Justifying The Move To IP For Unbroken Systems?
Our cameras vary from less than a year old IP to more than 10 years old analog. Huge mix. I am looking to justify the move of the old analog to IP in a more than break fix manner.
NOTICE: This comment was moved from an existing discussion: Video Surveillance Infrastructure Life Cycle
Mr. Richardson,
In my own experience, one will NEVER be able to justify to the guys in the mid-levels in charge of finance to pay more for newest Megapixel IP Cameras if they have been able to "live with" the old analog cameras for several years. Comparing IP Megapixel -vs- Analog is comparing apples -vs- oranges, but the accounting guys don't care.
Having said that, I think there are some strategies to get the customer to switch to the newest technology:
1. Ask for permission to set up a FREE DEMO without charge: A basic PC with the VMS software installed, connect one or two Megapixel Cameras to a PoE switch and leave the system recording the potential customers premises and daily activities for 1 or 2 weeks. Save the video and send a complete report with screenshots directly to the General Manager or any of the members of the Board of Directors if it is a big enterprise.
2. The General Manager (or Company Owner if it is a family business) may find ways to approve and justify himself the purchase of Megapixel cameras after they see the quality and sharpness of the videos (the pressure will come from the top down to the mid-level finance people, rather than from the bottom up, as a manager I know use to say):
- The General Mger. can boast about his company having the latest in security to his weekend golf-playing friends and more importantly he may instruct his own marketing department to spread the news to the customers to gain even more customers using the "our-company-is-constantly-investing-for-your-own-benefit-and-security".
- Examples I've met:
1. A storage & logistics company may issue a press release informing that all their customers from now on will receive an extra value that their in transit goods are ultra-safe at the warehouse which is now protected with HD Megapixel cameras that are able to see clearly all the handling process. And this will lead to more customers wanting to use this warehouse's services.
2. The General Manager of a cash transporting company can boast that they have a competing edge in HIGH PERCENTAGE of missing or mis-reported currency amounts complaints solved SUCCESFULLY: because they are able to see clearly each of the stamps that identify the banking institution the stacks of money came from. And of course, also they can see clearly the faces of the employees handling the cash in pretty high resolution, not UGLY pixelated images like the analog cameras.
Hope this helps you with your case !!....
Not to add any more moving parts into the discussion, but I've upgraded several analog systems to IP by helping the customer to think through the primary cameras (important views where image quality is critical) and missing secondary views (nice-to-have cameras, but the first to get cut in a cost/benefit conversation).
Rather than assuming that the old-but-still-working cameras should either be preserved as Primary cameras or tossed, they can be re-located to cover secondary views where their old-fashioned resolution is still 'good enough' (warehouse exits, dumpsters, inside filing rooms or the server room, etc). New IP cameras can be installed to significantly upgrade the image quality of the Primary views once covered by cameras that were once, long ago 'state of the art'.
This conversation gives the customer a prudent way to improve security quality AND coverage, instead of just the same number of better pictures and the off-setting concern about not getting the very last frame out of a fully-depreciated investment. The expansion requires an investment in an encoder or two, and sometimes that conversation goes full 'round to the point that using analogs as secondary cameras are dropped in favor of changing to new IP cameras throughout sooner instead of later.
When relocating the analog, I use Category cabling (with inexpensive video baluns and power pigtails to support the old cameras temporarily), so that that the new location is IP-ready and waiting for the day the old cameras finally expire. For the new IP cameras that replace the current analog, most of the time the locations can be re-cabled at a lower cost than employing Ethernet-over-coax converters.
Measure the Risk for each camera in a honest manner. What would the consequences be with the old analog cameras? Is it worth the risk?
AS already stated, having upper management able to compare megapixel vs analog technology in the same high-risk setting onsite does wonders to change opinion.
As also stated, pressure must come from the top down!
If this doesn't do it for you, they are wasting you're time! Move on to the next one. They'll call you back when they are ready.
To be fair I will share some more info about our CCTV needs. I run a system that is on a state university campus in a major metropolitian area. 4 years ago it was somewhat consolidated under a single VMS and that is owned/monitored by our Public Safety Department.
