PSIMarch2018

DOMESTIC
“Home owners are
becoming used to
advertisements from
equipment suppliers
pointing out e.g. how
they can check up on
their house using IP
cameras which can
be viewed over a
mobile phone while
sitting on a beach in
Thailand”
(from previous page)
they could ask a neighbour to check their
property for any sign of an intruder, or if CCTV
cameras are connected to the panel they can
verify an intrusion is taking place and call the
police.
“CCTV has become much more affordable and
homeowners tend to stick a couple of cameras of
the outside of their properties, but if those
cameras are not triggered by a detection system,
and not connected to an alarm transmission
system, they will only be used for evidence
purpose but not as prevention system,” says
Nigel. “A combination of outdoor PIR sensors
triggering CCTV cameras to provide visual
identification, and voice warnings issued by an
alarm monitoring station, will provide the best
property protection, and deter burglars. This type
of early detection system is widely used in
mainland Europe, but somehow there is a
misconception in the UK that any outdoor
detection system might trigger false alarms. In
our experience however, with the right sensor
technology outdoor detection does work, and is
even more efficient when connected to cameras
and helps homeowners and businesses prevent
theft.”
So having external security is a must in order
to try to make a home less of a target but how do
you deal with a population that ranks “Whether
immediate neighbours have children who are
likely to scream” almost twenty places higher in
their top 50 concerns than home security?
Perhaps in the long run the willingness to run
domestic functions through smartphone will bring
security further to the fore. There are plenty of
solutions from established intruder alarm
manufacturers that have apps for mobile access
and these can also link to other home automation
devices so there are options already for those that
want a professional-level smartphone enabled
solution.
Yet it is perhaps the rapid growth in the
hardware store DIY alarm market that may drive
homeowners towards the professional system
once they realise that their £99 wireless home
intruder system just doesn’t cut the mustard
when it comes to protecting their most expensive
asset, but this is a long process especially when
so many people admit to not even having external
lighting.
Speaking to PSI back in 2015, Alex Carmichael
of the SSAIB told us the keys to the problem and
his comments still resonate today: “Relevant
factors here may include the cost of installation,
maintenance and monitoring, the different nature
of protective risks facing householders compared
with businesses, insurance requirements, and the
relative lack of awareness among home owners –
witness, for example, the number of houses still
using ‘Type B’ unmonitored intruder alarms.
Householders simply do not expect to make use
of the type of sophisticated electronic security
that a commercial security manager would regard
as a basic necessity,” he said.
“Yet this scenario is changing and represents
an opportunity for installers and system
integrators to take advantage of these evolving
circumstances. At this point in the technology
cycle, for instance, surveillance is more
adaptable, user-friendly and price competitive
than it’s ever been. Home owners are becoming
used to advertisements from equipment suppliers
pointing out e.g. how they can check up on their
house using IP cameras which can be viewed over
a mobile phone while sitting on a beach in
Thailand. What’s more, they can walk into High St
shops such as Maplin and see this kit on the
shelves for themselves. At the same time, recent
stories about increasing withdrawal of police
response to domestic break-ins are gathering
pace in the media.
“From a commercial business perspective then,
so far, so good. But the dangers of DIY security
are manifest – as are the claims that watching a
burglar breaking in on your phone whilst
hundreds or even thousands of miles away is
either an easy or practical solution to such risks.
Security providers therefore need to explain and
promote the benefits of professionally specified,
installed and monitored systems – including the
advisability of 'Type A' monitored intruder alarms
to provide 24/7 monitoring to ensure continued
police response,” advised Alex.
“For public reassurance, residential customers
need only use a certificated installer to gain the
many benefits available from such an accredited
body. I would urge certificated security companies
to sell the advantages they gain from this
accreditation and thereby steal a march on their
market competitors into the bargain.”
And that is vital in being successful with a
domestic installation. Remember that a
professionally installed intruder alarm system
comes with a number of benefits to the keyholder,
so be sure to focus on those; if security just isn’t
important enough to fund then customers will
need convincing if wavering due to cost.
Final words of advice for installer come from
RISCO’s Steve Riley: “Look at your value
proposition – why should a consumer choose you,
what can you offer them that an electrician can’t
and how do you differentiate yourself from your
competition? To quote Henry Ford ‘If you do what
you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always
got’. This has never been more relevant to the
security industry than it is today.”
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