5 Signs of a Shoplifter

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Shoplifting is a critical problem that persists in the retail industry. It’s become such an issue that over $13 billion worth of goods are stolen each year, which equals $35 million per day. What’s even more unsettling is only one in 48 shoplifters are ever caught, with only about half ever prosecuted.

While it may be impossible to stop shoplifting entirely, there are simple yet effective ways to monitor patrons and determine if they’re stealing items. It’s important to train managers and staff on how to spot suspicious activity and report it. Here are the five most common signs of a shoplifter:

  1. They Loiter Inside or Outside Your Store

Shoplifters may loiter around certain areas of the store, such as the entrance or near high-value items. They may also notice surveillance blind spots and target those locations, which is something you should take into account when evaluating your store’s security measures.

Individuals tend to scope out in-store security measures and wait for a good opportunity to steal. If an employee notices someone loitering in your store, they should keep an eye on the person and make sure other staff are aware of their presence. Consider asking if they need help finding anything but be cautious. If they continue to hover, they may be waiting for the right time to shoplift.

  1. They Display Nervousness

Many shoplifters are petty criminals and not experienced thieves, so there’s a strong chance they’ll be a little nervous when attempting to shoplift. Shoplifters may exhibit signs of anxiety or nervousness, such as fidgeting, avoiding eye contact, avoiding cameras, sweating, etc. If you notice someone exhibiting these signs, keep an eye on them and make sure your staff is aware of their presence.

It’s an important reminder that nervousness isn’t a definite sign someone intends to steal. Some people may be feeling uncomfortable or overwhelmed in a new environment. It’s important to approach all customers with kindness and professionalism while keeping an eye out for suspicious behavior.

  1. They Spend a Lot of Time in Dressing Rooms

For many department and clothing stores, fitting rooms are popular targets for shoplifters, as they provide a private space to conceal stolen items. Fitting rooms also allow individuals to remove tags to avoid the electronic sensors at the entrance of most retail locations.

In some cases, shoplifters may make multiple trips to the fitting rooms but only return a few items they take inside. Keep an eye out for empty hangers or tags left in the fitting room, as these may be signs of stolen items. It’s important to have a system in place to monitor fitting rooms, such as assigning staff to check on them regularly or limiting the number of items customers can take in at one time.

  1. They Bring Large Bags into the Store

Customers who bring large bags into stores are a red flag for retailers. A large bag can allow shoplifters to conceal merchandise and make it easier to exit the store undetected. In some cases, shoplifters could use empty bags with the store’s logo on them to make it look like they paid for the items when leaving.

To mitigate the risk of shoplifting, stores should have a policy in place that restricts customers from bringing in large bags upon entry. Backpacks, duffle bags, and grocery bags, among others, should be discouraged inside store premises. The policy not only deters potential shoplifters but makes it easier for employees to spot suspicious behavior.

  1. They Work in Pairs or Groups and Try to Distract Employees

Shoplifters sometimes work in teams to distract store employees, be a lookout, or create a diversion while another person steals merchandise. They may also use their body language or behavior to distract store employees from noticing the theft taking place.

Pairs/groups are generally more dangerous because they often plan these events beforehand, and it’s a lot harder to track multiple people at once inside a store. Retailers should train their employees to recognize and respond appropriately to suspicious activity, especially when they believe multiple people are involved.

Just remember, not all pairs/groups inside a store are shoplifters. However, if you notice groups who display some of the tendencies above or see individuals attempting to distract employees, it’s reasonable to raise suspicion and keep a close eye on them.

Shoplifting Prevention with Boyd & Associates

As a retailer, preventing shoplifting is critical for maintaining profits and ensuring the safety of both customers and employees. By recognizing the signs of a potential shoplifter, retailers can take proactive measures to deter theft and protect their assets.

In addition to training employees, retailers can also partner with security companies like us to implement advanced security measures. Boyd & Associates offers a range of security services and solutions, all designed to keep your store protected. Take action to protect your business today by contacting us to learn more.

How to Prevent and Extinguish Electrical Fires in a Commercial Building

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According to the National Fire Protection Association, structure fires in professional buildings account for millions of dollars in property damage each year. Electrical distribution and lighting are the second leading cause of these fires, making up approximately 15% of the total property damage. Taking a proactive approach to fire safety and prevention will lower the likelihood of an unexpected blaze and keep your business and employees safe. Here are some tips for preventing and extinguishing electrical fires in commercial buildings.

