SMALL BUSINESS SECURITY

Small business security should be on the mind of any good business person right from the start of the business.

As soon as you go into business, other people will take this as an opportunity to get their hands on your property.

It is a fact that quite a high percentage of small business failures can be traced back to theft, either employee or customer.

With that warning, let’s see what needs to be done about your small business security.

Prepare for the worst

Depending on the type of business you are running your small business security should be tailored to the needs of the particular business. In general there are three problem areas with the potential for loss, these being, employee, customer and external. Let’s look at them individually.

Employee theft

Even your best employees, be they carefully recruited and reference checked, can steal from you if you give them the opportunity.

Somehow not nice to contemplate but if you look on all your employees as being open to temptation and prepare your small business security systems, as such that there is little temptation, you won’t go far wrong.

Here is what to do:-

• Control entry and exit from the workplace.

  All employees need to carry some form of identity with a photograph.

  Do not allow unidentified people to enter and all non-employees need to be signed in and recorded in a register.

• Keep an up to date register of all your assets, be they power tools or office equipment. Note makes, model and serial numbers, as well as to whom they have been issued. Small business security begins with you knowing what you own.
• Lock up all items that are not in use. If you issue items to employees, be it a laptop or a power tool, get it signed for and provide the employee with a secure lock up place!

  This also applies to employee valuables as well as your own.

• Be particularly vigilant for any after hour’s theft, a favorite time for such theft.
• Ensure that your physical security is good, with perimeter alarm systems on windows and doors. Unattended exits will be a great weakness in your small business security system.
• Walk around amongst your employees often, unexpectedly. If it is known that you or your senior staff members can appear at any time, this tends to be a great deterrent.
• Make a point of reporting any thefts or suspicious activity to the police. Again this makes people think twice.
• Although valuable items such as tools, laptops, stock and cell phones are favored by thieves, you should also protect your information. Lock up all your confidential and important documents. Don’t dispose of any paperwork that contains business information by throwing it in the trash can. Shred it first.
• Make sure that all your employees understand that the theft of company property will lead to instant dismissal and prosecution.

  Check with your lawyer on the ins and outs of what to do in these cases.

In general, when it comes to employee dishonesty, prevention is always better than cure, so eliminate areas of temptation and keep your eyes open.

Dealing with dishonest customers.

In the retail industry, employee theft accounts for nearly 50% of so called ‘shrinkage’ and on average dishonest employees get away with $1000 per incident. As they can steal from you daily, you will need to prevent such loss or go out of business.

Now moving onto customer shoplifting, this accounts for 30% of all shrinkage and an average of $130 is lost per shoplifter. But be warned that there can be a whole lot more shoplifters than dishonest employees, so be prepared.

Again depending on your business, customer theft can warrant some good small business security systems, or it can be of no importance. If you are in a business where you are dealing with large numbers of walk in and walk out customers, here is what you need to do:-`

• Realize that shoplifters are shifty people on the whole, and like being left alone. Simply having an employ greet customers and offer to help will drive many shoplifters elsewhere. Not good for the elsewhere, but good for you!
• If warranted, install closed-circuit television cameras. These need to be visible to all customers. Why? If not visible, the shoplifter thinks that he/she is unobserved and will steal. You now have to make a detention at your exit with all the subsequent publicity and extra work involved with the police.

  Believe me, prevention is a lot easier and less expensive.

  Let everyone know that your premises are under 24 hour monitored CCTV and you will dramatically reduce the chances of shoplifting while improving your small business security.

• Again, if warranted, use an electronic tag on all your goods. Electronic article surveillance (EAS) systems are plentiful and the use of them prevents shoplifting. This can be your best investment ever as they soon pay for themselves.
• Finally if you are a retailer of any sort, you need to join any one of the many national theft databases, for example, Choice Point.

This is the bars and bolts section of security. This is where your security either makes it easy for burglars or makes them go look elsewhere.

Cost here can be considerable, so you need to balance your potential loss against the cost of protection.

Many of the measures that you have introduced to prevent employee theft will also deter theft from outside.

