How Many CCTV Cameras Do You Need for Your Resort
How Many Security Cameras Do I Need for Proper Security?
When considering a surveillance system for a resort or restaurant, people often skip some crucial steps, assuming they will eventually figure out the number of CCTV cameras they will need. This approach is not the right one for protecting your business. You need to know the numbers upfront to save money and time.
For instance, you are putting together your security system. You buy three cameras, and to save money, go for a four-channel recorder. Now, the problem is that you are limited to four channels and can only purchase one more camera in the future. If you decide to expand your security system according to your resort’s growth, you have to buy a second recorder.
Knowing from the start about your resort’s needs is vital to its security and success. You need to consider many factors before setting up your security system. So, let’s figure out how many cameras you need.
Areas You Need to Prioritize
The best way to figure out how many security cameras your resort needs is to prioritize the areas. Ask yourself the following questions before making a decision:
Where do the most thefts take place?
How many times have you wished that you had captured something on camera?
What is your current security strategy?
Who are your average guests: Families, leisure travelers, or business travelers?
What’s the layout of your resort?
Do you have multiple buildings spread over land or just one property?
Have you ever experienced any problems with employee theft?
Running a resort is not easy. However, a sound security system can help you keep things under control. Here are the areas you need to prioritize:
Back Entrance
Front Entrance
Garage
Driveway
Rooms with Valuables (Bank, Safes, Jewelry, etc.)
Basement
Parking Lot
Lobby
Cash Registers
Hallways
Employee Only Areas
Secondary Entrances
Customer Areas (On-Premises Restaurants, Gym, Spa, etc.)
Depending on the room's square footage, you might need to put in multiple cameras. For example, the lobby should have at least four cameras covering the space from all angles. Every entrance and exit should have two cameras to capture people coming and going out.
Why the Need for CCTV Cameras
You might be wondering why you need so many security cameras. Let’s discuss the reasons:
Besides rooms, you have other amenities and facilities, such as a swimming pool, spa, gym, etc. It’s possible that a person, who does not happen to be a guest, might enter the area and harass people. The presence of a security camera stops them from doing this.
Imagine having sensitive information about your guests stolen from your server room. From their credit card information to mailing addresses and more, anything leaked might put them in danger. Not only will this put your resort’s reputation at stake but also brand you as an establishment that makes big promises but does fulfill them
A resort’s reputation is built on how it markets the establishment. Corporate espionage slows your business’s growth. A CCTV camera stops employees from participating in any unethical and illegal activities that might land them behind bars.
Unlit areas, such as parking lots, are often targeted by intruders. Having a camera there gives guests peace of mind that they will be protected no matter where they are.
Unexpected activities, like fights, falls, and slips, might put you in the spotlight. Guests might file a lawsuit against you, holding you liable for their injury. The management should look at the CCTV camera footage to get to the truth. In some cases, you will have to take the necessary measures to keep your name out of the papers and avoid defamation. If you are not in the position to face any negative press, try to solve the matter without getting it to court. However, if the case does not resolve behind closed doors, you will have the recording to prove that the guest was at fault.
Competition is very high in the hotel industry for several reasons, including room service, staff response, food (free breakfast buffet), in-room amenities, and security. There have been numerous reports of break-ins in resorts, where shady guests posed as room service to prey on alone women. Having custom locks on doors is a great security measure but having CCTV cameras allow guests to report their brush with danger so that the culprit can be handed over to the authorities immediately.
Last but not least, once in a while you will encounter a guest who will do untold damage to your furniture because either they are drunk or having a spat with their partner or spouse. You are not allowed to install a camera within the room. However, you can record proof that the person responsible for the damage stayed in the particular room.
One of the best things about today’s surveillance systems is that they are easy to install. You don’t need a DVR for live viewing, and if you want recorded copies, a CCTV camera is the best option. No matter the type of system, it allows you to remain tension-free. However, keep in mind that the cameras should not invade the guests’ privacy.
For example, if you have a shop on the premises that sells clothes, you cannot put a camera in the changing room. Any kind of misconduct will disgrace the brand’s name and your resort’s reputation as well for endorsing the brand.
Benefits of CCTV Cameras
There’s a reason why CCTV cameras are a must in hotels and resorts. They protect the employees, the business, and the guests. Moreover, it allows the establishment to prove its innocence in a high-profile case when they have been wrongly accused.
We have already talked about how many CCTV cameras your resort needs and where they should be installed. Now, let’s take a look at the why:
Theft Prevention
CCTV cameras restrict possible trespassers from entering your resort and keep them out of exclusive and private hotel areas, like swimming pools, gyms, server rooms, etc. In storage and maintenance rooms, they help prevent employee theft and espionage.