Perform Regular Maintenance On Equipment

Equipment that is damaged, dusty, or greasy could be prone to electrical fires. Keep your equipment in good working condition by following maintenance guidelines as recommended by the manufacturer. If you notice anything malfunctioning, contact a technician to have it serviced to prevent it from becoming a hazard.

Dust and grease may clog vents on equipment such as industrial exhaust fans, which can then lead to overheating and cause fires. If you notice this buildup on any devices within your workplace, clean them promptly.

Have Your Electrical System Inspected After Any Environmental Changes

Environmental changes such as a flood or a significant storm could damage equipment and your building’s electrical infrastructure and lead to malfunctions that result in an electrical fire. If any major environmental changes have occurred, have a licensed electrician inspect your system and verify it is functioning correctly.

They should evaluate the following:

  • Circuit breakers
  • Fuses
  • Wiring
  • Transformers
  • Switchboards
  • Switches

Don’t Overload Extension Cords Or Power Strips

Extension cords are commonly used to power workstations, particularly in office buildings, but they can be dangerous when overloaded. An overloaded extension cord could melt, burn wires, or create sparks that cause a fire.

When using extension cords and power strips in your workplace, follow their ratings and use guidelines. If in doubt, refer to the wattage labels on the appliances you intend to plug into the cord and ensure that they don’t exceed your extension cord’s rating.

Electrical Work Should Only Be Done By A Professional

Ensure that any electrical work or maintenance performed within your workplace is done by a licensed electrician. Electricians have the skills to evaluate how to best arrange power sources and equipment within your workplace for safety and functionality. A professional electrician will have the latest training on electrical codes and best practices and take care to ensure that work is done safely and correctly.

How To Put Out An Electrical Fire

The most important thing to remember about electrical fires is that they should not be extinguished with water. Water is an electrical conductor, and pouring it on an electrical fire could cause electrocution. Instead, use these tips:

  • If possible, cut the power to the equipment involved in the fire.
  • Smother the fire (if it’s small enough) with a fire blanket or a Class C fire extinguisher

If you don’t have the tools you need or the fire is out of control, evacuate the area and call 911.

The Bottom Line

Electrical fires are typically the result of overloaded circuits, faulty wiring, or malfunctioning equipment. With this in mind, regular maintenance and fire safety audits are essential for preventing these fires. While a Boyd & Associates commercial fire alarm system will ensure help is dispatched in an emergency, holding regular fire safety briefings with your staff will help them stay proactive about preventing fires.

Establishing Safety and Security Policies at Your Business

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A comprehensive commercial security system is an essential part of running your business, regardless of its size. In addition to your system it is important to establish safety and security policies.

These will ensure that your customers and employees are kept safe, as well as prevent the loss of valuable products, equipment, and supplies.

There are many different aspects to creating safety and security policies. Here are a few things to consider when designing them for your business.

5 Things to Remember When Establishing Safety and Security Policies at Your Business

  1. Do An Overall Assessment To Determine What Needs To Be Protected

It’s essential to walk through your business to evaluate what assets you have that need protecting. This includes identifying exterior doors and windows that could be used as entry points for thieves, as well as making notes of sensitive areas of your business that need to be off-limits to customers or only accessible to specific employees. Safety and security policies should also be put in place to help protect against cybersecurity threats to digital assets and sensitive data.

  1. Utilize Smart Devices And Access Control

Years ago, many business owners used traditional keyed locks and gave keys to trusted employees. This can prove to be a risky security strategy, as keys can be lost, misplaced, stolen, or disappear when an employee no longer works for the business.

Today, many companies utilize access control devices as one of their safety and security policies. This means that there are no keys to lose. It also means that business owners can keep track of who comes and goes from the building at any time of day or night. These devices can also be programmed to only allow specific employees (or certain employees during certain times.) This is helpful in a business like a pharmacy that sells controlled substances that are frequently the target of thieves.

  1. Make Cybersecurity A Priority

As people increasingly rely on “smart” devices that are connected to the internet, enterprising hackers and cyber thieves are taking advantage of increased opportunities to hack in to wreak havoc, gain sensitive information, or even gain physical access to the premises being controlled by a smart door lock, for example.

