The installation of security systems It has been growing for years both in homes and businesses, but it is this last segment where there is greater penetration, since eight out of 10 companies have an alarm system in their facilities. In recent times, this sector has experienced great progress and the main companies increasingly offer better technology, better service and more competitive prices that have encouraged new hires.
With the emergence of new companies and the growth of existing ones, the number of options to choose from has increased, and it is important know how to choose the one that best suits us, according to our needs.
Benefits of having an alarm system in a business
Having an alarm system in a business offers several important benefits, including:
- It prevents robberies due to its high deterrent effect. Having an alarm system largely prevents a robbery from occurring, since thieves know that in a few seconds the alarm will go off and the police will come, with the risk that this entails for them. It is important to clarify that thieves know the different security systems and their limitations, so a private or poor quality alarm will not generate the same deterrent effect as a professional system.
- Reduce thefts with the premises open. That same dissuasive effect prevents thieves from stealing products when the premises are open, since they fear being recorded and reported. Such technical surveillance countermeasures equipment & hi-tech systems like CCTV cameras fitted with alarms demoralize any invader or unauthorized trespassers from entering a business premise after work hours and on holidays, thus saving thousands of dollars.
- Reduces damage and losses in case of theft. If, despite having an alarm system, a robbery occurs, the thieves will flee quickly and will barely be in our premises for 1 or 2 minutes, so the damage caused and the amount stolen will be less due to the little time they have had to act. .
- Protect employees and customers when they are on company premises. A good alarm system must have several SOS buttons to send an alert to the central, police or ambulance, if an emergency occurs when we are open to the public.
- It allows to monitor the business when you are not there. If the owner is not present in the business, he will be able to see what is happening in real time, view past recordings or have an exact report of the time his employees have opened or closed the premises, in addition to being able to control the flow of clients or just check that everything is ok.
Although most security systems achieve the objectives listed above, not all alarms are the same, and it is important to choose a security system that offers specific technical characteristics and services.
The devices that an alarm system must have
All alarm systems are made up of three fundamental elements:
- Center pane: It is the brain of the system as it allows the alarm team to communicate with the company’s receiving center (CRA), from which they monitor the system and act when an emergency or intrusion occurs.
- Keyboard: It is used to arm or disarm the system. Some companies use magnetic key readers and others use numeric keypads where you have to enter a 4-digit pin. The latter are the ones that we recommend from quecomparo.es, since they are safer than magnetic keys.
- Motion detectors: They are responsible for detecting an intrusion when the alarm is armed. There are different types of motion detectors, some include a photo camera, which emit a burst of 5-8 photos when they detect movement to verify if it is a real robbery or a false alarm, other companies install video detectors that, in instead of a burst of photos, they generate a video, which allows better verification and therefore action, and others are blind detectors that do not include a camera.
In addition to these basic elements, it is advisable to choose an alarm system that includes these additional elements:
- Door detectors: These detectors are installed in the access doors of the premises and generate an alarm trigger when they detect the opening of the door or the vibrations typical of a struggle, which allows the intrusion to be detected prematurely when they are still trying to open the door and have not yet managed to enter the company premises.
- Glass break detectors: If the premises have large windows, it would be convenient to install this type of detectors, which detect the breakage of a glass (even if it is not complete), which also helps to act in advance and quickly.
- SOS buttons: These are alert buttons that are discreetly installed on counters, bars or work areas, so that they can be pressed by any company employee if they find themselves in a situation of robbery, robbery with violence or an emergency of any kind. Type.
Services to be offered by an alarm system
In addition to having a good alarm team with the devices mentioned above, it is important that the alarm company offers a series of security services to be fully protected.
The basic security services that the chosen alarm company must offer are:
- Connection to ARC in a few seconds: The ARC (alarm reception center) is the operations center where each security company monitors its alarms. It is important that the company guarantees a connection in a few seconds to achieve rapid action.
- Notice to Police: Due to the limitations of the private security law, not all companies can notify the Police, or at least not all equally quickly, so you have to check this point with the company you want to hire.
- Inhibit detection: Frequency jammers are often used by criminals to attempt to sabotage wireless security systems, but some equipment includes jamming detectors that allow immediate action when a sabotage attempt is detected.
- Cybersecurity: Protecting the digital environment of our company, customer and supplier data, and avoiding cyber attacks and fraud is crucial today, which is why some alarm companies include a cybersecurity service in their service fee.
In addition to these services, some companies offer additional ones, such as power outage notification, medical alert, entry and exit control, no connection notice, etc.
Which alarm company to hire
In the market there are many options to choose from, since more and more security companies are operating that offer different equipment, services and prices, so it is important to choose well the company that best suits your needs and that offers the best value for money. .
At quecomparo.es we help you choose an alarm system for your business free of charge because we work with the main security companies that operate in Spain and we provide impartial advice so that you can choose the most convenient option. In addition, those who come to us can benefit from special prices and promotions, so in addition to making the best decision, they save good money by hiring through our service.
Rafael Loza is CEO of quecomparo.es.
