Transcript
CLARITY New Age Security Systems newsletter issue 2 888-711-NASS • www.nasscctv.com
[email protected]
New Age Security Systems 27720 Avenue Scott #220 Santa Clarita, CA 91355
Darin’s Corner
Using Quality Equipment Is a Must
The Right Security Video Company Makes A Huge Difference by Tom Pratte, guest columnist
Darin Flannes, CEO Today, we are witnessing an onslaught of Pacific Rim products hitting the market with both DVRs and digital cameras. This presents a problem because they are passing off their equipment as high quality when, in fact, much of it is not. Essential features like adaptive back lighting, motion detection and high resolution are not present in many of them. Your video company should pay careful attention to the quality of the equipment they are installing. They should preview the equipment, track their efficiency and ensure reliability. Many security companies will just put the number of cameras into a proposal without providing their models and specs. Because most of them do not focus solely on video security, they rarely bother to do the necessary research to analyze the different cameras. You do not have to tolerate this. When you are trying to identify a suspect, detail is crucial. You need to be able to read the writing on a T-shirt or pick up a tattoo on a person’s forehead. Recently, one of our videos enabled law enforcement to nab a guy who was dressed in drag. The video showed a lightning bolt scar on his left ear. If the camera was set up wrong or the quality of the camera was not good, no identification would have been able to be made. You should expect the proposals you receive to
Continued on page 2
Tom Pratte currently serves as a security specialist for Washington Mutual. Previously, he was in charge of all security for Sanwa Bank. I started working for Sanwa Bank as their security services coordinator for their 127 branches in 1999. One of the major tasks I was initially faced with was upgrading our video systems. When I first took over, we had numerous types of equipment. They truly ran the full gamut— no consistency whatsoever. As you probably recall, this was a time when choosing the right video system was challenging. Digital cameras were just coming on and there were several issues with DVRs. Some banks were steering away from digital systems because they were not working well. I sought quality systems for all of our banks. Also, I wanted consistency. We had been using QSI switchers purchased from a large vendor. Their technicians, however, were unfamiliar with these switchers and didn’t program them at all. We also had all kinds of camera issues. Some videos were too broad. Many of our shots were taken from so far back that when we enlarged them, they were too grainy to see anything. We also had lots of footage of empty chairs. Upon receiving approval by our board of directors to upgrade, I hired New Age Security Systems (NASS). We immediately began to place QSIs and Panasonics in every branch. All of the cameras selected were state-of-the-art digitals. This was a huge step for us. As a result, we began to catch lots of bad guys. I believe that once you have a good system, it is vital to have
Continued on page 2
Order Your FREE In-Depth Report today!
How to Ensure Your Video Systems Always Perform at the Level Legal Authorities Require
[email protected]
888-711-NASS Darin’s Corner: Continued from page 1 provide details on the cameras. Ask for data and cut sheets. Make sure the proposed cameras are brands that are known for reliability, like Panasonic, SONY or Bosh. Demand that your vendors provide you with reviews of the cameras. Not every digital video recorder is appropriately suited for every application. Many financial institutions’ recorders fail to provide essential features. Your DVRs should have: • Tight integration with ATMs for Regulation E investigations. •
Financial software built into the units rather than just generic commercial software. We have seen some DVRs in banks that are designed better for warehouses than financial institutions. You can find DVRs that are specifically designed for financial institutions. Use only them.
•
Long storage periods. Banks are required to hold onto videos longer than other businesses. (ATM videos, for example, need to be kept for at least 90 days).
• Been endorsed by law enforcement and industry associations.
The Right Video Company: Continued from page 1 a strong maintenance contract. Many banks have gotten away from these agreements because of negative experiences. NASS, however, thoroughly serviced our systems twice a year. Their techs inspected each camera and then cleaned them. The service was great. When NASS first came on board, we possessed considerable inventory from one of their competitors. Techs from the previous company rarely knew what they were doing. They would take cameras off the wall, bring them back to the shop and keep them for a week. We faced several robberies during periods when cameras were missing. It was totally different with NASS. Their techs knew everything about our cameras. If there was an issue, they would either make the repairs on the spot or replace the equipment immediately. NASS’s technicians always carried spare cameras in their trucks. As for response time, it was always great, usually the same day... much faster than the large security companies. Darin is a great guy to work with. His concern and commitment to his clients is obvious. He and his staff will treat you with respect, regardless of the number of branches you have. In my opinion, large banks should go with regional contracts and only pay for services received. National contract rates from large companies are based on the highest cost. Thus, you could pay double or triple what you should for services rendered to branches in small towns. I have found that when a large security company makes a mistake and needs to come back, they will bill for the additional service call. Unfortunately, many large banks go with national contracts and get ripped off. On the other hand, NASS always gave us quotes up front and stuck to them regardless whether extra work was required on their part. My recommendation to all security managers is to find a reliable service company and get on a good maintenance program. If you have a company like NASS, you will have few problems... and if and when you do have one, it will be taken care of fast.
How Well Is Your Video Equipment Performing? New Age Security Systems will provide a FREE on-site evaluation of any of your branch’s systems. We’ll analyze the positioning of your equipment, whether your cameras are focused properly, if your cameras are using the appropriate lenses and more. Your in-depth analysis report is also FREE. Call or e-mail us today!
888-711-NASS •
[email protected]