This is of particular concern to business owners, and it’s one of the reasons why it’s essential to work with a team of professionals when installing a commercial security system. They’ll help ensure that all smart devices — from door locks to thermostats and beyond — are well-protected from cybersecurity threats such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi hackers.

  1. Develop An Emergency Evacuation Plan

Creating safety and security policies is one of the five keys to a successful business security plan. Another one of those keys is preparing for a disaster. An emergency evacuation plan is one policy that no business should be without.

Your evacuation plan should cover any natural disaster or emergency that could potentially happen in your area, whether you live in a place that’s prone to earthquakes and wildfires or if you live in a coastal area that gets hit with hurricanes. Fires, active shooter situations, and medical emergencies are other events that should be covered in these types of plans.

  1. Use Proper Training To Put Everyone On The Same Page

Business safety and security policies are no good if no one actually uses them. This is why it’s important to make them part of every employee’s training. From not sharing or giving out access control or digital device passwords to having a good understanding of what to do if an emergency strikes, taking the time to train your employees on safety and security policies in advance will help protect all of your assets — both human and otherwise — should something unexpected happen.

For More Security Tips And Solutions, Stick With Boyd & Associates

And if you’re looking for more ways to keep yourself and your business safe, check out our commercial security and automation services at Boyd & Associates. We offer a wide range of security options to protect you and your employees. If you’re ready to discuss our custom solutions, contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can help you prepare for what’s next.

 

 

How To Efficiently Review Surveillance Footage

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Surveillance cameras help you feel secure that your business is always safe and protected. If anything happens on the premises, you can look at the footage and find the problem. But, while having the cameras and footage provides you with security, it can feel tedious to have to sort through hours or even days of footage to find a specific incident.

Fortunately, there is a much easier way. Learn more about how you can better review your surveillance footage and video surveillance to keep your store protected and safe.

Look For The Telltale Signs

You don’t want to miss anything while skimming through your video surveillance footage, so it’s important to know what to look for so you can spot it quickly. Some telltale signs can help you identify potential moments of crime. Remember, these are potential signs, so they do not guarantee that something suspicious or criminal is happening.

  • Loitering– For each business, there is a different amount of time that is reasonable for customers to stay around before it becomes suspicious. Anyone who is hanging in or around your business with no apparent reason should be considered suspicious.
  • Attempts to Conceal Identity– Excessive headwear, sunglasses at night, sticking to shadows, avoiding eye contact with your cameras, and avoiding being seen by any employees can be signs to keep an eye out for when you are reviewing your surveillance footage.
  • Multiple People– Many criminals do not work alone, rather they work as a team. If a group of people comes in together and exhibits some of the other telltale signs, it could be a red flag you will want to keep your eye on.

Time Stamps

Having accurate time stamps on all surveillance footage lets you narrow down your review to a specific date and time.

Not only are time stamps effective tools in reducing the hours you have to spend looking through footage, but if anything does happen, they make the footage admissible in court. Footage without accurate timestamps that include the date and time may become inadmissible in a court of law.

Can Customers Request Surveillance Footage?

You might start to have customers requesting footage. Legally, there is no obligation for a business to provide any security footage to a customer. You can ignore the request as long as it is only a customer requesting the footage. As soon as there is a warrant or subpoena involved issued by the government, you are legally obligated to hand over the surveillance footage.

Some customers might have this law confused with public entities. It is possible to obtain video footage from public entities under the freedom of information act. However, private entities, like small privately-owned businesses, are not subject to that law.

How Long Should I Keep Surveillance Footage?

It is best practice to keep your footage up to 90 days. In some situations where multiple cameras are recording for longer periods and at higher quality levels, you can go down to 30 days. It is recommended to keep footage accessible for a longer amount of time because the legal process might be slower in some locations and not realize there is vital footage or even a crime, until after the first 30 days.

Boyd & Associates Live Video Verification

With Boyd & Associates, we have live operators available at a moment’s notice to review any suspicious activity in the event that an alarm is triggered. Our trained professional can quickly review your live feed and provide important information to first responders so they can prioritize your business security—likely resulting in a higher priority emergency dispatch. This gives you the peace of mind that a helpful eye is always looking out for you, so you can spend your time focusing on growing your business.

Check out our commercial security services to help secure your small business today.

 

Do I Need Fire Alarm Monitoring?

