Milestone study shows video software boosts efficiency

Milestone Systems has published research on the business impact of its XProtect video management software, indicating that organisations are using video systems beyond traditional security functions.

Research by Forrester Consulting found that platform users reduced security investigation times by 60 per cent and improved productivity by 30 per cent through workflow changes and operational efficiencies.

The study modelled a representative organisation with 2,500 employees, 10 to 15 active users and about 500 cameras. In that scenario, the software delivered a 133 per cent return on investment over three years, with the initial outlay recovered within six months.

The findings point to a broader shift in how organisations use video management systems. Rather than limiting them to surveillance and incident review, businesses and public sector bodies are applying video data to operational decision-making, asset management and situational awareness across multiple departments.

That change reflects a wider convergence of physical security systems, data analytics and artificial intelligence. As organisations collect larger volumes of visual data, they are looking for ways to use it in routine operations as well as security functions.

The research also suggests that centralising video operations on a single platform can reduce complexity and lower administrative overheads. Staff may spend less time managing separate systems and more time responding to incidents or reviewing operationally relevant information.

Broader use

In Australia, the findings come as organisations face pressure to improve efficiency while maintaining security and compliance standards. Video infrastructure, once treated mainly as a cost tied to safety and monitoring, is increasingly being assessed as a source of operational insight.

Several sectors are already using video tools in this way. Local government, transport, education and critical infrastructure operators use video systems to help manage traffic flows, allocate resources, monitor facilities and support public safety.

The study does not suggest that every organisation will see identical returns, but its representative model offers a benchmark for businesses considering how existing camera networks might be used more broadly. The value case rests not only on reducing incident response times, but also on using the same infrastructure across more parts of an organisation.

Martin Skovbo Larsen, Chief Marketing Officer at Milestone Systems, said organisations are rethinking what video systems can do. "Video technology has evolved beyond traditional surveillance applications. Organisations are now using video data to improve operational efficiency, strengthen decision-making and create new opportunities for innovation," Larsen said.

Investment case

The figures are likely to be closely read by technology buyers trying to justify spending on software layered over existing camera estates. In many organisations, security spending has traditionally been separated from broader technology investment, making it harder to frame video platforms as tools with wider business value.

By quantifying time savings, productivity gains and payback periods, the research adds to a growing body of evidence that physical security technology is being evaluated through the same lens as other operational software. That includes scrutiny of return on investment, user adoption and the extent to which systems can support more than one function.

For suppliers in the sector, the message is that the commercial case for video management software now depends on more than security alone. Buyers increasingly want proof that systems can support daily operations, simplify administration and make better use of data already being collected by cameras.

The study's representative organisation achieved payback within six months and a 133 per cent return over three years.