What Customizing Your Security Protocols Can Do For You

As security technology becomes more advanced, so do the options for customizing your security protocols. A security protocol tells your security or alarm company what to do in the event of an alarm. And customizing security protocols can help your business stay secure by focusing on the preferences that matter most —and work best— for you. 

However, customization can be confusing and daunting when you’re not sure what can be customized and how. With that in mind, The Bulletin spoke to two experts for insights on security customization at Bay Alarm—and which security features customers can customize. 

Customizing alarm security protocols

For security providers, responding to an alarm is a series of quick, precise actions. 

Rochelle Harris, a Monitoring Manager at Bay Alarm, describes a standard protocol when a high-level alarm is triggered. “Our objective is to handle each signal expeditiously while also focusing on mitigating false calls and signal traffic to both the customers and the authorities. Triaging signals is essential, as it helps to direct our dispatchers and determine what level of security each customer and signal require.”

But can businesses customize how Bay Alarm responds to their alarm?

“Yes, customization is definitely allowed. We understand that not all procedures apply to every customer. There are unique situations that require nonstandard protocols. Customization allows the customer to set up the system in a way that is conducive to their particular system. Local ordinance requirements may impact some of the customizations, but we always strive to create viable solutions that work for everyone.”

At Bay Alarm, “customers can customize who we notify, when, and how. It can be based on specific days of the week, hours of the day, or specific alarm zones. And we can communicate via call, text, or email.”  

While some customers choose to get a communication after every security incident, others only want to know if the police are called. It all depends on the business and the preferences of the people on the emergency notification list. 

Here are a few examples of how customization might work at different businesses: 

• A large car dealership might want stricter protocols at night when the inventory is most at-risk or during the summer season when crime rises. 
• Educational facilities can craft a security plan around their semester and holiday schedule, knowing when the majority of students will be on campus and where they’ll be. 
• A manufacturing company that receives valuable deliveries on a Wednesday can ensure any triggered alarm on that day is treated as a higher priority. 

Bay Alarm customers can create custom responses for the following service options: burglar alarms, live video monitoring, alarm video verification, and event-based video monitoring. 

Rochelle is quick to make a final point that not all customization options can work. “Each jurisdiction has its own set of standards, protocols, ordinances, and other requirements. We are always held to those and cannot supersede what has been set forth by those agencies.”  

Personalizing Live Video Monitoring to your needs

Live video monitoring (LVM) is designed to prevent break-ins and crime by combining AI technology with live monitoring experts. It’s already a high-level system, and customizing it can make it even more effective.  

We asked Ryan Haley, LVM Product Manager, about the benefits of customizing LVM at a business.

With each system, Bay Alarm creates a custom virtual fence around hard-to-protect areas on each customer’s property. “So, you’re already getting a custom system from the start with LVM. The virtual fence reduces false alarms, because we’re designing it to monitor the areas you want to monitor. When an alarm is in one of those areas, our monitoring center will handle the alarm and notify you based on your established preference.”

What is one way a business can tailor the system to their needs?

In addition to customizing who Bay Alarm calls and when during or after a security incident, “We allow customers to arm and disarm our service with a phone app. They can activate and deactivate their system at all hours of the day on their own schedule, so they have control over when we are monitoring their property and when we aren’t.” 

And once the system has been set up, the customer can watch it work and make any adjustments as needed. “We typically test the system alongside the customer so they can see it in action. After that, we’re happy to make updates if the system needs to be tweaked or if they want to add people or change how we notify them of security incidents. We typically find that as customers have the system for longer, they trust us more and want fewer non-essential updates.”

Make sure you aren’t wasting opportunities to improve your security operation. Look into ways you can customize your security protocols today because the closer your security matches your needs, the stronger it performs. 

Contact Bay Alarm for more information about adding or tailoring security to your business.