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According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), U.S. Fire Departments respond to a house fire every 86 seconds, or more than 1,000 fires in U.S. homes each day.

While a fire monitoring system cannot necessarily prevent house fires, it does offer early detection due to photoelectricity and heat sensors. Not only can this increase your chance to get your family out safely, getting the fire department there quickly can minimize the damage to your home. These monitoring systems offer several very important benefits to home fire safety, including:

Fire Alarm Monitoring Ensures Immediate Action

A fire alarm monitoring system guarantees that any signs of a fire are immediately identified. This is particularly important since a fire can spread through a house in only minutes. Fires that start while residents are asleep or when no one is home can be especially dangerous. Fire alarm monitoring with Boyd & Associates ensures the earliest detection possible, and monitoring ensures that the authorities are quickly dispatched. It is also important to have your CO alarm monitored, too. As an odorless, colorless gas, Carbon Monoxide often goes undetected unless an alarm sounds.

Special Needs Residents

When Boyd & Associates receives an alert that the fire alarm monitoring system has detected signs of a house fire, fire responders are dispatched to the location as soon as possible. If anyone living in the home is physically impaired or elderly, firefighters are informed by the monitoring service, that maintains information about the residence, to help make sure all family members get out safely.

Leave It To The Professionals

When reacting to a fire in your home, every second counts. A fire alarm monitoring system ensures that you can focus on following your family’s fire escape plan to get everyone out as quickly as possible. Rather than calling authorities yourself as you would need to do with a traditional smoke alarm, a monitored system does that step for you, resulting in an earlier notification and a faster response.

In need of fire alarm monitoring? Boyd & Associates provides fire monitoring solutions to ensure your home security is covered. Talk to us today to learn more.

Restaurant Safety and Risk Prevention

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If you own or operate a restaurant, you know there are many inherent risks to the trade. Restaurant safety should always be a primary concern for both patrons and employees. Cultivating a culture of safety and risk prevention can better protect your business in the long run.

Think through the five steps below in the customer’s journey to identify safety gaps that could lead to major business losses.

  1. Keep Entrances Safe

The entrance is the first impression for many visitors to your restaurant. Welcome your guests with a slip-free and safe entryway. To ensure all-around safety throughout the year, here are a few things to consider:

  • Ensure proper outside lighting so customers feel safe when arriving and leaving.
  • Highlight steps with yellow paint or plastic detailing to catch customers’ attention.
  • Invest in absorbent walk-off mats to avoid slippery floors and catch outside water and dirt.
  • Consider installing video surveillance cameras in high traffic areas inside and outside to monitor and document slips and falls, as well as theft or intruder incidents.
  1. Make Exit and Employee-Only Signs Clear

Having clearly marked signs are important for any restaurant, especially for patrons dining there for the first time. In the case of an emergency, patrons must know where to exit quickly to ensure the safety of themselves and others. There are also huge liability risks for not having clearly marked exit signs.

Likewise, you must clearly mark off employee-only areas. There are a lot of moving parts in a restaurant kitchen, and a lot of things that could lead to injury. Other employee-only areas could include a surveillance room, manager’s office, break room, etc. It is essential that patrons know where they can and cannot be.

  1. Food Safety

Food safety is arguably any restaurant’s biggest safety risk. According to Foodsafety.gov, millions of Americans get sick from contaminated food each year. Just one large outbreak at your restaurant is a PR nightmare that could potentially destroy your business.

To mitigate the chances of foodborne illnesses, here are some key tips for monitoring food safety:

  • Constantly monitor the cleanliness of your establishment, especially your kitchen. This includes instituting a proper refrigeration program and food storage method, keeping consistent track of food expiration dates, and maintaining high sanitation standards in food preparation areas.
  • Keep your kitchen well stocked with clean towels, aprons, and anti-bacterial wash. Hold employees accountable for handwashing and proper hygiene.
  • Train staff in proper food preparation safety and health department compliance.
  • Monitor your staff remotely with cloud-based video solutions. These cameras can be installed in prep and food areas to ensure employees are following proper guidelines and training.

