. Understanding the changing landscape of video monitoring represents a tremendous RMR opportunity for security integrators who adapt and expand their offerings.
Today’s new video capabilities coupled with growing vulnerabilities has set video surveillance monitoring on a swift evolutionary track, which has necessitated the development of proactive video monitoring.
Proactive vs. Traditional Video Monitoring
Proactive and traditional video monitoring are two valuable but different products serving unique and diverse industry and subscriber needs. Both use on-site and strategically placed video cameras to monitor critical areas – often capturing behaviors such as trespassing or vandalism, while also providing video verification.
Traditional monitoring uses a DVR or NVR to record events on-site. The benefit of these systems is that when an action triggers an alarm, trained personnel can access the DVR or NVR to verify the event and alert authorities; however, when these events are being reviewed, the operators or guards are only confirming that an event has taken place, it in no way prevents that event.
For most commercial properties, there is a need to cover a large area to prevent crimes such as burglary, loitering, and vandalism, and often traditional video surveillance monitoring is not a robust enough solution. Proactive video monitoring, on the other hand, can be used commercially as an efficient and cost-effective way to protect buildings, real estate and assets.
Proactive video monitoring effectively prevents and deters crime at the perimeter before the crime even happens, thanks to the continued development and integration of AI and advanced video analytics paired with live operator intervention to detect, verify, warn, intervene, and respond to an intrusion event in real-time. The cameras monitor the site for unusual activity, while analytics software interprets the scene and sends an alert to a monitoring center it it is detected. When the alert is received, monitoring center intervention specialists take appropriate action, such as providing a real-time audio warning to the intruder – which most often causes them to flee the scene, thus deterring crime before it happens. The intervention specialist can also provide real-time support to authorities during the event.
This is not a replacement for traditional monitoring – instead it is an alternative service that offers advantages to the subscriber. It also reduces the need for around-the-clock guards, while enhancing guard service capabilities to better monitor and respond to threats.
The software can intelligently interpret the difference between someone passing through an area vs. someone loitering. This is critical functionality for many businesses that can reduce false alarms more effectively than a traditional alarm tied to a video system.
Proactive video monitoring provides integrators with a way to truly differentiate in the market, increase RMR, stay ahead of industry trends, and meet growing demand for intelligent video monitoring.
Integrators on Differentiation and RMR Opportunity
There is no question that the monitoring services market will continue to change. The question becomes, will integrators change with it? Doing so requires assessing these new services, going far beyond the process of assuming that existing trends will continue or will remain unchanged to uncover the flashpoints in physical security technology market development, obstacles to adopting new solutions, and footholds where market entry will be highly effective.
Changing to meet the new needs in video monitoring is an attractive opportunity because it is one that will likely produce significant potential for value creation with relatively few challenges. The changing video monitoring landscape and widespread acceptability of managed services also brings a tremendous RMR opportunity to integrators willing to leverage the change.
“We have always been in the Traditional RMR arena and it is undeniably getting tougher and tougher,” says Bob Michel, CEO of California-based Valley Alarm. “We decided to make a strategic shift to provide managed services and have recently brought on a few proactive video monitoring sites and have found they command significantly higher RMR than traditional monitoring.”
“We are a security and fire company, and we have seen a big shift towards managed services in the industry,” says Ozzie Carrasco, Director of Texas-based Ener-Tel. “We have taken the first step by launching a division within our group to focus on proactive video monitoring, and we recently brought on our first site with many others in the pipeline. We believe proactive video monitoring will be one of the fastest-growing segments of our RMR.”
Texas-based ESI Fire & Security Protection owner Robby Burleson also identified the shifting market and decided to make proactive video monitoring a primary focus. “We adopted proactive video monitoring more than a year ago,” he says. “We have elected to become a specialized integrator focusing on proactive video monitoring managed services.”
Chris Gilbert, President of Louisville-Ky.-based Security Pros, has been doing virtual guard video monitoring since 2012. “We recently transitioned to proactive video monitoring, and it helps us differentiate ourselves from competitors,” Gilbert says.
Todd Bedford, President of Lifeline Fire and Security Inc., serving the Hawaiian Islands, has also leveraged proactive video monitoring. “In terms of video monitoring, this is the next evolution – it solves real-world security problems and provides the customer with viable and affordable options for protection.”
Ideal Vertical Market Applications
There are many vertical markets where traditional video monitoring has been well established. Within those verticals, there are many where the more proactive approach presents a better and more economical fit. There are also other untapped and unconventional opportunities where the market is ready for adoption.
A core application of the proactive video monitoring solution is asset protection, which presents some obvious vertical markets where it could be successfully deployed – such as car lots and cannabis businesses.
“Although auto dealers benefit from proactive video monitoring because of their exposure on traditionally open vehicle lots, any business using or considering a security guard – or just needs to know definitively their business is protected – will find this offering exceptionally useful,” Bedford says. “Since it is a new solution to the market, it does take some educating of the customer on the solution and its differences, but the market is ready to adopt it.”
Asset protection can apply to several other markets. It can be utilized in the protection of parks and open spaces to prevent vandalism, and can also be deployed to protect properties containing high-value products, materials or information.
Grant Graham (ggraham@nmccentral.com) is VP of Proactive Video Monitoring Services for NMC, which offers the Netwatch PVM solution. Learn more about the solution at www.nmccentral.com/proactive-video-monitoring or request more info at www.securityinfowatch.com/10482247.