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TVMS secures The Pavillion Shopping Centre

Just 5 minutes from Durban on the N3, with an average of 1,8 million visitors each month and turnover in excess of R2,3 billion, The Pavilion is one of the premier shopping and entertainment destinations in the KwaZulu-Natal province.

The Pavilion Shopping Centre, owned by Pareto, has a wide choice and exclusive selections. With more than 230 shops including 14 jewellery outlets and over 40 restaurants, an amusement area, skate park and 12 cinemas there is lots to keep shoppers busy. With fun, food and fashion in mind, The Pavilion constantly keeps abreast of retail and consumer trends, introduces innovative facilities in and around the centre for the enjoyment of its customers and tenants. The centre’s management maintains a strong focus on service excellence.

The Pavilion has an ingrained culture of professionalism and a tradition of integrity which ensures the centre’s staff all act responsibly to all stakeholders, including customers, suppliers, employees, shareholders and the community. In order to offer this premier service, it is compelled to make sure every visit is safe and secure. Security is therefore a priority.

Upgrading security

Recently, a decision was taken to upgrade the centre’s security technology within the shopping centre as a result of continually malfunctioning and outdated equipment, as well as the ever increasing vandalism and risk of armed robberies and car theft.

The Pavilion first established a design team that consisted of ADI International, Axis Communications and its own management team in order to clearly outline the required safety and security concerns, shortfalls and risks. The security plan included coherent objectives and established wish lists that enabled a comprehensive system design to be married to it in order to obtain the desired result.

Of all the criteria, it was established that the most important one was that the solutions selected should work on one common backbone, be open platform for easy integration of third party systems and limit the risk of technology redundancy. As a result the following technology was chosen.

Network

* A high-speed redundant fibre-optic 2-gigabit backbone.

* Managed switches.

* Power of Ethernet (POE) infrastructure to incorporate all edge devices, both access control controllers, readers and video surveillance cameras.

Video surveillance

* 121 Axis IP video surveillance cameras.

* Milestone video surveillance software.

* Three servers, five workstations.

* Viewing in two control rooms.

* Impro IXP 220 IP access control system.

* One server, one take on station.

* 42 door controllers.

* 84 readers.

The systems are seamlessly integrated for easy video verification and identification of access events. The design was translated into a formal tender in which the suppliers recommended a number of certified system integrators who were invited to submit their bids. The tenders were evaluated on:

1. Service delivery to other clients,

2. Industry experience, ability to provide details on experience in retail,

3. BBBEE with the most recent accredited BEE certificate,

4. IP video surveillance and IP access control experience,

5. Overall costs, and

6. Value adds.

TVMS gets the nod

As a result of its complete offering and meeting the criteria above, the centre chose TVMS as its preferred supplier and integrator of the new security technology solution and to provide a maintenance service going forward.

According to Shaun Ackerman, The Pavilion’s operations manager, in addition to the above criteria and the successful deployment of the technology, TVMS displayed:

* A focus on the value adds, including enabling the Pavilion to obtain better equipment warranties (ie, three years).

* The use of a TVMS quality assurance program (Security Technology Standards Program: STSP).

* Its quality and expertise in large installations.

* Honesty and its openness to involve The Pavilion in the discussion of solutions with its key suppliers.

* Its credible relationship with world-class service providers, thus limiting the risk to the Pareto business.

* Good quality people.

* Innovation and willingness to always keep management abreast of leading technology with free upgrades and free POCs.

* World-class after sales service.

* Competitiveness.

Ackerman reports the centre is “completely satisfied with the solutions deployed and would therefore not hesitate to recommend TVMS to any organisation seeking the same results we have received.”

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