When preparing food, commercial kitchen fires are also a large risk. According to the United States Fire Administration, there are on average over 5,900 restaurant building fires reported each, causing an average of 75 injuries and $172 million in property loss. Prevent fires with the tips below:

  • Proactively train your team on equipment that uses heat or flames.
  • Establish an evacuation and crisis control plan in case of a fire.
  • Have the fire department or a security provider inspect your building to ensure all fire hazards are addressed.
  • Install a fire suspension system, such as sprinklers.
  • Keep fire extinguishers in place.
  • Install a fire alarm to ensure emergency response teams can reach your property as quickly as possible.
  1. Hire Employees You Can Trust

A solid team is your business’s best asset. Everything from the head chef to the host, to the busser, is a vital part of your business. Being successful means hiring the best you can get. But what does it take to ensure you hire top-quality, trusted employees? Consider the following:

  • Seek out experienced restaurateurs—few know how challenging the foodservice industry can be.
  • Start your employee selection process with a thorough background check and conduct live interviews.
  • Require recommendations and follow-up with former employers.
  • Request all candidates complete a drug test.
  • Consider a trial-run period, in which you can discern the candidate’s ability to work successfully with existing staff.
  1. Secure Your Finances

You want your customers to become loyal guests. The last step to protecting your eatery, in the long run, is financial viability.

Employee theft is more common than you might think. Studies indicate that employees steal over $50 million annually from businesses in the United States and an astounding 75% of employees have admitted to stealing from their company at least once. Consider the following for optimal protection:

  • Use access control to know when your kitchen staff arrives in the morning and when your bartender locks up at night. Assign employees unique codes or keys to keep tabs on individuals. For example, if five steak filets go missing from your outdoor refrigerator, you can reference a log to know who accessed the unit.
  • Install a video surveillance system. Being a restaurant owner is a round-the-clock job, including many holidays and almost all weekends. Your video monitoring system is on the floor when you can’t be, check-in at any time from your smartphone.

When it comes to restaurant safety, partner with the security experts you can trust. If you would like to learn more contact a Boyd & Associates expert today.

Video Surveillance Security Tips For Businesses

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Video surveillance is a vital and effective security solution that protects all business types. It acts as a crime deterrent and can help identify suspects in the event of a criminal incident.

To ensure your business video surveillance system is operating at peak performance, we have compiled a list of five fundamental video surveillance tips:

  1. Secure Your Surveillance System From Hackers

Advancements in technology have made it possible for hackers to gain access to security cameras. Today, many businesses utilize Internet Protocol (IP) cameras that require an Internet connection for operation. Consider the following practices when securing your video surveillance system from cyber criminals:

  • Change your surveillance system password every three months and utilize proper password management.
  • Always change default usernames and passwords. These factory-preset logins are often readily available online, making it easier for hackers to access your system.
  • Secure your business network. An unsecured network risks leaving open access points in your system, giving hackers the opportunity to compromise your surveillance cameras.
  • Never connect your cameras to a public network. Hackers can easily access information, like video surveillance credentials, through shared networks.
  • Choose cameras with encrypted signals. Encryption disguises information sent over the Internet, making it challenging for hackers to identify valuable data.

  1. Avoid Video Surveillance Legal Liabilities

Your business’ safety is a top priority, but so is the privacy of your employees and customers. When installing cameras throughout your business, be sure to avoid areas where people have a reasonable expectation of privacy. This includes:

  • Bathrooms
  • Dressing rooms
  • Exam rooms
  • Locker rooms
  • Hotel rooms

Additionally, understand the laws around video and audio recording so you don’t invade anyone’s privacy. Laws vary from state to state, so visit your State Labor Agency website to learn about camera privacy laws in your region.

  1. Strategically Place Cameras

Strategically placed cameras help business owners easily identify and promptly respond to potentially hazardous situations. Video surveillance cameras are most effective when they are:

  • Installed above all entrances and exits, to see who is coming and going.
  • Capable of watching over areas with high-value items, like office technology, stockrooms, and cash registers.
  • Placed under sufficient lighting for higher-quality video footage.
  • Positioned to capture wide angles for fuller surveillance coverage.

  1. Store Video Footage in the Cloud

Cloud solutions can help businesses increase storage capabilities and more easily access surveillance camera footage. Cloud-based systems offer a strong alternative to traditional analog systems. If properly installed, cloud storage can boost your business’s overall security measures because it is:

  • Cost-effective: IP cameras can eliminate the need for an onsite digital video recorder (DVR) or network video recorder (NVR).
  • Accessible: When housed in the cloud, surveillance footage can be viewed via smartphone, tablet, or a desktop web browser at any time.
  • Flexible: New users, locations, and cameras can be added to your existing infrastructure without rewiring.

