As the owner of a growing business, one of your primary responsibilities is ensuring the continued safety of your employees, customers, and business assets. But with so much on your plate, implementing a good security policy often takes a back seat.
Security threats, such as theft, fire, or vandalism, come in many forms. Therefore, a crucial first step is identifying areas where you can improve your security. This article will help you identify these threats and provide you with actionable steps you can take right now to minimize the risk to your business.
Why Secure Your Business?
Besides protecting your property and business assets, having a robust security plan will provide your business with many key benefits.
A good plan gives employees and customers peace of mind. Employees feel safe, especially if they need to work after hours. Customers will be more confident and secure doing business with you.
With remote technology, you can monitor your business from anywhere in the world. You can take time off and travel knowing your business is secure.
Your insurance rates will likely decrease as your business is less likely to suffer a loss.
A good security plan reduces liability risk for both owners and stakeholders.
A survey conducted by Small Biz Trends shows that a 5% increase in customer retention can increase profit margins for small businesses by 25% – 95%. Having a secure work environment leads to greater employee efficiency and productivity. Your employees will give better customer service, increasing customer satisfaction and confidence.
The bottom line – a good security policy leads to higher customer retention and greater profitability.
How to Identify Known and Potential Threats
Security threats come in many shapes and sizes, but the most common threat is complacency. Most business owners don’t believe it will happen to them. So the best time to review your security policy is before you suffer a loss.
Here are threats you need to consider when developing your security policy:
- High traffic areas
- Valuable property
- Door and building access
- Points of sale
- Parking lots,
- Blind corners
- Low light areas
Steps to Secure Your Business Today
Control your keys
Controlling who has access to your business is a crucial first step in protecting your property. But unfortunately, that little bit of metal can be a huge security risk. So take these steps to protect your business.
- Use restricted keys: Make sure your key blanks can’t be duplicated for any keys you pass out to employees. A marking of “do not duplicate” is not sufficient—it actually has to be a key blank that cannot be duplicated. Only a locksmith who contracts with the manufacturer and building owner can make restricted keys.
- Consider coded locks: If you want to avoid giving out keys to employees, you could upgrade to a coded lock system. Keys can easily be lost or stolen, but the same issue is not a concern with codes. You can change the codes at your leisure, which will cost much less than changing all your keys or locks. You can also designate specific codes for certain employees and create different codes for particular doors. Doing this will give you a log of who accessed which doors.
- Regularly change locks: No matter what kind of lock system you have, it is a good idea to change your locks and rekey them every few years to be safe. With employees coming and going or possibly losing keys, this is an excellent preventative measure to ensure your property always stays secure. In addition, if you experience a break-in or other security breach, make an appointment with a locksmith as soon as possible to change your locks and issue new keys to your employees.
- Install a master key system: A master key system can benefit small businesses. This system determines which keys will open which doors, and you can use this to determine who has which level of access. For example, you might wish to give maintenance staff keys to all areas of the building, but supervisors or employees only have keys to their work areas. You can also create keys for certain “zones” of the building based on how your layout is structured.
Add Lighting
The number one deterrence to criminal activity is sufficient lighting. Low light and dark areas are perfect targets for criminals, especially parking lots. Therefore, add lighting to any dark or under-lit areas.
Provide safe waiting zones for customers and employees. If your business offers parking, ensure it has proper signage to avoid confusing and distracting drivers.
Install Security Cameras
Security cameras provide 24/7 monitoring, and you can check in on your business from anywhere with remote technology. Put them at all your high-risk areas – entries, exits, parking lots, and around the perimeter. Cameras do more than just monitor; they will deter criminals who will pass you by for an easier target.
Install an Alarm System
An alarm system doesn’t have to be costly, just effective. It’s vital to ensure that your business has the proper electrical infrastructure to maintain power 24/7. While there are many do-it-yourself options available, we recommend getting expert assistance in this area.
Do You Have a Visitor Management Policy?
Unauthorized or unescorted visitors can pose a threat to your business. Create a visitor management policy and share it with your employees. Make sure visitors sign in and are escorted while on site. Depending on your business, you might issue visitor badges that must be worn at all times.
If your business has lots of traffic, consider assigning a person who will monitor all vendor and visitor activity. With customer service training, they will also make a great first impression.
Do I Need 24 Hour Security Services?
A common misconception is that only businesses that operate at night need 24-hour security. The reality is that 24-hour security benefits all businesses. For example, think of a warehouse or a medical office with sensitive client information.
With 24 hour security services, security personnel will monitor through security cameras and on-site patrols day and night.
In the event of an emergency after hours, they can respond quickly, notifying the proper authorities to limit losses of valuable equipment or supplies.
Think of 24-hour security services as an investment that saves you time and money. Hiring an expert is more cost-effective than hiring and training in-house security personnel. You can focus on your business while the experts look after your security.
Should I Hire a Security Guard?
Depending on your business, hiring a security guard can provide many benefits.
They can help customers with routine questions or directions.
They provide a credible witness for authorities in the event of an emergency.
Their very presence often deters crimes from ever happening and reduces break-ins. On-site security can even lower insurance rates.
When selecting a security guard, look for guards trained in de-escalation. These guards are experts in diffusing difficult situations. Guards should always look at how to maintain peace first and foremost.
Review Your Insurance Policy
As your business expands, your insurance needs will change. Make sure you have the necessary coverages before you suffer a loss.
Also, as you implement new security policies, you may be eligible for premium discounts. We recommend an annual review with your insurance agent to discuss any changes to your business.
Get Expert Advice
Don’t go it alone. Every business can benefit from expert security advice.
An expert will evaluate your needs and threats and provide the appropriate solutions.
They will analyze your infrastructure to ensure it supports the recommended security solutions.
They will review your policy and procedures and offer areas for improvement.
By consulting with an expert, you will save valuable time and money. In addition, they will provide you with the best possible security solution based on your budget.
You’ve worked hard to expand your business. So don’t risk your hard work and effort by not taking security seriously.
Take some time today to evaluate your business and threats. Then, implementing just a few of these solutions will make a big difference in your security risk.