The warehousing and logistics industry is evolving as consumer and commerce trends change. According to one article,
“The rise of eCommerce has played a huge role in shaping the way warehouses operate, as have consumer expectations for speed of delivery, customization, product availability and much more. With the growing complexities of customer demands and the globalization of many retailers due to eCommerce, warehousing trends have shifted to keep up.
Gone are the days when warehouses stored a few specific products that would only be shipped within a 50-mile radius.”
This has driven the development and implementation of best practices such as cloud-based warehouse management systems (WMS), storage space optimization, and automation using robotic technology.
What has not changed, perhaps, is the need for reliable and comprehensive warehouse security.
Meeting the Rising Need for Greater Warehouse Security
Technology and hardware have always played a central role in warehouse security. The most basic tools for securing any warehouse are locks on the doors, for example. But reliable security must go far beyond locks on doors and bars on windows.
Various tactics and facility design strategies are employed, as well, such as locating the warehouse manager’s office to ensure a clear line of sight of any shipping and receiving dock areas. In addition to secure entry and exit doors, fencing for all external areas around loading docks and even entire facilities is often used.
With the advent of more advanced security technology, firms have been able to install secure access systems that require the use of electronic keys or key codes.
Larger enterprises often implement systems such as employee-manned checkpoints and inventory security cages or rooms within secure warehouses. Others will not only employ third-party security guard companies, but also make use of professional security system providers with central monitoring centers operating 24/7.
These providers often employ video surveillance cameras along with live guards.
It is a common security practice for many warehousing and logistics companies to hire security guards to monitor and patrol their facilities onsite. This can be extremely effective, however, it does have inherent shortcomings, as well.
Warehouse security is a two-pronged campaign that must guard against external threats of theft or sabotage, as well as internal – or employee – theft.
As one storage product vendor has noted,
“Employee theft can be costly to warehouses, and performing thorough background checks is a core part of reducing loss from employee theft. Setting access levels that reflect staff members’ role can be used as a complementary measure to initial staff checks.
It may be worthwhile to re-screen periodically for roles with significant responsibility. Other onsite policies, such as the ‘two-man rule’ (where at least two employees must be present when a locked cage or locked pallet racking area is being accessed), can be implemented to further improve security.”
Live security personnel may serve as a deterrent and can both prevent and intervene with potential security threats. But these men and women cannot be everywhere, all the time. Nor can they see and hear everything that is occurring at a large facility.
Consequently, because security guards are often not enough for reliable warehouse security, something more is needed.
Adding Smart Warehouse Security Monitoring to the Mix
While it has been statistically established that the visible presence of security cameras act as a visual deterrent to criminals, cameras are passive security components. Along with cameras, too, having clearly visible signage stating that security cameras are in use can act as an additional element of deterrence.
However, as any warehouse manager that has just experienced a theft of inventory can attest, the typical video surveillance system is simply a static and passive device. The theft and the perpetrators may have been recorded on video, but the camera system could not actively prevent it.
Fortunately, the technology now exists to combine smart technology, or artificial intelligence (AI) to existing video surveillance systems and transform an otherwise passive camera system into an interactive system that can provide real-time intervention.
The proprietary smart security monitoring system offered by Blue Eye makes use of this advanced technology to provide a smart warehouse security solution. Through the use of AI-enhanced technology, our system can monitor video feeds in real-time to identify potentially criminal threats, activities, and specific behaviors.
When such a threat or breach is identified, our highly trained operators can interact verbally using an onsite speaker system to deter trespassers or thieves from continuing their intended activity as alerts are generated and sent to the local police or security team, as needed.
Your Smart Warehouse Security Enhancement Solution
Smart warehouse security monitoring means having far more than security personnel onsite. It is an optimal solution that provides the deterrence and intervention that can complement, or even replace, the use of security guards for less cost, while providing the comprehensive coverage that video technology offers.
This means the ability to issue audio warnings, which can reduce the risk of false alarms. In addition, our AI technology can reduce the time needed for surveillance.
A smart security monitoring solution is preferable to a human presence solution in most security situations. But existing security video technology still falls short of an optimal solution, which is why on-site personnel are still added many times.
In other words, an optimal solution would be a security system that gives you the best of both worlds without the disadvantages.
Blue Eye offers a solution that provides just that. And at a surprisingly affordable price.
Our solution is an AI-empowered managed service platform that requires no up-front capital costs.
Give us a call at 855.258.3662 or email us at [email protected]. Let us design an effective solution for your business!
