CCTV and security installers: surveys, cable and AMCs

Products and customers

Security dealers sell and install CCTV cameras and recorders, video door phones, access control and biometric attendance, intrusion alarms, fire alarms, intercoms and, increasingly, smart home devices. Hardware comes from brand distributors on short credit. Cable, connectors, power supplies, racks and conduits come from electrical wholesalers.

Customers range from homes and shops to offices, schools, hospitals, housing societies, warehouses and factories. Small jobs are quoted and done in a day; larger ones are projects with a survey, drawings and phased work.

Housing societies and commercial sites

Housing societies, schools and commercial buildings are a growing share of the work. Decisions are made by a committee or a facilities manager, quotations are compared line by line, and the order often comes with a purchase order and payment after approval at the next meeting. These buyers care about recording days, night vision, coverage of entry points and who can view the footage. Present the quotation with a simple layout of camera positions, explain what each line covers, and offer an AMC option alongside. Once installed, a society or school becomes a long-term service customer, and its members are your next home and shop customers.

Survey, quote and change on site

A good quote starts with a site survey: camera positions, cable routes, recorder location, storage days needed, and power. The quotation should list hardware, cable by estimated length, accessories and installation as separate lines. On site, things change: an extra camera, a longer cable run, a different mount. Every change should be confirmed with the customer before work, or it will become a dispute at payment time.

See quotation best practices.

Material control

Technicians carry cable rolls, connectors and adaptors to site, and leftovers rarely come back to the shelf. Cable bought by the roll and billed by the metre needs reconciling: if 305 metres went out and 260 were billed, either 45 metres are in the van or they were used and not billed. Issue material against each job and record what returns. Our guide on job cards and service invoices shows a format.

Handover and payment

Customers often hold back the last part of the payment until everything works, including mobile viewing on their phones. Plan the handover: test every camera, set up the app, show the customer how to play back recordings, and get a signed handover note. Then raise the final invoice the same day. For larger jobs, agree milestones in the quotation, such as an advance with the order, part on material delivery and the balance on handover, and use a proforma invoice to request each stage.

Service and AMC

After handover, the calls begin: a camera offline, a hard disk full, a forgotten password. During warranty, hardware faults go to the brand, but the visit still costs the dealer time. After warranty, every visit should be billed or covered by an AMC. Offer an AMC that includes a fixed number of preventive visits and response times, and track renewals by month. See annual maintenance contracts.

Common service charges to list

• Visit charge for out-of-warranty calls.
• Camera shifting or adding a camera.
• Hard disk replacement and reinstallation.
• Reconfiguration after internet or router change.

GST points

Supply of equipment and installation services can be billed as separate supplies or as a single contract, and the GST treatment can differ; agree the approach with your accountant. Cameras, recorders, cables and services carry different HSN or SAC codes and rates, so check the current rate for each on the GST portal. This is general information, not tax advice.

Cashflow OS for security system businesses

Cashflow OS works with your TallyPrime books. Quotations and proforma invoices with your logo, bank and UPI details go out on WhatsApp and convert into a sales order or Tally invoice. Service jobs let you record installation or repair work, add cameras, cable and service charges, then close and invoice. Delivery challans cover material sent to site. Customer outstanding and ageing are on the phone. See service jobs.