CAMPBELL RIVER – Marc Blanchard and his team care about the same things as their clients: homes, businesses, treasures, and overall safety. Over the past decade, this Campbell River security company has consistently demonstrated their “We Care” attitude.
It started with a favour for a friend. Marc was working in the computer field when a client asked him to fix an in-home video surveillance system. It had stopped working and the company who originally installed it had vanished.
Marc had never worked with video surveillance but the system was based on a computer network, so he did his best and was able to repair the system. He recognized the community needed that skill. “There was a vacuum for this kind of service work and it was something that mattered. I wanted to help people in a more meaningful way.”
He saw the security systems as important tools that protected the assets that people cared about. He established Blanchard Security in 2008, choosing “We Care” as the company’s primary value.
That led into the second key value: “We Know”. To make that statement, Marc and his team became experts in video surveillance. “All we did was live and breathe surveillance cameras. We learned about video analytics, lenses, exposure settings, infra red night vision, PTZ controls and more.”
Any video surveillance system is only as good as the image it produces, so Blanchard Security tweaks every installation for optimum image clarity. “We’ve all seen the ‘have-you-seen-this-person images from video systems that are so fuzzy that all you can tell is whether the person is male or female, the height, and hair colour – and that’s it. I could never feel good about installing something that ineffective for a client.
“Part of what we do is reveal the truth.”
Although the company’s initial expertise was in video surveillance, Marc notes the required solution isn’t always video surveillance. Security can be provided many ways: basic alarm systems, neighbourhood awareness, and even a dog.
When a client walks in and asks for video surveillance, Marc takes time to ensure that is the best solution for that person. Sometimes, a simple alarm system is a better and more affordable fit.
The final phrase in Blanchard Security’s mission statement is “We Deliver.” To honour that commitment, Blanchard Security expanded its services to include security guards.
Humans can do some tasks better than digital watchers. Security patrols watch businesses and neighbourhoods at night and security guards keep people honest in retail stores.
With the addition of security guards and extra monitoring contracts, the company’s office has grown to 2300 square feet from 600 square feet. Blanchard Security employs 14 people and serves more than 600 clients.
