Office buildings witness massive foot traffic daily, attracting valuable business but also potential security threats from unauthorized access. Even a momentary lapse in attention can result in catastrophic theft, vandalism, or arson within these premises.
Relying solely on security guards for security measures presents limitations, and the evolving technological landscape demands more sophisticated office building security guard alternatives to effectively combat breaches. Commercial building owners are always looking for proactive security measures that comprehensively address the spectrum of potential threats.
This blog is tailored for you if you’re seeking an alternative to traditional security guards for your office building. Explore innovative solutions and advanced technologies that can enhance the security measures in your workplace.
Let’s dive in.
Rising Security Concerns and the Need for More Effective Solutions
In the dynamic realm of evolving technologies, where advancements are the norm, so too are the tactics of cunning thieves. According to a report, 15% of the reported 75,000 thefts in significant Canadian cities between 2016 and 2022 occurred in commercial spaces, particularly offices, as insurancebusinessmag.com has highlighted.
The thefts in office buildings stem from unauthorized access, underscoring the imperative for fortified access control measures. In the realm of technology and surveillance, adopting cutting-edge AI-driven systems has emerged as a game-changer.
However, a stark reality surfaces: very few office buildings presently harness the capabilities of advanced video analytics for security, highlighting a potential gap in surveillance prowess. As the security landscape evolves, these insights underscore the pressing need for a robust security system.
Limitations of Traditional Office Building Security Guards
In the current era, where thieves and burglars employ sophisticated gadgets for break-ins, theft, vandalism, and arson, the need for diverse and advanced security measures is more crucial than ever.
Safeguarding an office building requires proactive detection of suspicious activities and anomalies at strategic locations like entry points, exits, lobbies, elevators, parking lots, offices, corridors, and beyond.
Even with a dedicated team of security guards, the challenges of securing an office building are daunting, primarily due to inherent physical limitations.
Below, we outline the limitations of security guards that warrant careful consideration before entrusting them with the protection of your entire office building, assets, and people:
| Limitations of Traditional Office Building Security Guards |
| 1. Limited Surveillance Coverage: Guards may struggle to provide comprehensive coverage, leading to potential blind spots in large or complex office buildings. |
| 2. Immediate Response Constraints: Guards face challenges in responding immediately to security incidents, especially if stationed at a distance from the affected area. |
| 3. Lack of Specialized Training: Traditional security guards may lack specialized training to handle specific situations such as medical emergencies, fire incidents, or technological breaches. |
| 4. Inability to Simultaneously Monitor Multiple Areas: Guards cannot be present in multiple locations simultaneously, making it challenging to respond effectively to incidents in different parts of the building. |
| 5. Risk of Human Error: The human element introduces the potential for errors in judgment, attention lapses, or misinterpretations of situations, impacting overall security effectiveness. |
Cost Considerations and Efficiency Concerns With Current Security Practices
Now that we’ve explored the limitations faced by security guards, it’s crucial to shift our focus to a pivotal consideration in Canada when it comes to hiring them: the associated costs.
Ensuring the security of a sizable office building by employing an ample number of security personnel can incur substantial expenses. Safeguarding a huge office building often necessitates the hiring of multiple security guards, potentially leading to a doubling, tripling, or even quadrupling of costs.
An alternative to physical security measures is the utilization of remote video live security surveillance, which, in many cases, is more cost-effective. Even when factoring in installation fees, the expense is generally lower compared to maintaining a team of on-site security guards.
Surveillance cameras equipped with AI trigger an alarm at the remote central as soon as they detect an anomaly. The vigilant operator then has a comprehensive 360-degree view of your property and promptly responds as per predetermined SOPs.
For further insights into the costs associated with remote video monitoring services in 2023, this blog post can help you learn more: “How Much Do Remote Video Monitoring Services Cost in 2023?”
Remote Video Monitoring as an Office Building Security Guard Alternative
To conquer physical constraints and alleviate the soaring costs of security guards at office buildings, the solution of the moment is an elite remote video monitoring center like Sirix. Remote video monitoring offers proactive, customized security solutions for your office building.
As soon as the strategically positioned security camera AI detects any suspicious activity, an alarm triggers at the remote central hub, where operators swiftly assess live video feeds and intervene with audio talk-downs, adhering to client-defined SOPs.
Here, we outline the advantages of remote video monitoring over traditional security guards for securing office buildings.
Key Features and Benefits
Enhanced Security Measures:
Remote video monitoring significantly enhances security in office buildings by providing continuous surveillance as opposed to security guards. Advanced camera systems, strategically placed throughout the premises, offer real-time monitoring and instant alerts for potential security breaches.
This proactive approach helps prevent incidents and ensures a swift response when needed.
Improved Efficiency and Response Times:
Remote video monitoring of sites enhances efficiency and response times by providing real-time visibility, enabling quick issue identification, and facilitating proactive responses.
This cost-effective solution, integrated with advanced features like video analytics, ensures that as soon as the camera AI detects an anomaly, the alarm is triggered within seconds, so remote operators may initiate timely responses.
Scalability for Different Sizes and Types of Office Buildings:
Remote video monitoring systems provide scalability, allowing them to adjust seamlessly to the sizes and types of various office buildings, setting them apart from conventional security guard monitoring.
Whether it’s a small office space or a large corporate complex, the flexibility of these systems allows for customization to meet the specific security needs of different environments.
