As a property manager, staying up to date on the latest advances in security technology is just one of the many jobs you have.
Conduct a quick search and you’ll find that recent trends revolve around the ever-expanding IoT (Internet of Things), digital and IP video technology, and artificial intelligence (AI). But what does that all mean for you?
The bottom line: surveillance cameras and the software that’s integrated into them is improving at an exponential rate. In the coming years, those improvements will offer all types of property managers, including those in the apartment industry, incredible new tools to make their businesses run more efficiently.
To help you sift through the industry jargon, we’re breaking down the top three trends identified by ASmag.com, plus another trend that we’ve identified: cloud-based management.
AI Driving the Future of Camera Technology
“Artificial intelligence (AI) will continue to augment surveillance cameras — equipping them with digital brains to match their eyes and enabling systems to analyze live and recorded video in greater volumes, but with less human intervention.” — ASmag.com
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AI is no longer something you’d only expect to find in a sci-fi movie. Today, they’re finding their way into surveillance cameras that feature integrated analytics.
For apartment managers, one of the most powerful applications of AI is facial recognition and license plate recognition. These tools are ideal for access control for tenants and regular visitors, like delivery drivers. And, they’re incredibly effective at identifying unwanted or unknown people and vehicles on the property or in parking garages.
Cloud-Based Managed Access Control
Most apartment managers are familiar with the tedious task of manually inputting changes to card readers that provide access control. But, with the advent of cloud-based access control, that’s all changing.
Residents can now use their smartphone for authentication. When they are in range (about 3-15 feet away) the door will unlock automatically and save that user entry in the cloud for audit trails.
The other benefit is that cloud-based access control is usually more affordable than traditional systems. Why? Because it’s a subscription service with a set monthly price that’s much lower than the cost of calling tech support or a locksmith to your property every few days.
In the end, handing off the management of access control to a vendor/cloud system provides clarity on budget and less time spent maintaining the system.
Video Creating Data-Driven Solutions
Intelligent cameras aren’t just getting better at responding to things they see, they’re also becoming more effective at processing data. Features like heat mapping and people counting/tracking are already being used by retail store owners to maximize the potential of product display placement.
Those same tools also have implications for driving cost savings and business solutions for apartment managers.
Imagine if your cameras could automatically tell you exactly when and how many people used communal areas like pools, gyms, and laundry rooms. You could use that data to inform the hours of those areas, cutting down on operating costs without affecting tenant use.
Automation Making Huge Leaps
Imagine you arrive at your apartment complex after a long weekend to find that someone damaged the front door of the office. If you’re lucky, you’ve got a camera aimed at the entrance that captured footage of whatever happened. Even so, that means you’re about to spend hours manually combing through that footage.
Equipped with the latest automated data processing tools, today’s cameras can conduct that footage review in seconds. With features like Smart Search, you can scan video for specific people, license plates, or even clothing items automatically, so you don’t have to spend your days watching tape. Instead, you can find the incident, deal with it, and move on.
Data-processing automation, AI, and integrated analytics aren’t just hopeful tools for the future. They’re becoming the new standard in surveillance, along with powerful services like remote guarding.
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