CCTV is a vital part of any business – but it’s only as good as the quality of the installation and equipment used.
Monitoring all aspects of a commercial setting, from security surveillance to health and safety, professional commercial CCTV installation is essential if you’re going to get the most from your cameras.
Yes, any system is better than none, but why compromise the effectiveness of your CCTV?
Instead, read our useful tips on finding a reliable fitter.
Why opt for professional CCTV installation?
Okay, so in theory you could have a go at installing CCTV yourself – there are plenty of ‘how-to guides’ available.
However, commercial CCTV installation is more complex than your typical domestic set-up, and you need to be 100% confident everything is working effectively and won’t let you down.
It’s for this reason that using a professional is always highly recommended.
What to look for
If you’ve made the sensible decision to opt for a professional fitting, you now need to make sure you choose the right team to work with.
To find a quality commercial CCTV installer, you should look for:
CCTV installation certification/accreditation
It’s important to look for a qualified installer with a fully accredited team.
Look out for contractors qualified with the Electrotechnical Certification Scheme (ECS) and who hold IPAF, PASMA, and IOSH certifications.
It’s also worth checking to see if they are certified installers of your chosen system – for example, Excel or Leviton.
Site surveys
An installation expert should offer a comprehensive site survey before any work is carried out. This will allow them to provide guidance on vulnerable areas and monitoring stations, as well as recommending camera types and quantities.
This ensures your CCTV system is bespoke to you and the needs of your business.
Upfront costs
There’s no such thing as a ‘one size fits all’ approach when it comes to commercial CCTV, so be wary of any company offering a fixed price before they’ve carried out a survey and spoken to you in detail.
That said, accurate quotes should be readily available on request and provide a full outline of what you will be paying for.
Also, be wary of pricing restrictions. A professional fitter should be able to accommodate any budget.
Flexibility
Is CCTV installation going to cause disruption to the day-to-day operations of your business?
Many reputable installers will work around you and aim to carry out the bulk of their work at quieter times to ensure any disturbance is kept to an absolute minimum.
nsurance and warranties
Ensuring any work is covered by valid warranties and insurance is crucial to protect your investment.
Products should be covered by a decent warranty – so be sure to check out the terms on offer.
xperience
If you’re going to benefit from the best advice and service, then you need to work with an installation company that has seen it all.
The longer a business has been in operation, the more confident you can be in the quality of their service and the more professional insight you will gain for your CCTV setup.
It’s likely that a business that’s been successfully installing CTTV for many years will have worked with a vast range of businesses, so they will be able to troubleshoot and provide practical solutions for even the trickiest of installations.
A physical office
Ensuring the company you choose to work with has a registered office is important.
Ideally, you’ll never need to visit, but it’s reassuring to know there’s a physical office you can go to should the need arise.
Positive reviews
There’s nothing quite as informative as hearing what other people have to say about working with a commercial CCTV installation company, so be sure to ask around for recommendations and check out reviews.
The experiences of past customers should match what the company professes to offer – if it doesn’t, alarm bells should ring.
