Live Surveillance vs. Alarm Systems: Multifamily Properties

Examining Major Factors

How do traditional alarm systems fare against smart surveillance from Deep Sentinel? Let’s investigate each of these categories.

Engagement

Alarm monitoring companies have done some great marketing over the years. And, as a result, many property owners have a wildly inaccurate impression of how the service works. If ads are to be believed, the system sends an alert to a monitoring center, prompting an agent to jump in and save the day. But that’s not quite right, is it? In reality, monitoring center reps can’t see or hear what’s happening at your apartment complex, nor can they do anything about the situation besides calling you to get more information.

In contrast, Deep Sentinel guards actively engage with suspicious characters as soon as they set foot on your property after hours. They can speak with the suspect, clarify identity and intent, de-escalate dangerous situations, and verify any crimes instantly. Deep Sentinel delivers the experience of a dedicated team of security guards–a promise that ADT and its peers can’t live up to.

Management

Multifamily property managers already have a lot on their plates. The last thing they need is to be worried about handling security issues, too.

On the surface, traditional alarm systems seem hands-off. After all, that’s what you’re theoretically paying for: someone else watching your complex. But the monitoring center can’t verify what’s happening (if anything) when an alert goes off. Because they don’t want to call the police if nothing is actually wrong, the standard protocol is to call the property owner… every single time. Multiple times, if you don’t pick up right away. It’s your responsibility to visually verify threats or crimes before the monitoring center will take action.

At Deep Sentinel, our objective is to ensure that security never becomes a burden on your time. While you are free to monitor camera feeds and respond to incidents yourself, our guard team is ready to intervene on your behalf. In addition, the system’s AI filters out non-threats, guaranteeing that you won’t have to deal with a slew of irrelevant notifications. This is the epitome of hands-off security, implemented correctly.

Speed

Response time is another area where alarm systems fall short. The process of getting help simply involves too many time-consuming steps. Let’s say an intruder trips an alarm. First, the system typically gives a “grace period” for someone to disarm or override the system in case it was an accident. After this delay, it typically takes another 5-30 seconds for the system to notify the monitoring center. Add in the time to call the property owner before contacting the police, and it’s easy to see why the intruder is almost sure to commit the crime and get away.

Deep Sentinel’s response time is faster than any other security system on the market. Let’s look at the same scenario. The instant an intruder sets foot on your property, the Deep Sentinel system starts analyzing footage. The guards receive a notification immediately and spring into action, intervening in less than 10 seconds without needing to call you first. If needed, they reach out to your local police within 30 seconds of the intruder’s appearance. Because the guards verify the crime and provide real-time details, law enforcement agencies make these calls a high priority.

Accuracy

If traditional alarm systems are famous for anything, it’s how frequently they churn out false alarms. Your system might go off for any number of reasons: faulty installation, low batteries, an obstructed sensor, a tenant’s pet, wiggly doors, or (very rarely) an actual criminal. In fact, up to 98% of alarm calls are false alarms. At that rate, you’ll spend a lot of time and money dealing with nonsense alerts. And you might not notice when a real threat appears.

By combining smart technology and human verification, Deep Sentinel has eliminated false alarms for good. Artificial intelligence combs through each frame of footage to identify potential threats. Then, a skilled human guard evaluates the situation and takes action appropriately. This unique synergy makes annoying junk notifications an issue of the past and sets Deep Sentinel apart as the most reliable apartment security system around.

Effectiveness

How effective is your security solution at stopping crime? This answer is a combination of all of the above factors.
Can an alarm system from a company like ADT stop crime? Not really. What it can do is report a break-in after it happens. That’s better than nothing, but “better than nothing” isn’t all that good. Try telling your tenants that you installed a security system that’s “better than nothing” and see how it goes over.

A smart surveillance system like you’ll get from Deep Sentinel actively prevents crime at your property line. A criminal might not even reach your front doors before the guards step in and activate the system’s blaring sirens. There’s a huge difference between crime prevention and crime reaction–and Deep Sentinel puts you on the right side of that divide. That’s peace of mind you can easily pass along to current and prospective tenants.

Terms

Now for a consideration that’s more about your business needs than your tenants’ happiness: service contracts.
The standard contract length across the security industry is a three-year service agreement. And most providers will slam you with heavy penalties for early termination. Once you’ve signed on the dotted line, you’re locked in for three long years, even if the system doesn’t provide the security you were hoping for.

Because we’re sure you’ll love Deep Sentinel’s award-winning service, the agreement is for just one year. (As you’ve probably guessed, nearly every property owner sticks with the service for much longer.) And if you have any lingering doubts, you can try Deep Sentinel at your multifamily property for 30 days risk-free.

Better Security for Multifamily Properties: Deep Sentinel

Between frequent false alarms, hands-on involvement, restrictive contracts, and slow response times, alarm systems like ADT don’t deliver the stress-free security that they promise. As a property manager, you need something better. (And your tenants deserve something better, too.)

Secure your multifamily residential property with Deep Sentinel, the fastest and most accurate apartment security system on the market. Call 833.983.6006 for your free security consultation.