Johannesburg, 04 May 2015
LC Sequ-door is a leading manufacturer and installer of high quality security doors, security windows and burglar-proofing, as well as aluminium doors and windows, based in Johannesburg, South Africa. The nature of the organisation's business means it covers a wide geographic region, and needs to have multiple teams at different locations at any given time.
This makes site management a challenging and time-consuming task, as the foreman needs to physically travel to each site to check up on the installation. In order to improve management, control and productivity, LC Sequ-door turned to Graphic Image Technologies (GIT), remote CCTV and control room technology specialist, to provide a remote surveillance solution. This solution enables the foreman to keep a close eye on all sites at all times, ensuring installations are completed in good time and are of the highest quality.
"Previously, management had to travel to sites frequently in order to ensure quality control and gain a first-hand view of exactly what was happening, as well as problem-solve should this be necessary. This was a costly and time-consuming exercise. We were looking for a solution that would enable us to view each site remotely without having to leave the office. GIT delivered the ideal solution - an onsite portable camera that is easy to set up, easy to use without requiring technical IT specialists, and can transmit live video feeds to the office and to our foreman on the road for real-time surveillance of each site," says Wayne Liebenberg, Managing Director of LC Sequ-door.
GIT provided LC Sequ-Door with a complete portable surveillance solution, featuring cameras and a SerVision Digital Video Recorder (DVR) unit that enables live feeds to be transmitted over mobile networks using minimal bandwidth. This ensures that even in areas without 3G coverage or slower connectivity such as EDGE, video can still be viewed and accessed via computer as well as tablets or smartphones, without the added expense of large data consumption.
A single unit was originally delivered to test the concept, and it was so effective that LC Sequ-door subsequently requested a further three units be manufactured. In order to ensure LC Sequ-door could leverage maximum value from the solutions, GIT also provided extensive training on the system for all users.
"The camera unit we designed for LC Sequ-door is an all-in-one solution that enables them to keep a close eye on their installation teams. They simply plug in the box and place it so that the cameras are pointing in the right direction. No technical expertise is required to set up or use the device, and management can now obtain a live view of the site. This assists with quality control as well as troubleshooting, as management can now obtain visual confirmation of problems and offer more effective solutions remotely. In addition, the foreman can view different sites remotely and prioritise visits according to need, for increased efficiency and cost-effectiveness," says Laurence Smith, Executive at GIT.
When problems occur on-site, management can propose the appropriate action to be taken, as both parties now can fully understand the site layout, with visual reference, and understand what each party is talking about. Massive cost savings can be realised by reducing travel time, as Internet connectivity is far more cost- and time-effective. To quantify this, any additional call-outs can add between 160km and 240km per trip, resulting in substantial fuel, maintenance, and wear-and-tear costs to vehicles. In addition, jobs are completed faster, as there is no need to return to site for call-backs, which improves efficiency and turnover. Other benefits of the remote video recording solution include the ability to take 'before and after' shots to show clients, improved customer service through reducing time taken to install, and problem-solving time-frames, improved efficiency and cost savings.
"Very few companies seem to have a reliable, portable video recording and streaming solution, and GIT met all our requirements. The user reaction to the system has been very positive, as managers no longer need to waste time traveling. In addition, we now have better control at our sites, as they are being continuously monitored even when management is not physically present," Liebenberg concludes.
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