There are a wide range of challenges facing business owners. As well as remaining competitive within the market, you need to comply with tax legislation, ensure supply chains are working efficiently and manage your marketing campaigns – to name just three. Another factor that is equally important but is perhaps sometimes overlooked is that of your premises’ security. It’s the heart and soul of your business and the place where your customers come to spend their hard-earned cash, so it only makes sense to protect it in every way you can.
With that in mind, here are four ways to make your property more secure.
Carry Out A Risk Assessment
As an employer and business owner, you are responsible for the wellbeing of your staff as well as any members of public who enter your premises. To make sure you abide by these standards, you should undertake regular risk assessments. As well as identifying any potential safety hazards, this process can help you understand where your property’s security might be at risk from intruders.
Provide Training
You should also put on regular courses for all members of staff, so that they are clear on the steps to be taken that will help to prevent a break-in. This could include how to use the alarm system correctly, how to operate locks and shutters and how to store cash from the till overnight. It should also encourage employees to recognise signs of suspicious behaviour among visitors, and what action should be taken in such circumstances.
Use Visible Deterrents
There are plenty of measures you can implement that are clearly visible to potential criminals and may put them off going ahead with any illicit activity. For example, CCTV cameras and motion- detection lights can act as an effective deterrent, while you can also install convex mirrors at strategic points around your store. These can enable you to see what individuals are up to in different aisles, without necessarily having them in your line of sight.
Upgrade Your Alarm System
According to UKCrimeStats, there were more than 19,000 cases of shoplifting in June 2021 but a state-of-the-art alarm system could help your business avoid becoming just another statistic. There are alarms available that send an alert to the authorities as soon as they are triggered, and such a speedy response could make the difference between the culprits being apprehended or getting away scot-free.