A new independent study evaluates the financial and operational impact of using Milestone XProtect™ video management software (VMS). The findings indicate significant benefits for organizations through reduced investigation time, simplified administration, and optimized integration costs.
Milestone Systems announces the results of a new 2026 Total Economic Impact™ (TEI) study conducted by Forrester Consulting and commissioned by Milestone Systems, analyzing the business value of the open-platform XProtect VMS. The study highlights how a modern video management platform can contribute not only to stronger security, but also to improved day-to-day operations.
The Forrester analysis is based on interviews with decision-makers from organizations already using XProtect. Based on these insights, Forrester created a composite organization representative of a typical XProtect customer in order to estimate the financial and operational impact over a three-year period.
The analyzed composite organization has 2,500 employees, between 10 and 15 active XProtect users, operates 500 cameras, and generates annual revenue of $600 million. The model demonstrates a 133% return on investment over three years, alongside substantial reductions in the time required for investigations and evidence management.
Key findings of the study
Investigations and evidence management – 30–60% faster due to simplified workflows within a centralized open platform.
Operational efficiency – Improved administrative activities and daily processes for security teams.
Operational costs – Reductions driven by reuse of existing hardware and lower licensing and integration costs.
Three-year ROI – 133% return on investment for the composite organization analyzed by Forrester.
XProtect: From video security to operational intelligence
According to Milestone Systems, the study confirms that XProtect goes beyond the traditional role of video surveillance and becomes an enabler of operational intelligence powered by video data and advanced analytics capabilities. By reducing investigation times and delivering proven business value, the platform helps organizations strengthen security while transforming the way they operate.
The study includes concrete examples from current platform usage. In logistics, the time required to identify and track shipments was significantly reduced, while in one retail case, an organization was able to quickly resolve a high-value insurance incident, limiting the complexity and duration of the investigation process.
These findings demonstrate that modern VMS technology is no longer just a tool for video viewing and storage. When integrated into an open, scalable, analytics-ready platform, video becomes an operational asset that supports faster decision-making, clearer processes, and more efficient use of existing infrastructure.