  1. Increase Business Security with Additional Camera Features

You can also improve the effectiveness of your business surveillance system with some additional features, including:

  • Adjustable angles: Cameras that are mobile and can tilt or zoom for multiple views.
  • Artificial intelligence (AI) technology: Cameras hosted on monitoring platforms powered by artificial intelligence can automatically monitor all footage and alert users about unusual events.
  • Day/night capabilities: Cameras with night vision use infrared LEDs to provide clear images in near low-light conditions.
  • High resolution: Higher resolutions give the best quality image.
  • IP-based versus wired: Video cables are not required with IP-based systems.
  • Weatherproof: Cameras that can withstand outdoor conditions.
  • Remote access: Sync your video surveillance system to your mobile security app to control settings and view footage on your mobile device.

Do you have questions about ways to enhance your video surveillance system? Talk to our security experts today!

How Does A Motion Sensor Work: Best Placement Practices

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Outside of the physical structures of your home, motion sensors are often the first line of defense for your security system. But how does a motion sensor work? Basically, motion sensors trigger alarms and direct the home security feed to wherever the alarm was triggered. This is usually based on motion or intrusion (hence the name!)

This is why taking the time to plan out motion sensor placement for your home is so important. If your motion sensors aren’t in locations where they work the most effectively, your entire system may be flawed. Check out these helpful tips for motion sensor placements:

How Does A Motion Sensor Work: The Most Effective Motion Sensor Placements

Motion sensors work to detect movement in an area where there shouldn’t be. When thinking of the best placements for your motion sensors, consider important access points and any potential vulnerabilities in your home or business that an intruder might exploit.

Corner Spaces

Put a motion sensor in the corner of each room, aimed toward the doorway. That way, if the door opens or someone passes through, the sensor will detect the motion and set off the alarm.

Near Valuables

What exactly are you looking to protect with your motion sensors and security system? Place motion sensors directly at your most valuable items. Or, in the case of a small business, consider where you keep or display any important products or business profits. No one will be able to get close to them without you knowing.

Second Floor Bedrooms

Even if you feel as though a burglar couldn’t enter the house through the second floor, it is a good idea to keep a motion sensor near the bedrooms in your home. As a general rule of thumb, all entry points should be accounted for. This way you’ll be alerted if anyone approaches while you’re asleep.

Ceilings

When an intruder enters the home, they may already be looking for motion detectors. A great place they wouldn’t immediately look is the ceiling. Sensors work from any angle, so this is a great way to keep a thief from easily avoiding detectors. And these days, sensors are made to fit discreetly wherever you place them. So, they won’t be an eyesore in your home either.

Within Decorations

A great way to hide motion sensors is by making them part of your household decor. Hide them amongst photos and knickknacks so they aren’t easily spotted by intruders. Plus, they won’t detract from your home’s look and feel!

How Does A Motion Sensor Work: The Least Effective Motion Sensor Placements

Motion sensors are designed to detect motion, which means any kind of motion. Placing your motion sensors in certain areas can not only detract from the functionality of your system, but it can also cause false alarm triggers. Avoid placing motion sensors in the following locations:

Near Windows

This is a bad location for a few reasons. The first is that heat-activated motion sensors can be confused by direct sunlight, which most windows receive a lot of! The second is that the sensor works best when a burglar walks parallel to them rather than straight ahead. Finally, you wouldn’t want a false alarm trigger from every single passerby, or even just an innocent visit from the neighborhood cat!

Near Heat Sources

A heat source could potentially create a false alarm, so it is a good idea to keep motion sensors away from hot air vents and radiators. Any change in infrared heat could trigger the alarm. Plus, extended exposure to high temperatures could potentially damage your equipment as well.

For More Security Tips And Solutions, Stick With Boyd & Associates

Ensure that your security system is working to its full potential by strategically installing the motion sensors that are included with it.

And if you’re looking for more ways to keep yourself and your family safe, check out our home security and automation services at Boyd & Associates. We offer a wide range of home security options to protect you and your family. If you’re ready to discuss our custom solutions, contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can help you prepare for what’s next.

