From biweekly break-ins to zero incidents in 6 months
Insurance claim from a single security breach, criminals accessed the switchboard room, causing a 2-day power outage across the building.
cameras across ~10 buildings
per month for equivalent coverage
The Transformation
- Homeless encampments every 2 weeks
- 3am phone calls to facilities manager
- Guards walking routes, missing blind spots
- $250K incident from undetected break-in
- Would need 4-5 guards 24/7 for full coverage
- Zero encampments in 6+ months
- Facilities manager sleeps through the night
- Guards dispatched to verified threats only
- 120 cameras monitored 24/7 by AI
- Fraction of the cost of equivalent guard coverage
The Story
Alberts is Auckland's premier serviced office provider, flagship buildings in the CBD housing hundreds of tenants who trust them with their business operations. When criminals accessed a basement switchboard and caused a $250,000 incident, James Meyer knew sporadic guard patrols weren't cutting it.
"If we didn't have Watchful, we'd need 4 or 5 guards 24-7 to get full coverage. There's lots of blind spots in many of the buildings."
James Meyer
Facilities Manager, Alberts Property
Beyond break-ins, there was another persistent problem: homeless encampments appearing in building stairwells roughly every two weeks. For James, a new father, this meant 3am phone calls and difficult decisions in the middle of the night.
In May 2025, Alberts deployed Watchful across their entire portfolio. 120 cameras, ~10 buildings, one AI system watching everything 24/7.
The Result That Matters Most
The buildings that needed constant attention now run themselves through the night. Guards respond to real threats. Management sleeps.
How Security Actually Changed
Guards became responders, not watchers
Before: Guards walked routes and checked doors, whether something was happening or not. Now: They're dispatched to verified incidents with full context. "It's a completely different job now," James explains.
Blind spots eliminated
Every one of 120 cameras feeds into Watchful's AI. The system doesn't get tired, doesn't look away, and catches what human patrols would miss.
A leasing advantage
An unexpected benefit: prospective tenants now hear about 24/7 AI monitoring during tours, and they're impressed.
"When we mention we have 24/7 AI monitoring, their eyes light up. Tenants are trusting us with their business. This gives them real confidence."
"As a new dad, the last thing I need is calls at 3 in the morning. With Watchful, I know the buildings are being watched, the guards are responding to real issues, and I can actually sleep. That's worth everything."
— James Meyer, Facilities Manager
Want results like these?
15-minute call. We'll show you how Watchful works with your existing cameras, and what the ROI looks like for your properties.