Hotel Security
CCTV cameras positioned in the right place cover blind spots and keep your staff, guests, and visitors safe from theft and crime by helping track everyone coming and going out of your property. Installing cameras this way prevents break-ins and ensures everyone that their safety is a top priority.
Competition
The one thing that guests look for in resorts to feel safe is CCTV cameras. It gives them the peace of mind that if they experience any problem, the staff will be able to get to the root of it. This way, installing cameras puts you ahead of the competition and increases repeat business.
Monitoring Remotely
New Digital Video Recorders (DVRs) and Network Video Recorders (NVRs) allow you to view and monitor your resort from anywhere. You can use your Android device, Mac, iPhone, and PC to view the live recording anytime and anywhere.
Flexibility
Now that you can opt for multiple recorders and wireless systems, you can install a camera anywhere and expand the channels whenever you please. This is beneficial to your business’s growth and also helps you save on installing new channels after renovations.
Discrete Security
Discretion is an important part of a security system. Visible cameras disturb the atmosphere and put the intruders on alert. Thanks to modern technology, today’s cameras provide high-contrast and clear images.
CCTV Cameras Dos and Don’ts for Your Resort
Do’s
Do cover the exit and entrance with two cameras for a clear view.
Do install cameras in areas that are open to all guests, such as the lobby, service corridor, pool, stairs, etc. Service exits and stairs are often not put under surveillance as resort owners believe guests won’t take that route.
Do install a camera in areas where you are keeping safe deposit boxes. This camera placement lets you attract high-profile guests by ensuring them you have the safety measures to store their valuables securely.
Do install a camera in every blind spot to protect the resort from thieving guests.
Don’ts
Don’t install CCTV cameras inside the room as this is illegal. However, you can cover the corridors to monitor who is going in and coming out of the rooms.
Don’t be fooled by a sales pitch. Check out our blog post “Why Your Retail Business Needs a Security Camera System” to know what security system and cables you should use for your resort.
Don’t look for fancy features, such as Zoom Pan Tilt, because they promised to cover the entire area.
Don’t mount the cameras 15 feet high, or you won’t be able to get a good look at the culprits. Even though security systems are more advanced now, they still have some limitations, one of which happens to be getting a blurred picture on extreme zoom.
Don’t position cameras in areas that might give a peek into the spa, a massage center, a bathhouse, or the washroom.
Before installing CCTV cameras, get the basic lay of your resort, get feedback from your staff regarding where they have encountered the most problems and conduct a survey, subtly asking guests what would help them feel more secure.
How New Technology Allows You to Keep an Eye on Hotel Operations
Let’s take a look into the daily workings of a resort.
It’s late night, and a security guard is stationed at the entrance. He gets called on his radio to come to look at a commotion in the loading bay where the laundry delivery has just been made. He walks away from his position but has a tablet in his hands that allows him to monitor the situation on the front.
This feature allows resorts to save money on multiple hires. Your security system and personnel should be based on how big of an establishment you operate and the number of guests you usually have staying with you.
You have to keep in mind that guards cannot spread themselves thin because this will make them complacent. As a result, something might slip by them without their knowledge, making your security system vulnerable.
With virtual surveillance, a security guard will be able to tell when someone has entered a “staff-only” area. This is where motion detectors come in. Built into the CCTV cameras, they tell you about any movement.
Let’s say that an armed robbery is taking place in your resort. The security guard is patrolling in another area of the building. The staff at the reception triggers the silent alarm, giving out the signal to all security personnel to tune into the particular channel.
You can execute immediate intervention without wasting valuable time. Moreover, it allows the resort to alert all staff members to stay out of harm’s way and make sure a panic is not created. Keep in mind your ultimate priority is to your guests, and making sure they stay safe should be the only thing of concern to you.
By connecting systems, you can monitor the resort from all angles. You can always ban access to some of the channels, giving your most trusted staff members the passcode.
Conclusion
CCTV cameras can help you achieve great heights by guaranteeing the safety of your guests and staff. A happy environment promotes efficiency, and the more focused your staff is, the better they will be able to serve the guests. A great way to find out how your guests’ stay went is to give them a small comment card with no more than ten questions.
Visit the website Motion VOIP to get CCTV cameras installed in your resort. Our staff specializes in making businesses, hotels, and resorts technology savvy by offering them modern security solutions. To get in touch with us, call on (217) 331-6670.