3G Shutdown – What It Means And How Your Home Security System May Be Affected

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You may be aware that cellular carriers have announced they intend to fully “sunset” 3G technologies by 2022. 3G is short for “third-generation wireless technology,” which carriers are phasing out in favor of faster and more advanced technology like the 4G (LTE) and 5G networks.

Many security systems rely on local cellular carriers to communicate system activity with the monitoring station. It’s possible at the time of your installation, 3G was the optimal technology available in your area and you may need to schedule an onsite panel update.

How Will The 3G Shutdown Affect Your System?

Your home security system includes a cellular transmitter that is necessary to communicate with our central service station in the event of an emergency. If your device is currently reliant on 3G networks, it will no longer function when the 3G sunset takes place.

As a result of the 3G network shutdown, even if your alarm appears to function, it will no longer communicate with our central service station to notify us that emergency services are needed. Any devices that use 3G technology will no longer be supported and affected consumers will need to schedule an onsite panel update to avoid any potential disruptions.

You Already Received a Notice from Us About 3G Shutdown

We are keeping a close watch on all areas and systems that will be affected by 3G sunsetting. If you live in an area that will be affected, you should have already received a notice from us to schedule your update.

If you have already received communication from Boyd & Associates about updating your home security system, it is very important that you get in contact with us as soon as possible to avoid service interruption.

Boyd & Associates is Here to Guide You Through 3G Sunsetting

At Boyd & Associates, the protection and peace of mind of our customers are our top priority. If your security system is currently running on 3G, after 3G sunset, your system may lose its ability to communicate with our central monitoring station in the event of an emergency.

Don’t wait until it’s too late. Even if you’re not sure if your area is affected by 3G sunsetting, contact us today to check. We want to ensure your home and family stay protected.

Although wireless carriers have published specific dates for 3G termination, this does not guarantee 3G services will be fully available until the sunset, meaning your system may be affected before then. It is common practice for carriers to reduce coverage during transition periods.

Take action today and avoid service disruptions!

Your Guide To Cellular Alarm Monitoring

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Have you ever wondered what really makes your security system tick? It all has to do with cellular alarm monitoring! This technology helps ensure your devices and security system stay connected to our central monitoring stations. With cellular alarm monitoring, the help you need is always nearby in the event of an emergency. Learn more about how it all works right here.

What is Cellular Alarm Monitoring?

Cellular alarm monitoring service is the new standard in home security monitoring. Operating on a dedicated cellular channel, the system sends a wireless signal via a secure, encrypted transmission to our central monitoring stations in case of an emergency. Additionally, cellular monitoring uses its own dedicated network to send and receive signals, so you do not need a cell phone to upgrade to cellular monitoring.

Are Landlines Obsolete?

Almost 25% of Americans now live in homes without a landline. And that figure doubles among young adults aged 25-29. While there is no hard cut-off date for landline termination, most will likely be retired in favor of more reliable, cost-effective, and flexible cellular communication.

What are the Benefits of Cellular Alarm Monitoring?

Cellular monitoring systems are easy to install without the need for drilling or rewiring in your home or business. As more people switched to cell phones as their primary source of communication, Cellular Monitoring became more relevant to the point where it’s now the standard for home security solutions.

Plus, with cellular alarm monitoring, you stay connected no matter what. Since it transmits on a separate, secure wireless network, your system remains in constant communication with the central station. Even when:

  • Power outages cut lines due to extreme weather
  • You change telephone service providers
  • Burglars cut your lines prior to an attempted break-in

Make the Most of Cellular Alarm Monitoring with Smart Home Upgrades

Like an amazing universal remote control, Smart Home automation from Boyd & Associates gives you the power to control not only your security system but all exterior door locks, interior and exterior lighting, as well as temperature control, from anywhere!

Upgrade today and turn your phone into a remote control for your home. With cellular monitoring and a smartphone, tablet, or computer with an internet connection, you have access to many additional features, such as:

  • Remote Arm & Disarm
  • Remote Lock & Unlock
  • Climate Control
  • Lighting Control
  • Live Streaming Video Surveillance
  • Real-Time Alerts

For More Security Tips and Solutions, Stick with Boyd & Associates

And if you’re looking for more ways to keep yourself and your family safe, check out our home security and automation services at Boyd & Associates. We offer a wide range of home security options to protect you and your family. If you’re ready to discuss our custom solutions, contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can help you prepare for what’s next.