High-End Technology:
Remote video monitoring, as an innovative office building security guard alternative, leverages security cameras and AI-driven video analytics to more effectively detect security threats in office buildings than traditional security guards. This advanced approach incorporates sophisticated capabilities such as license plate recognition and behavior analysis.
By integrating these technologies, office buildings can achieve a level of security that would normally require a large team of security personnel to match.
Why Choose Sirix’s Remote Video Monitoring Services for the Security of Office Buildings?
With over 15 years of experience, Sirix specializes in delivering tailored security solutions throughout Canada and the US, catering to the unique needs of each city.
These solutions span across various industries, offering scalability. Here we have discussed a suite of the services Sirix offers:
Elevator Video Monitoring:
Elevator video monitoring stands out as a compelling solution for office buildings, offering round-the-clock surveillance and rapid operator response that outperforms traditional security guard services.
This cutting-edge system is fully aligned with ASME guidelines, employing advanced communication methods to provide aid, especially to those with speech and hearing impairments, using two-way audio, a touchscreen, and a camera.
For a deep dive into the advantages of Sirix’s elevator video monitoring and a breakdown of how it operates, check out our blog.
Remote Gate Control:
In office buildings, remote gate control emerges as a compelling alternative to relying solely on security guards for several reasons. This technology provides an efficient and automated means of managing access points, reducing the need for security guards.
With remote gate control, the remote operator takes complete or partial control of your entry and exit points to remotely open the gate barriers for your cars in your office building parking lots.
The operator adheres to your predefined SOPs and may use the bidirectional audio and unidirectional video systems to verify the credentials of the guest or employee.
This alternative minimizes the limitations associated with security guards, such as potential lapses in surveillance, response time, and the challenges of consistent gate monitoring at office buildings.
Remote Concierge:
Remote concierge serves as a compelling alternative security solution for office buildings, surpassing the conventional reliance on security guards.
A remote concierge can perform all of the duties of a traditional security guard on doors, such as greeting visitors, employees, subcontractors, etc. Remote operators provide assistance to visitors and employees, verifying identities and monitoring the premises, all from a remote location with greater efficacy and accuracy.
Virtual Guard Tour:
The Virtual Guard Tour service is a state-of-the-art solution that revolutionizes traditional office building protection by replacing security guards. This service ensures swift and efficient virtual patrol, enhancing overall safety.
In a virtual guard tour service, operators remotely access your cameras at predetermined times throughout the day and night. They follow a specific sequence when viewing live footage, in accordance with the client’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
The aim is to rapidly identify any unusual activities or situations, such as individuals on the ground, signs of smoke or fire, loitering or homelessness, smoking incidents, pool disorder, vandalism, group gatherings, and more. This service replaces the need for traditional security guards, providing a modern and effective solution for safeguarding your space.
Loitering Detection AI:
The loitering detection AI emerges as a dynamic substitute for traditional security guards in office buildings, ensuring swift and immediate detection of loiterers.
The loitering detection AI analyzes video feeds to pinpoint individuals lingering in specific zones, a task that would traditionally require continuous observation by security guards.
Once triggered, alarms promptly reach the remote central hub, where vigilant operators assess live video feeds and intervene with audio talk-downs, effectively dissuading loiterers in alignment with the client’s predefined SOPs.
Object Detection AI:
The Object Detection AI represents a cutting-edge office building security guard alternative, designed to swiftly identify intrusions, making it a remarkable alternative to traditional security guards, especially for its unparalleled precision in office buildings.
This technology employs artificial intelligence to analyze video feeds in real-time. It’s designed to identify individuals or vehicles in areas where access is restricted or not permitted during certain hours.
Examples of such areas include gyms or swimming pools that are closed after specific times or detecting a person entering through a garage door. This system enhances security by monitoring and flagging unauthorized access in these designated areas.
Intercoms:
In office buildings, intercom systems are strategically installed in areas like parking lots, elevators, and corridors. These intercoms provide a dynamic and efficient alternative to traditional security guards, allowing individuals to directly communicate with a monitoring center in urgent situations.
When someone in distress activates an intercom, our remote operating center receives the call right away. The operator at the center, while not always initially viewing live footage, has the capability to access live video feeds when needed.
This approach is quicker and more direct than locating and briefing on-site security guards, saving valuable time during emergencies.
Choose the efficiency of intercoms for rapid response and heightened security in your office space.
Alarm Sensors:
Alarm sensors act as a dynamic alternative to traditional security guards due to the impossibility of guards covering every corner of an office building around the clock.
These sensors are installed on doors, windows, and other areas and can detect specific events, such as doors being left open, glass breaking, or temperature changes.
The alarm sensors activate an alert at our remote monitoring center, enabling the remote operations centre to swiftly receive notifications when anomalies are detected.
This ensures prompt issue resolution and minimizes potential damage. In contrast, security guards may only become aware of malfunctions when patrolling a specific area, potentially leading to delayed responses.
Conclusion:
Traditional security guards face limitations in coverage, response times, and cost efficiency for office building protection. Embracing advanced technologies, specifically remote video monitoring by Sirix, offers a proactive and scalable solution.
With features like AI-driven surveillance, virtual guard tours, and specialized applications, these technologies surpass traditional guards in providing comprehensive and cost-effective security for modern office environments.
Explore the future of office security with Sirix’s advanced remote video monitoring. Elevate your protection against evolving threats.
