How User-Assisted Security Can Reduce False Alarms

The advent of home automation products, especially security-focused ones like smart locks, door sensors, and surveillance cameras, has given consumers a different outlook on their personal involvement with their home security. With access to these devices right at their fingertips on their mobile phone, they receive notification when a device is triggered or its status changes. This new availability of information gives homeowners the opportunity to decide for themselves if law enforcement needs to be summoned to an alarm event.

While this type of user-assisted security has been popularly associated with the rise of home automation, it has a place in professionally monitored security as well. After all, for a consumer who has been burdened with false alarm issues, and likely, false alarm fees in the past, the option to see their home surveillance cameras and make an informed decision about whether to alert their monitoring center can be an appealing one.

Bold Technologies saw how the user-assisted security trend benefited both consumers and security dealers by reducing false alarms, but we wanted to take the technology further and make it even easier for the homeowner to determine the validity of an alarm. We created Bold NotifyMe, a mobile app which gives consumers more choices in their security management without compromising the safety of having a monitored system.

The functionality is simple – when an alarm occurs, Bold NotifyMe alerts all of the registered users on the account and opens up a messaging board for them to communicate with each other and check surveillance cameras. Concurrently, a timer begins counting down, concluding with the alarm being sent to the monitoring center for response. If the users determine the alarm to be false, they can cancel it and remove it from the monitoring center queue right through the app. If they want more time to investigate, they can reset the timer. But if the alarm is determined to be valid, they can verify it immediately so the central station can send authorities. Should no user be available to investigate the alarm occurrence, the monitoring center will be notified at the conclusion of the first countdown.

Bold NotifyMe was developed to support the rising popularity of home automation and consumers’ growing desire to monitor their homes. It also addresses ongoing efforts to reduce false alarms, while still offering all the benefits of professionally monitored security.