December 5, 2015
The hustle and bustle of the Summer holiday season is the time of year that most retail and service business owners look forward to. Unfortunately, all this shopper activity brings with it an unwelcome side effect: the increased likelihood that unscrupulous individuals will target your business for their gain. You will find small business security need not be exhaustive or expensive. Listed below are some of the more common ways in which businesses find themselves vulnerable over this time along with precautions to take you through the silly season without incident.
Burglaries After Hours
A number of small business owners close their doors and enjoy a well-deserved break between the Christmas and New Year period. Just as your customer base realise your absence, so do criminals who see this as a window of opportunity to plan a robbery without the occurrence being made apparent until they are well and truly in the clear. Prior to your departure, test your security system to ensure it works properly. Systems have shelf lives and need maintenance to function accurately. If you have any doubts at all over the reliability of your security systems, contact a security company immediately to provide an assessment for you. A malfunctioning security system really is an expensive hassle that can be easily avoided. If you do not have a high-tech security system in your corner, consider letting your neighbouring businesses know that you are going to be away and ask them kindly to keep an eye open for any suspicious activity. Local businesses should be supportive of each other in this regard as successful burglaries raise the risk for all business owners in the vicinity. Therefore, if you are similarly approached, do your neighbour a favour, even if they are your competitor.
Obviously you cannot be at your site all day every day to keep watch on goings on and this is one of the leading reasons why many business owners include security cameras among their resources to combat burglary. Reviewing camera footage can be a tedious and time consuming task, particularly with all the administrative duties that owing your own business involves. Consider involving a security company to comprehensively audit your data in cases when you need to know the answers behind security breaches. Preventing burglaries is something most shop owners would prefer given the potential aftermath of a break-in. A quality alarm system is highly recommended as a preventative measure for every business. That being said, not every business has the same layout, entry-points and vulnerabilities. Therefore, consultation with a reputable security company to customise the alarm system that meets your specific needs is an ideal solution to arm your business with an alarm. With camera and alarm systems in place you are moving in a very positive way to reducing the risk of burglary. Yet, we have only scratched the surface of what is currently available to support your business in minimising loss due to theft and burglary. Indeed, recommended security for small businesses begins with a basic CCTV system but can be extended to include a range of products and services including alarm monitoring, entry sensors, guard lock-up and patrols. These technologies are improving all the time, for more in-depth information about the what is available to safeguard your asset click here.
Shoplifting
Not all burglaries occur when your store is locked up, under the cover of darkness or while you are taking holidays. Although shoplifters are a constant threat, they are most prevalent during the busy times when the increased amount of activity in store gives them chances to pocket goods while you are your staff are preoccupied with customers. Be aware of thieves who work in teams providing a distraction and swiping your stock. One way to diminish the risk to employ security officers either uniformed or better yet, in plain clothes, to keep a watchful eye over your merchandise during peak shopping times. Posting static guards at your shop are wonderful resource for ensuring only legitimate sales leave your site. Come cash-up time, a guard escort service will provide a robust means of delivering and moving stock or valuables.
During opening hours, make sure your employees to greet and make eye-contact with everyone who enters your shop. As above, invest in a quality CCTV system to protect your assets this is simply because your eyes cannot be everywhere at once. A mention about a shop hold-up is necessary here because thankfully, although such a frightening event does not regularly occur, when they do, the damage extends well beyond financial loss. An employer who considers the threat of menacing confrontations and arms their employees with information on how to protect themselves in such cases, is responsible and commendable. There are training courses available that give your staff and yourself the confidence to manage an incident of this nature.
Identity theft and fraud
Not only do you need to be vigilant about protecting your business and employees, but your customers as well. Identity theft is a growing issue that unfortunately more and more businesses are encountering with damaging consequences. The increased number of financial transactions that take place during the holiday season makes it an ideal time for frauds trying to steal your customer’s personal information. If you happen to store sensitive data about your customers then make sure that this information in encrypted on a password-protected computer and do not keep hard copies in your office.
If, like many businesses, you hire extra assistance over the holidays, ensure they come with solid references. The truth is, many potential thieves who steal from under your nose or procure sensitive information are not hackers working remotely to break into systems, but are people working within businesses themselves. To mitigate this risk make sure only you and your most trusted employees have access to confidential information. Also be mindful of changing your passwords and keeping digital back-ups in a secure off-site location. For advice on how to protect data, installing safes and securing crucial records within your business, talk to one of our security consultants.
Charity Cheats
Wizened criminals realise that some small businesses enjoy giving back during the holiday season and may travel on foot soliciting donations around your district. While they proclaim to represent a legitimate charity, any given gifts go nowhere near anyone in need. Rather than making an immediate donation, it is prudent to request the charity representative to leave a brochure with you. Almost all authentic charities have printed material describing their venture which they can leave with potential donors. A further idea is to have a look at the charity’s credentials before signing up for donation pledges.
These safety measures are not to imply that you should become a hardened scrooge during the holidays but rather have a handful of measures in place so that your business can flourish while you, your customers and staff enjoy a peaceful and happy holiday. It is worth mentioning as well that while many of the small business security suggestions we have provided help diminish threats from criminal activity, other less intentional risks to your business are present where you do not have a working smoke alarm. Have yours installed and maintained by someone in the know and have evacuation procedures in place during civil emergencies. For concrete ways to improve the security systems in your business, or engage the services of patrols, get in touch with your small business security professionals today.