What Is Proactive Video Monitoring and How Does It Compare to Traditional Security?
Proactive video monitoring prevents crime in real time, while traditional security only records it. Compare the two and see which fits your business.
Proactive video monitoring transforms traditional security into real-time prevention—detecting threats as they happen and enabling immediate response. By combining AI-driven analytics, motion detection, and live human intervention, video remote guarding creates a visible, active presence that deters crime before it escalates.
How Proactive Monitoring Works
Proactive video surveillance is a multilayered process:
- System transformation: Becklar’s live video intervention turns an existing video surveillance system into a proactive monitoring system by combining on-site technology, AI-powered software, and a remote guarding monitoring team.
- AI detection scanning: After gathering information about the usual interactions at a business, it can alert highly trained remote guarding specialists when something unusual happens.
- Human observation: Remote guarding specialists review and verify the AI alert to determine what action needs to be taken to prevent crime. This level of verification is essential for businesses or properties that have a lot of people coming in and out.
- Verbal warnings: If suspicious signals are detected, remote guarding specialists can issue verbal warnings to prevent crime from occurring.
- Alert local police: In addition to verbal warnings, the remote guarding team can alert security or local authorities. This allows for the fastest possible response time from all necessary responders.
- Documenting the crime: The system records everything that occurred for the business and police to use as evidence.
Traditional vs. Proactive Video Monitoring Comparison
Before discussing traditional vs. proactive video monitoring, it’s important to define what traditional video monitoring means. Traditional security video monitoring is a security system that uses cameras to verify and record unusual activity on a property.
There is a lot of crossover between traditional and proactive video monitoring. Each system works well, and one may be better than the other depending on your needs.
| Element | Proactive Monitoring | Traditional Monitoring |
|---|---|---|
| Approach to crime | Prevents and records it | Records it |
| Speaking to the suspect directly | Yes | No |
| Requires human vigilance | Yes, with the assistance of AI | Yes |
| Can distinguish between employees and suspects | Yes | No |
| Deterrence power | In addition to physical presence, can engage in real time with intruders and extend a verbal warning | Minimal deterrence with physical camera presence |
Approach to Crime
Proactive video monitoring is designed to prevent crime from happening, while reactive monitoring records crime as it occurs.
If the risks or costs associated with intrusion, vandalism, or theft is high, a proactive video monitoring system will likely be the most effective choice. By using AI, the business can detect patterns of weakness in its perimeter security, locking mechanisms, and other security aspects.
If criminal activities are a relatively rare occurrence for a business, a traditional system may be better suited for its needs. The business won’t need the extra features of a proactive system, and if a crime does occur, the system still captures the event for police review.
Keeping Personnel Safe
Remote video monitoring provides a system to confront a criminal directly and safely through a verbal warning, without putting staff or security personnel at risk. Engagement by a remote guard is fast and effective without potential for personal harm.
Human Involvement Requirements
Proactive monitoring uses AI to watch and detect potential issues. AI will alert the remote security team to a potential threat, which they immediately review and can engage appropriately. Reactive monitoring doesn’t use AI, and instead, relies purely on human involvement.
Depending on a business’s current staffing, one system may be more appropriate than the other.
Investment Costs
Proactive monitoring may have higher upfront costs but can bring significant savings in the long run by preventing crime. It reduces cost for required personnel while simultaneously reducing crime and the expenses associated with it.
Traditional monitoring may lower upfront costs and can bring some sense of peace of mind knowing that any crimes that do occur will be recorded and verified. These recordings can then be shared with police, insurance companies, and other relevant parties during the recovery process.
Deterrence Power
Both traditional and proactive monitoring have physical deterrence power with cameras and lights. However, only proactive monitoring empowers a remote guard to engage with intruders to prevent the crime from occurring.
See Proactive Monitoring in Action
Turn an existing camera system into a real-time, crime-preventing security layer with Becklar Video Remote Guarding.
4 Key Benefits of AI-Assisted Proactive Video Monitoring
Here are the main selling points of a proactive monitoring security system.
More Than Protection, It’s a Security Partner
Proactive monitoring isn’t just about having high-tech cameras. It’s a security partner that can offer insights on how to improve a business’s security system, ensure consistent monitoring coverage, and address performance gaps due to human error.
Differentiates from Commodity Camera Installs
A proactive monitoring system can be customized to a specific business’s needs. AI will also offer custom insights as it learns to recognize unusual activity on a given property, adding an extra potential for customization.
Reduces False Alarms and Frustration
Other than consistently dealing with crime and its after effects, there’s nothing more frustrating than dealing with false alarms.
Using AI, customers can reduce false alarms—recognizing animals and insects, items blowing in the wind or HVAC system, light changes, heat changes, power issues, and more. Additionally, when AI triggers an alarm, having human oversight adds an extra layer of protection against false alarms.
Improved Customer Satisfaction and Retention
Offering customers a security system that is easy to install, reduces operational disruptions, and offers long-term ROI will improve customer satisfaction, resulting in improved customer retention, high reviews, and new customer growth.
Want To Learn More?
Partner with Becklar’s proactive video monitoring team to prevent crime before it happens, not just record it.
Partner with Becklar’s Proactive Video Monitoring Solutions
Now that you understand the value of proactive monitoring, choose a security partner you can trust. Becklar’s proactive security solutions offer all the benefits discussed above, plus the added benefit of partnering with a team of security experts who have your best interest in mind.
Contact us to learn more about our proactive monitoring products.