Well, I couldn’t quite believe what was before me? Another reason to involve an independent consultant.

I sat in a meeting with a shopping centre manager, the CCTV installer and the Shopping Centre overseer. The CCTV system had been designed and prices approved. We had all met prior to instruction to formulate a detailed instruction brief that listed all equipment including type of cameras and reference numbers. the prices had been checked and everyone was happy to proceed.

Following a lack of communication (I’ve been here before) and no response from the CCTV installer to emails requesting an update, and as the CCTV installation was dragging on, I called a meeting, and here we sat.

Now listen and be afraid, this is all too common. The installer sat with no guilt at all as we learnt that he had taken it upon himself to install a different brand of camera to the Sony camera specified. Oh, and yes, the alternative brand saved him..not the site.. about £300 per camera. 14 cameras were instructed!

Why? Well, said the installer, we thought the alternative cameras would work better?

Note, they didn’t investigate this, but casually took the instruction, fully aware they had no intention of installing the specified cameras?

Forgive me for being cynical, but it does seem convenient that the alternative cameras were cheaper. And you would expect some form of communication to explain a decision like this.

The relief was that although the shopping centre manager had wanted to pay the installer a few weeks before, I had put a stop on this.

So what happened? Well, we had to play hard ball to get the action we wanted. We had to threaten the CCTV installer that we would insist he removed all the cameras and replace with the instructed Sony cameras.

The CCTV Installer wanted to consider this? What? Beggars belief? So by the end of the week he will come forward with a proposal.

So what would have happened if an independent security consulant had not been involved? I think the CCTV Installer would have got away with it.

This scenario is all too common, if you need help call me on 07711 123321 or email tony@lloydassetprotection.com