I am not selling to customers other than areas within our campus. I am just trying to deal with a money person that understands things in "refresh cycles" and not in a technology benefit vs cost kind of way. I like the "temp set up and show them" idea and may us that for bring on board other departments and schools here but I need to get a handle on a reasonable replacement cycle other than "Break/Fix".
I have been able to get all parties to agree that broken cameras are to be updated to IP. But in order to get budgeting for large upgrades I need to have some measure of documentation to back up my purposed refresh recommendations.
thanks for all the input.
CCTV System Return on Investment Calculator Example:
If:
- Gross Annual Sales: $3,000,000
- Net Profit Margin: 15%
- Security Investment: $50,000
- % of Crime you can prevent: 95%
Then:
- Your Bottom Line: $450,000
- Your Estimated Annual Loss: $67,200
- % of Bottom Line: 14.93%
- Annual savings from investment: $63,840
- Months to repayment: 9.4
- Return on investment: 128% (assumes no business growth)
- Net Profit: $28,840 (after security investment & loss prevention)
* Based on our experience and customer feedback, it is safe to assume that 25% of retail loss can be prevented by the typical video security system. Please enter a number that feels comfortable to you.
Gentlemen:
The transition from Analog to IP is broad; so far only improved video is being discussed. IP brings something else to the table which does increase the RIO; remote access. Choosing the right camera for the job is very important to provide quality video and adequate coverage, but selecting a camera that you can log into and adjust focus, brightness and program multiple views from the same camera is priceless. With the exception of the camera being physically damaged there is very little that can’t be accomplished from an office. The savings from serviceability should be part of the selling point to management.
Donna
That is a selling point, but it is lined with puffery and upper management will sniff that out. That selling point is from Marketing and has been around since the beginning years of IP cameras.
This person needs to sell to upper management, not just give them a common brochure or flyer.
Does upper management really care what an analog camera picture looks like compared to an IP camera? The answer is no. They care about a job being done properly and managed budgets. They need to see measurements and the correct value as associated with that measurement.
Would upper management approve 350 new license updates for 2014 MS Excel from MS 2008 Excel? Would you hand them 2 brochures? Or go in there comparing them side by side to upper management? The answer is no, upper management knows it is your job for the vetting process. They would want to see what you concluded after rigorous research.
Seriously it cost the transit authority much more than this if a camera is on the right-of-way because the tracks need to be shut down during service. This involves multiple departments and planning whichs drives the cost of repair. The ability to trouble shoot a camera prior to dispatching a technician helps manage manpower. Many times the problem can be totally resolved saving the cost of the dispatched service personel.
I think we are derailing on the topic here. So far I am gathering that there is no industry standard for the life cycle of any camera other than the manufactures statements( which we all know are accurate...wink wink). I can come up with a reasonable time frame for replacement on my own but wanted a document or report to back it up.
Thanks for the effort all.
Those analog cameras, that you stated are 10+ years old, should be labeled as "Sunset", which you have basically done already. Yet if they are still working, then they are still part of the life cycle. When they die and are labled as "Sunset", then "Sunrise" would replace that model.
In my opinion, the only way to convince a purchaser to replace all analog cameras, that are still active, is to come up with other ways, like service dollars, picture quality, and risk (Above comments). Those cameras are over 10 years old. The predictable life cycle for them is long over. They could go anytime or be like the Mars Rover.
tell them that video analytics can be used to send an instant alarm when there's an event, instead of paying security guards/contractors for (not) monitoring the cameras 7/24.
Newest Discussions
Discussion | Posts | Latest |
---|---|---|
Started by
Undisclosed Integrator #1
|
3
|
less than a minute by Jeffrey Hinckley |
Started by
Undisclosed Integrator #1
|
9
|
less than a minute by Undisclosed #2 |
Started by
Stephen Green
|
13
|
4 minutes by Undisclosed #4 |
I Want To Add An Area Crowd Alert Analytics To A Hikvision End To End System. Whats The Best Way?
(1)
Started by
David Matyas
|
1
|
less than a minute by David Matyas |
Started by
Virgil Reed
|
2
|
24 minutes by Michael Miller |