Improving Self-Storage Security and Efficiency With Advanced Video Analytics

Advanced video analytics present an opportunity to improve security and operational efficiency at your self-storage facility. Find out how to leverage this artificial intelligence to bring efficient, proactive response capabilities to your existing surveillance system.

Jeff Flowers, Chief Operating Officer

January 30, 2019

5 Min Read
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Today’s self-storage customers expect technology-rich, around-the-clock security to protect their property and ensure their personal safety. Traditional video surveillance offers an important line of defense against theft, vandalism and other crimes, but it isn’t an ideal solution for your facility’s security challenges.

Why? Because traditional surveillance technology suffers from a fatal flaw. You either pay for someone to continuously monitor video feeds or view footage after the damage is done. Either way, you’re looking at additional costs to your operation.

Video analytics changes everything. Leveraging artificial intelligence (AI), it brings efficient, proactive response capabilities to your existing surveillance system. With video analytics, you no longer have to choose between saving money and preventing criminal events. Video surveillance and analytics solutions are about more than improving site security. They’re an investment that improves operational efficiency and grows the bottom line.

Using Cutting-Edge AI

AI, or machine intelligence, has come a long way in a relatively short period. Once the stuff of science fiction, practical applications of AI technology are popping up across a range of industries and transforming processes for improved efficiency and performance.

For years, security professionals have wanted to incorporate AI into video-surveillance technology, but hardware limitations and other technological challenges made it impossible. The emergence of video analytics bridges the gap between existing hardware and AI by allowing surveillance systems to act more like living, breathing employees.

With video analytics, surveillance systems learn to detect abnormal activities in real time. The system identifies security threats or other targeted events, then immediately notifies the appropriate parties (owners, managers, police or security personnel). Without investing in continuous human monitoring, you can respond to events before they occur.

AI-enabled analytics platforms are built to optimize your existing video surveillance. Using your CCTV or IP (Internet protocol) camera system and an integrated end-to-end solution dashboard, you receive instant notifications about security events as they happen. Interchangeable AI architecture delivers the optimal framework based on use case, allowing you to establish custom parameters and tailor the technology to your operation’s unique needs. The combination of an end-to-end platform and AI technology equips your operation with a customizable, comprehensive video tool tailored to your facility’s most urgent security and operational challenges.

Improving Security and Efficiency

Your tenants expect you to protect their property and ensure their personal safety, especially after hours. As a self-storage operator, safety and security are clear priorities; but efficiency is important, too. Technologies that drive cost-savings and operational improvement contribute to financial performance and give your business a competitive advantage. AI-powered technology helps in the following important ways:

Machine learning means better security at a lower cost. Edge-based computing enables autonomous cognition, meaning the system can “think” and “learn” without human intervention. By independently identifying security threats or other events and automatically triggering the appropriate response, the integration reduces your facility’s dependence on human staff while providing continuous coverage.

Video analytics facilitate the creation of “sterile” areas. Video-surveillance systems with AI capabilities allow you to define areas where any unusual movement is treated as a triggered event with a wimple point and click of a mouse. When the system identifies an event, it notifies anyone monitoring the platform and other appropriate parties through an e-mail or text message. To reduce false alarms, the technology references custom parameters to recognize and ignore movement originating from trees, wildlife or other non-threatening sources.

AI-powered video analytics results in better system performance. The human brain is hardwired to alternate between periods of attention and distraction. As a result, even highly trained security professionals can misidentify or overlook threats captured by cameras. Video analytics provides constant, error-free monitoring of your facility’s defined surveillance areas.

Technology helps you monitor the activities of managers, staff and customers. To improve operational performance and efficiency, the most powerful AI-enabled solutions offer FILO (first in, last out) monitoring of management staff and tenants. Self-storage owners receive notifications when each manager arrives at and leaves the office. Similarly, video analytics monitor customer activity and traffic areas to optimize staffing levels and study tenant behavior throughout the facility.

Zero-delay response times are the new normal. Every second counts when security and safety are on the line, but delayed response times are inevitable with traditional video surveillance. Even live video monitoring requires time for security staff to identify the nature of a threat and determine an appropriate response. AI incident management eliminates delays by facilitating pro-active response in real time. When an event occurs, it triggers an instant notification to the facility owner, operator, police or security personnel.

Choosing a Solution

Advanced video analytics present an excellent opportunity for improving security and operational efficiency at your self-storage facility. Although many video-surveillance solutions promise the world, few offer the features and benefits you need to leverage AI for meaningful business improvement.

An end-to-end platform with video-analytics integration is designed to help you maximize the impact of AI and machine learning. Additionally, the combination addresses key issues you must consider when choosing a solution:

  • Upfront and ongoing costs: Decisions about video-surveillance technology hinge on cost. An AI-powered solution that works with your current cameras will require no upfront investment in additional hardware. Going forward, the combined capabilities of industry technology generate significant savings by reducing or eliminating the need for live video monitoring.

  • Compatibility with existing systems: The integration ensures compatibility with your current IT infrastructure. Designed to function as a plug-and-play solution, the program seamlessly integrates with your existing analog or IP-based video system.

  • Cloud-based architecture: This extends the functionality of the AI-powered solution by providing anytime, anywhere access to the security status of your facility. Featuring a single, centralized view of video feeds and security alerts, you can sleep easier knowing you’re constantly connected to your operation.

Going forward, self-storage operations will face even more pressure to improve security and operational efficiency through intelligent technologies. By understanding your options and investing in the right video surveillance and analytics platform, you can lay the groundwork for significantly better business outcomes in the months and years ahead.

Jeff Flowers is the chief operating officer for PTI Security Systems, a provider of access control, site security and additional facility products. From concept to completion, the company helps operators design and implement a total package tailored to their site. For more information, call 800.523.9504; visit www.ptisecurity.com.

About the Author

Jeff Flowers

Chief Operating Officer, PTI Security Systems

Jeff Flowers is the chief operating officer for PTI Security Systems, a provider of access control, site security and additional facility products. From concept to completion, the company helps operators design and implement a total package tailored to their site. For more information, call 800.523.9504; visit www.ptisecurity.com.

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