It is more important than ever that assets are protected with adequate monitoring and maintenance systems. Both security and non-security systems can benefit from the safety and protection of 24/7 alarm monitoring to positively improve operational efficiency by saving your business both time and money. In this blog post, we will dive into the many advantages of 24/7 alarm monitoring for businesses.
- What is 24/7 alarm monitoring?
- How does alarm monitoring for businesses work?
- 5 Advantages of 24/7 alarm monitoring for businesses
- Why is Alarm monitoring for businesses important
- Is 24/7 alarm monitoring a legal requirement?
- Types of alarm monitoring
- 24/7 Alarm monitoring with RMS
What is 24/7 Alarm Monitoring?
24/7 alarm monitoring is the constant monitoring of a particular system. Most commonly carried out by a third party within a secure monitoring centre, a signal between the system being monitored and an alarm receiving centre (ARC) will be set up to allow live event triggers to be communicated to the monitoring centre. Within a monitoring centre, a team of experienced monitoring operatives will respond to any alarm triggers and rapidly employ the most appropriate response, whether that be a police call-out, notifying the keyholder or confirming it to be a false alarm.
With an alarm monitoring contract in place, alerts from your site will be responded to instantly, with none ever going unnoticed. Whilst traditional monitoring contracts focus on the monitoring of security systems such as CCTV, intruder alarms and fire alarms, modern-day monitoring solutions are able to monitor non-security systems as well, helping to protect what matters most to a site. For example, fridge and freezer, flood and water, and EV charge point monitoring are just a few non-security remote monitoring capabilities. Professional alarm receiving centres now utilise advanced signal filtering and high-speed data pathways to ensure that critical alerts are never delayed by network congestion.
How Does Alarm Monitoring for Businesses Work?
Alarm monitoring for businesses utilises a network of sensors and detectors spread out across the premises. These sensors are responsible for detecting any unusual activity on a site or a certain event trigger across the security or non-security systems connected.
The remote monitoring centre carrying out the 24/7 alarm monitoring can remotely monitor these sensors and determine whether the alarm activation is due to a confirmed risk or whether the sensors have been falsely activated. When deemed a risk, they are capable of protecting businesses by taking action such as through deploying personnel or remotely responding. Modern setups often integrate artificial intelligence in monitoring to provide a more accurate analysis of threats. This technology helps operatives distinguish between a genuine intruder and a false trigger caused by wildlife or environmental factors, ensuring that emergency resources are only deployed when absolutely necessary.
5 Advantages of 24/7 Alarm Monitoring for Businesses
24/7 monitoring can be beneficial to businesses for a number of different reasons:
1. Improved overall site security
Recent data from the Office for National Statistics reveals that robbery of business property saw a significant increase of over 50% in the last year. 24/7 alarm monitoring provides businesses with greater site security given all areas can be monitored around the clock. When compared to traditional security measures such as in-person security guards, this remote monitoring service offers a comprehensive monitoring system that keeps your entire premises secure. This is particularly vital in the current landscape where shoplifting and commercial crime figures have reached their highest levels in decades.
2. Financially beneficial
24/7 monitoring results in cost savings for businesses given this type of monitoring can reduce the risks of theft, damage to sites, and system downtime. In addition, monitoring certain systems that are detrimental to a business or site’s livelihood, like freezer temperature in a supermarket chain, ensures a level of safety against a potential loss of business earnings. Beyond immediate loss prevention, understanding how monitoring impacts insurance is key, as many providers offer lower premiums to businesses that employ NSI-Gold accredited 24/7 oversight.
3. Operational efficiency
The monitoring of a range of business infrastructures such as fridges and freezers, can increase operational efficiency. This 24/7 monitoring can detect faults and issues at an early stage, allowing maintenance and any necessary repairs to happen as soon as possible. Professional facility management monitoring ensures that utilities and equipment are performing optimally, reducing the likelihood of sudden, expensive failures that halt production. This overall reduces downtime and optimises business productivity.
4. Risk mitigation
By monitoring infrastructure 24/7, these systems can help to reduce any potential risks associated with equipment failure or infrastructure damage. This early risk detection can prevent costly damages, potentially detrimental to businesses. Integrating environmental sensors allows for integrated fire and security monitoring, providing a holistic view of the site’s health and preventing small leaks or electrical faults from escalating into catastrophic events.
5. Enhanced employee protection
Securing a site is not only beneficial to a business’s overall security but also gives employees a greater sense of security. Monitoring of systems such as intruder alarms or lone workers gives employees an enhanced sense of safety at work whilst being assured that they feel valued in their workplace. This is a critical component of health and safety risk assessments, helping employers meet their duty of care obligations for staff working out of hours or in isolated areas.
Why is Alarm Monitoring for Businesses Important?
Alarm monitoring is crucial for sites looking to protect their assets, ensure operational efficiency and retain a good reputation. As business security continues to grow in importance, alarm monitoring is a further key aspect of security. Through investment in monitoring systems, businesses can demonstrate their commitment to security and customer and employee satisfaction.
This investment is particularly relevant as the Economic Crime Survey highlights that roughly 71% of businesses have incurred either direct or indirect financial losses from fraud and crime in the last year, with the average cost of incidents rising significantly. By having 24/7 oversight, companies can also keep up with remote monitoring trends, which include the move toward cloud-based platforms and deeper integration with smart building technology.
Is 24/7 Alarm Monitoring a Legal Requirement?
Although alarm monitoring is not a legal requirement for businesses, it is a service that can be extremely beneficial. 24/7 alarm monitoring is a service capable of increasing the level of business security and acting as a strong force protecting against a range of threats to businesses and crimes. However, for many businesses, compliance for safety-critical environments makes professional monitoring practically essential to meet industry standards and insurance mandates.
Types of Alarm Monitoring
Alarm monitoring can be distinguished into two different categories: Security and non-security.
Security Monitoring
- CCTV monitoring
- Fire alarm monitoring
- Intruder alarm monitoring
- Lone worker monitoring
- Remote arm and disarming
- Remote patrol and site access
Non-Security Monitoring
- Air conditioning monitoring
- EV charge point monitoring
- Fridge and freezer monitoring
- Flood and water monitoring
- Remote health and safety patrol
- SNMP monitoring
- Virtual concierge services
24/7 Alarm Monitoring with RMS
At RMS, we operate a highly secure remote ARC, that guarantees the protection of your premises through the reduction of unwanted alarms, and infrastructure downtime. Our NSI-Gold accredited service assures your business excellent customer service and comprehensive reporting.
Our 24/7 alarm monitoring is operated by a number of carefully chosen operatives, all of whom are SIA licenced and BS7858 vetted. When choosing to monitor your business with RMS, rest assured that your systems will never be compromised by our security.
Find out more about our 24/7 alarm monitoring by getting in touch today through our contact page or by requesting a free quote.
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