These days, setting up a high quality bar surveillance system is incredibly simple and very affordable. There are complete kits that allow you to position cameras throughout your bar or nightclub discreetly. Best of al, most of them are completely wireless so you won’t need to run wires or cables throughout your venue. We would all love to live in a world where using video surveillance equipment wasn’t necessary. Unfortunately, there are so many reasons that it’s a good idea; particularly if you are in the bar or nightclub business. If you aren’t already convinced that setting up cameras in your bar is the right idea, here are the four most important reasons that you should.
Employee Theft
Whether you’ve already noticed money or liquor missing or you just want to keep your employees honest, a bar surveillance system will help to deter and catch criminals in your business. Your bartenders and servers will immediately notice that there’s a camera pointed directly at their tills. That will make them think twice before pocketing cash when nobody is looking. If one of your employees is still daring enough to steal even when they’re on camera, you’ll have all the evidence you need. That’s helpful when it comes time to terminate them or get the authorities involved.
Walk Outs
One of the worst pitfalls of running a bar is having customers walk out on their check without paying. Typically, a perpetrator will wait for a distraction such as bottle service being delivered with a sparkler attached. Additionally, the bar and nightclub industry is particularly susceptible to walk outs. That’s because people are drinking. Many either can’t afford their tab or just plain forget to settle up with the bartender. Proper video surveillance setup at your bar and at your entrances/exits combats this. You can quickly determine which customers are walking out on their tabs so you can put them on the blacklist.
Vandalism
Whether it’s in your bathroom stalls or on the front of your building, cameras can help you catch perpetrators of vandalism. Obviously, you can’t put cameras inside your bathroom stalls; but having plenty of cameras throughout the bar area is crucial. Don’t forget to monitor your storage areas and back entrances! Anywhere it’s private and quiet is an ideal place for vandalism to occur. Combine that with a proper walk-through by your staff at the end of the night. By doing this, it can easily help you figure out who the culprits are. Best of all, you can then hold them accountable.
Legal Protection Via a Bar Surveillance System
Whether somebody robs your bartender or your bouncers get into a nasty scuffle, having video footage of the events that transpire inside your bar can really come in handy for legal proceedings. All it takes is a few seconds of footage to clear one of your employees if they are wrongfully accused of something, or it can help you settle an insurance claim if you are the victim of a robbery or theft.
Installing the right bar surveillance system can be a tempting job to put on the back-burner. However, it’s really important if you want to have a safe and secure business environment. Perhaps you want to prevent employee theft or protect yourself from legal issues. Either way, having video documentation of what happens inside your bar or nightclub is always a valuable commodity.
