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Successful scrapyard surveillance

In many instances security is a grudge purchase so it is important to maximise the return on investment for the customer. In choosing a remote CCTV solution one hopes to allow operators to view the site remotely via technology and thus enhance the business’s security.

One of the key value propositions in smaller SME businesses is the operational benefit gained by management in implementing a remote monitoring platform. By installing systems at their various branches and sites, operation and security video is available to decision makers and managers at all times on multiple platforms, including PCs, phones and tablets.

This in turn drives efficiencies, where managers can see what is going on in the branch offices. “A recent customer of ours implemented our SerVision platform in a motor scrapyard in Springs. Within a week he chose to expand the use of the technology to his five other branches around South Africa,” says Mark Chertkow, MD of SerVision’s local distributor Graphic Image Technologies. “The technology identified employees not keeping to policies and procedures almost instantly, allowing management to identify the issues and take corrective action.”

“The productivity gains alone justified the expenditure,” said Alan Levin owner of Ace Auto Scrapyards. “The technology allows us to bring a visual confirmation into our real-time financial management systems allowing us to extract additional efficiencies and productivity from our existing infrastructure. In addition we are now able to see when staff arrive and leave the premises.”

Remote monitoring solutions have been available for the past 10 years. What has changed dramatically is the free availability of connectivity and the mind space of users. Technically, a number of challenges still remain. Bandwidth is still often limited in the South African context and the general model is pay-per-use, i.e. a capped bandwidth model. The implication of these two issues is that the bitrate consumed per stream is still very relevant.

By implementing SerVisions low bandwidth technology (4fps @ less than 4 megabytes per hour) business owners are able to add video to their existing infrastructure cost effectively, knowing their business and data processes will not suffer, while gaining the benefit of being able to view what is happening remotely 24/7.

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