Key Takeaways
- Fragmented video and access control systems are increasing operational complexity and slowing down incident response.
- Property teams with disconnected platforms lose up to 10 hours/month chasing support tickets and investigating events.
- The real financial impact of relying on physical guards to make up for poor system integration—costs you over $58,000 per property per year.
- Unifying video surveillance and access control systems into one platform reduces vendor headaches, cuts guard costs, and improves tenant satisfaction—without requiring new hardware or major installs.
Disjointed Security: What CRE Teams Are Actually Paying For
You think your security system works.
You have access control. You have video surveillance.
But they run on separate platforms, from different vendors, managed by different support teams.
And that separation?
It’s costing you—in time, money, and peace of mind.
Side-by-Side Comparison: Separate vs. Unified Security Systems
| Key Area | Separate Access and video Systems | Unified Access and Video Systems |
|---|---|---|
| Support Calls per Month | 2x more | Streamlined |
| Time to Investigate Incident | 30–60 mins | <10 Seconds |
| Annual Guard Spend (per property) | $58,000+ | Reduced or reallocated |
| Problem Troubleshooting | Finger-pointing between vendors | One accountable partner |
| System Visibility | detached, uncoordinated | Centralized, real-time |
| Vendor Management | 3+ points of contact | One trusted team |
| Resident/Tenant Satisfaction | Frequent complaints | Fewer issues, faster resolution |
Where the Hidden Costs Creep In
Time Lost by Property Teams
When an incident happens, your team shouldn’t need to toggle between dashboards, cross-reference logs, or wait on hold with a vendor. But that’s the norm with running separate security systems. According to a SecurityInfoWatch report, “fragmented security platforms lead to slower response times and critical blind spots.”
Operational Drag
Managing multiple vendors isn’t just annoying—it’s inefficient. Every support ticket, every missed alert, every minute spent trying to figure out who owns a problem adds up. When teams operate in silos, leadership loses visibility, and consistency across buildings falls apart.
Budget Bloat
Let’s be real: physical guards are a band-aid, not a strategy. At $58,000/year per guard (not including benefits, admin overhead, and turnover costs), you’re spending top dollar for inconsistent results. A single guard can only be in one place at a time—and even then, coverage can be unreliable.
Tenant and Investor Risk
When video footage can’t be easily tied to an access event, property teams are left scrambling. That lag in response—or failure to verify what happened—leads to tenant frustration and operational liability. Worse, inconsistent systems raise red flags for investors focused on ESG, compliance, and scalability.
The Advantage of Unified Systems
Here’s what happens when you unite video surveillance with access control:
Every Access Event is Verified by Video
Your team doesn’t guess. They see what happened, when, and who was involved—instantly.
Fewer Vendors, Faster Fixes
One support call. One team managing the entire security stack. No more finger-pointing.
Smarter Security Without a Rebuild
Most buildings already have the infrastructure. It’s not about ripping and replacing. It’s about integrating what’s already there—then making it smarter.
Lower Costs, Greater Coverage
You don’t need to double down on guard staff to get better visibility. When your systems are unified, technology works harder—so your team doesn’t have to.
Final Thought
Siloed systems don’t just make security harder.
They make it costlier, slower, and riskier.
The smart move? Unify video and access control for streamlined oversight, faster incident response, and better ROI.
See how unified security pays for itself—without a single rip-and-replace.
