Knowing what is going on at your location is important. That includes knowing if people are onsite, their behaviors, and more.
The business world is full of acronyms. Of course, there are the normal ones that are familiar to most people including CEO, CFO, HR, and PR. However, there are also ones that I am pretty sure combine random letters of the alphabet in unusual and pointless ways. These include ones like BIMS, FIFO, BID, COD, and USP. (Seriously, at this point just say the actual words so regular people won’t have to guess what you mean.)
In business school, I was assaulted with acronyms and was suddenly trying not to mix up my ROI and my ROE while making sure I actually understood where to find them on the P&L. (Any of you finance gurus out there can see that there is a reason I went into marketing not finance.) Anyways, one of my professors’ favorite acronyms was BI. At first, I thought they were making it up. Every word I tried to fit into the letters were ridiculous nonsense. However, about the millionth time I heard it, one of my professors actually defined BI as business intelligence.
Business intelligence is an umbrella term that covers such things as analytics, data mining and visualization, data tools and technology, and best practices that help companies and their leaders make informed decisions. One of the tools that helps increase business intelligence is cameras.
Cameras are often synonymous with security. This includes cameras in the parking lot, those mounted on the sides of buildings or poles, and those inside stores. However, have you ever thought about how they are actually used?
Yes, cameras are used for security. They deter crimes and collect evidence of crimes. However, the bulk of commercial security cameras also double as a method to gain operational insights.
One LVT client in retail recently shared that they have over 1,000 security personnel with access to the cameras across the country. This includes asset protection and loss prevention professionals. However, they then said that more than double that number use the cameras to help improve business operations. This includes everything from analysts to facility managers.
For example, facilities managers use the cameras to look at the building, the parking lot, etc. to see if repairs need to be made or if the parking lot needs to be plowed. Merchandisers log in to observe customer behaviors—maybe to see how they react to a new product and to see who is buying it. Scheduling managers can see when and where they need to put their employees, how many are needed for what shifts, and more.
Traditionally, to accomplish each of these goals, the facilities manager, the merchandisers, and the schedulers had to physically go to the store. This cost the retailer both time and money. However, with the addition of high-quality cameras, these employees can complete their work quicker and more efficiently.
Business intelligence is vital for construction projects. Prior to reliable CCTV trailers, jobsite managers, contractors, and owners had to physically be onsite to see if deliveries were made, how the project is progressing, if workers showed up when they were supposed to, and more. With mobile CCTV camera trailers, this is easy.
For example, contractors can easily receive alerts to their mobile phones when a truck enters their site. They can log in and see if the truck is carrying the brick, trusses, windows, or doors they need for the site or if the truck is an unauthorized vehicle. If it’s a planned delivery, the contractor can schedule the appropriate sub-contractor and move the process forward. If it’s someone who isn’t supposed to be there, the contractor can contact local authorities. In either situation, the contractor didn’t have to leave their home, office, or another project just to confirm who was arriving on the property.
Read how one construction company uses LVT Units to manage their development from more than an hour away.
Similar to business intelligence use cases in construction, mobile surveillance trailers help critical infrastructure security and property managers know who is on their site, if deliveries were made, and when workers came and went. However, live views of the properties also help this industry know the current conditions of their sites, check on remote equipment, and more.
For example, one LVT client has a solar farm that is several hours away from any cities or towns. It is located on top of a large plateau and has one access road. After tornado level winds and several inches of rain hit the site, the client was able to log in and see if it was safe for workers to get to the farm to make repairs. It turned out that the road was blocked, and crews could not have accessed the solar panels. However, since the client was able to look, they saved time and money and helped keep the workers safe.
Another use case is contract validation. Critical infrastructure sites are extremely remote. One client in the industry described that to get to most of their sites, you drive to the middle of nowhere and then drive for two more hours. Therefore, when workers are scheduled to go onsite, most of the time there is no one there to greet them, make sure the work is done, or note the hours it took to complete the work. The amount billed is based on what the contractor said happened. However, with the addition of remote surveillance like LVT’s, the manager of the site can confirm exactly when the contractor came and went, how many men were on the job, and if they actually did the work their bill claimed. Not only does this help keep contractor honest, but also helps critical infrastructure companies spend their money wisely and keep track of maintenance. Learn more by reading this case study.
LVT can help you secure your property and increase your business intelligence, no matter what industry you’re in. Contact us to learn more about our commercial security cameras.
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