You basically have two options here, one the DIY option is where you walk around your premises on the outside, case it and decide how to enter illegally.

Not difficult, provided you use your common sense. You can then make a decision on how to prevent such illegal entry.

Remember that all windows, doors and roofs at the back are favored entry points.

Or your second option, you hire a security company to do it for you. If you have hired a professional, you should in fact get the best advice, this cannot be guaranteed however. Choose a well known and recommended security company.

Now that you have decided where you need your small business security, you will find a huge choice of business security equipment awaits your decision.

Look at these areas to help you decide:-

• Perimeter Security

  This is your first line of defense, so a good security fence or wall around your factory is advisable. These can be topped with infra-red detectors.

• Alarm Systems

  Alarms and lights can and should be fitted to gates and doors.

  Be careful to conceal any wiring so it is not easily found and cut.

  There are a large number of alarms available, including infra-red, passive infra-red, audio and seismic detectors, so fit what is best for your situation. An effective alarm system is an essential part of good small business security.

• Lighting

  Without a doubt security lightening is a major deterrent against burglary. Have general security lights that remain on all night as well as extra lighting that only comes on with any alarm system being activated.

  If you are in an area of possible power failure, install an emergency generator.

• CCTV Surveillance

  Can be used to cover all areas of the property, both inside and outside of the boundary fences or walls.

• The Building

  Keeping unauthorized people out of your property is best, but if someone does manage to get in and up to your building, you now have another problem. How to keep them out of the building?

  There are only so many ways to enter a building, be it a factory or a retail store. These need to be secured if you want to prevent unauthorized entrance and increase your small business security. So you need to take a look at:-

1. Doors

   All outside doors needed to be reinforced and fitted with good locks. Master Keying all your locks with a key that cannot be duplicated, saves you going through a bunch of keys looking for the right one.

2. Windows

   The burglar’s favorite way in, so be extra careful here as 75% of all burglar entries are through windows.

   Install metal frames and windows, with panes too small for easy entrance. Windows that are easily accessible from outside should have locks fitted.

3. Bars.

   Fitted bars that are well made and installed correctly will deter all burglars.

   Make sure that they are anchored firmly and cannot be bent aside.

   Remember that bars can keep people out but also keep you in. Make provision for escape, in case of fire, via clearly labeled emergency exits.

4. Roofs

   Depending on the type of construction of your building, it can be very easy or virtually impossible to enter the building via your roof.

   If necessary, don’t forget to alarm your roof.

• Access control

  Be aware at all times of people entering your business. Depending on your type of business, access control can be stringent, with registers and identification cards or simply some form of camera monitoring.

That basically covers the small business security areas in and around your place of business that need your careful attention. All of them, when secured, will help protect you and your employees, your business premises and your inventory or stock.

The other major area of concern is your cash. If your business has large cash takings then, you can be sure, someone will try and steal it or fake it.

Here is how to be careful when dealing with cash.

You and Your Cash

• Keep all cash on site to a minimum. Clear out cash tills regularly. Be aware of who is watching you when you do this.
• Count cash in a locked office out of sight. Lock it away in a safe.
• Train your staff to be able to detect forged notes. Supply each till point with a forged note detector.
• Do you banking as often as possible and if the amounts are very large, get a security service to do the cash transfer to your bank.

  If you do do your own banking, vary your times and routes. Make your bank the first stop before all other calls and be extra vigilant while entering or exiting your vehicle.

  Don’t carry all your money in a briefcase or bag, spread it around your clothing and never leave money in your vehicle while you do something else.

The only other major area of small business security that might concern you is the safety of your transport vehicles and their drivers.

This however is another large subject and will be covered elsewhere.

Final Note

Good small business security is a state of mind, so always be aware of your surroundings and look out for any weak spots. Plug these and you will prevent any major losses, don’t and you will loose.

Join your local trader’s association. If Business Watch

operates in your area, join or if they don’t form a local branch.

Your small business security will be only as good as your interest in your own security, so take an interest and stay safe.

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