If you have significantly invested in your facility’s life-safety and security systems, you know a well-integrated system can be something that may feel like it is not improving your organization on a daily basis. These systems are there for when things go wrong, and much like a generator during the rare power outage; they are something we are thankful for when the emergency arises, but wonder if it is worth it, when that investment is idle.

How can you turn this expense into an on-going benefit? The challenge is to identify ways those same assets might reduce waste, improve customer experiences, and automate processes.

Depending on your industry, here are some returns life-safety and security systems might deliver for your business:

• An auditable trail through access control, intrusion detection, and other security system records to provide accountability of users with access to financial or confidential records
• Enhanced cybersecurity by linking access control and active directory
• Automation of workflow processes through video surveillance
• Timecard automation/time management enhancements via access control systems
• Remote office or gate access with video surveillance, access control and voice over internet phone (VOIP) or intercom to reduce the need for staffing at remote locations
• Reduction of waste, fraud, and abuse by integrating video surveillance and cash register monitoring
• Remote monitoring of critical infrastructure with video surveillance (just as VESDA systems or air sampling systems do with computer networks- this can provide early detection and help prevent catastrophic loss)
• Using video surveillance to monitor an automated process and alert to any abnormalities
• Utilizing video surveillance to identify long customer lines or customer flow patterns and bring attention to our teams to improve the experience

One example of utilizing these assets to produce a return is Absco’s own use of the combination of video surveillance, access control and VOIP communication to facilitate remote access for equipment delivery to our Fife office. Our business challenge was to create an unstaffed remote facility warehouse to supply the operations team in that area. If we had to staff the warehouse, it made the plan cost prohibitive.

Another great example of how these types of systems can save money and improve operational efficiency was a project with one of our lumber company customers that had long lines of trucks at the yard waiting to be checked in. Having these trucks idle was bad for the environment, and a waste of driver time. To solve the issue, we installed a high-resolution camera and fed the second data stream to alphanumeric recognition software. This allowed for a nearly instant inventory of the logs along with a date time stamped image with the truck ID. Now a manifest could be produced at the touch of button rather than someone manually recording the logs on their truck.

These examples demonstrate: improved operational efficiency, improved environmental impact, cost savings and a better experience for the team. Some solutions enable an otherwise unaffordable opportunity for growth, such as in the example of our fife warehouse. The best ways to address increasing our return on our existing investment is to increase our curiosity (ask the right questions) and look for ways to eliminate waste. Sometimes an additional investment is required, but that small investment on the existing footprint may provide a significant return.

If your organization would like assistance in exploring how you might get an improved return on the investment you have made, contact us at info@abscosolutions.com. We look forward to exploring this with you.