Key points
- Check recording, not just the live picture
- Response times should be written into the contract
- Know exactly which parts are included
- Ask for a short report after every visit
Preventive visits
Monthly, quarterly or half-yearly, depending on site size and conditions. Each visit should have a checklist, not just a look at the monitor.
Recording and retention checks
For every channel, the engineer should confirm the camera is recording and check how many days of footage are actually stored. This is the single most important check.
Hard disk health
Disks wear out. A good AMC checks disk health and errors so a failing disk is replaced before footage is lost.
Image quality
Lens cleaning, focus, night performance and cameras knocked out of position by wind, monkeys or maintenance work.
Time, firmware and passwords
Correct recorder time makes footage usable as evidence. Firmware updates close security holes. Default passwords should be changed and admin access kept by you.
Power and network
UPS batteries, PoE switches and outdoor connectors, which are the usual cause of monsoon failures.
Response times in writing
How quickly the vendor responds to a fault, and how quickly it is fixed, should be in the contract, with a single number to call.
Parts: included or extra?
Some AMCs include parts up to a value; others cover labour only. Neither is wrong, as long as the contract states which.
Systems someone else installed
A vendor can take over a system it did not install, but should audit it first, so both sides agree what is working and what needs repair before the AMC starts.
A short report after each visit
What was checked, what was found, what was fixed and what needs a decision. For an RWA or facility team, this is what makes an AMC accountable.
See our CCTV AMC service, or ask for an audit of your existing system.
