Here’s What to Consider Before Purchasing a Security System for Your Laundry Business
I recently experienced a “slip-and-fall” incident at one of my stores. However, I was immediately suspicious that this claim might simply be a play for a settlement.
Here’s what happened:
I received a call from one of my attendants saying that a customer had fallen, 911 had been called and an ambulance was on its way. I instructed the attendant to follow any and all directions given by the 911 operator, as well as the first responders. I also asked my employee – as soon as the ambulance left with the “victim” – to take several pictures of the laundromat, especially the floors, and to text them to me.
Next, I notified my insurance company, which requested the photos, as well as any available camera video. So, I downloaded the video and photos to a flash drive and sent it.
My particular security system also records audio, which enables me to talk to customers through the cameras. In fact, when the insurance company’s representatives finally reviewed the evidence of this incident, they complimented me on the quality of the video and audio I had sent, stating they had never received such high quality video from a security system.
As a result, they were able to deny the claim, based on the video evidence. Although the attendant on duty was mopping the floors at the time, the video clearly showed that our “wet floor” signs were out.
What actually happened? It seems that the customer was chasing her child through the store and tripped on the heel of the child; thus, the fall was not a result of the wet floor or any other type of negligence on the part of the attendant or my company.
This is just one small example of why camera systems are necessities in today’s self-service laundry environment. In fact, I believe it’s critical that all store owners invest in some type of system for their laundry businesses.
Camera systems can be as complex or as simple as you want and need them to be. Personally, my stores feature Mobotix cameras, but the brand name is really not as important as installing a system that fits your business’ specific needs.
For instance, the particular type of system I have can be very difficult to set up; it’s probably not something that can be done by the average laundromat operator. Although installation is easy enough, setting up the specific internet protocol camera (don’t ask me what “internet protocol” actually means) is not that simple – so I would strongly encourage you to seek assistance.
With that said, here are a few things I would suggest you consider when looking to upgrade an older security camera system or install a new one in a new store:
1. What are your needs? Do you simply need to see who is coming in the door, or do you want to see what bill the customer put into the change machine? Or perhaps you have a hidden section of your store, where criminal activity might be likely to occur. What areas are important, and how many cameras do you need?
2. How much activity do you have in your laundry? How much video storage will you require – 30 days, 60 days, more? Do you want the system to record to the cloud or locally? Personally, I think 60 days of saved video is overkill, as you likely will be aware of 90 percent of the problems you’ll need to look for within a day or, at most, a week. But, on the other hand, storage is relatively cheap, so you may want to consider having some added capacity.
3. Do you want to remotely view the video? Today, even cost-effective analog systems can be set up to be viewed remotely.
4. Do you want your system to do more than record video? For example, some systems have the ability to unlock your doors, as well as turn the lights off and on. Some systems can even act like a remote attendant – and, with the push of a button, the customers can talk to you.
5. What is your budget? I always look at price. Many basic systems can be purchased at Sam’s Club or Costco for $500 – and that might be perfect for a smaller laundry or a store that has very little risk of theft or break-ins.
6. What kind of support are you looking for from the manufacturer? I’m not very tech-savvy, by any definition. Just ask my wife – I might not even be able to start my computer without her help. Therefore, when it comes to purchasing and setting up a security camera system, I always lean toward a system that has great, responsive support – where I can call someone and have them remotely fix almost any problem I might encounter.
Although I’m not an expert in the field of security cameras, I have used several systems – from the cheapest systems I could find to a fairly involved IP system. In most of my stores, I have both an older analog system that records to a DVR on site, as well as at least one high-quality IP camera per store. And there are several great options available to today’s laundry owners.
When asked what camera system a laundry operator should use, I always respond that there’s no one specific system that’s perfect for everyone. One size does not fit all. It depends on your particular needs.
It’s much like selecting a car. What I like to drive may not fit you. For instance, I’m 6-foot-2, so I need a lot of leg room, whereas someone who is 5-foot-2 might be more concerned with visibility and safety. When it comes to choosing a camera system, the considerations are just as individual as they are when selecting a vehicle.
The only constants are that every store should have some type of surveillance system and the laundry owner should have at least passable knowledge of how to use it.
Surveillance systems will not, under any circumstance, stop crimes from happening. But, hopefully, your cameras can act as a deterrent and the criminals will take their activity to somewhere else that’s less secure.
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