EASY AND CONVENIENT WAYS TO PROTECT YOUR START-UP FROM CRIME
Crimes against businesses make up around 20% of all recorded crimes. Cyber-crime really is a growing threat and criminals are always looking for ways to be more ingenious regarding their approach to hardworking business owners. If you want to try and do everything you can to limit the amount of risk that you face then you’ll be glad to know that this is very easy to do, especially if you know the steps that you need to take.
Risk Assessments
Everything should start with identifying where you are vulnerable. You might be aware of where your business has been the victim of crime in the past but it’s important to know that this might not give you the full story. You still need to conduct a thorough assessment and you also need to make sure that you do everything you can to document everything as you go along. If you are able to do this then you will get a much better idea of your company overall.
Secure your Premises
If you can, then strengthen your doors, fit any window locks and also install security lighting as well. Everything that you can do will deter burglars and the main reason for this is because a lot of burglaries are unplanned. If you know that your access points are vulnerable, then install CCTV but be aware that you will need to meet data protection rules. You might also want to get some shutters and grilles, but sometimes you need planning permission to do this.
Protect Your Staff
You have to make sure that any necessary security training is available and that everyone knows what they have to do in the event of a threat. It’s better to give up goods as opposed to your team getting hurt because they are trying to defend it. Don’t keep cash onsite and also make sure that you routinely empty your tills too. Any excess cash should be taken to your bank, and if this is the case then you need to put up warning signs as well as a deterrent. If you want to keep your team even safer, then you might want to give them a retractable option lanyard so that they can show their ID to anyone who they need. This will make security protocols much easier to carry out and it also means that your team won’t lose their ID as often.
Secure your Equipment
Another thing that you can do is carry out equipment audits so that you can allocate responsibility for certain things to certain employees. You also need to tag computers so that you can record the serial numbers. Consider also securing equipment to the floors or even the walls, as this will deter criminals from even trying to steal your supplies.
Protect your Stock
Believe it or not, being organised will really help you to identify any discrepancies with your stock early on. You need to try and keep an eye on your paperwork and you also need to question excessive damage claims, credits and voids too. If you need to, then make sure that you take the time to carry out regular stock checks.
Employee Theft
Always verify any previous employment history and also make sure that you double-check any references you need. It doesn’t matter whether you are hiring a part-time employee or whether they are a casual worker for your company because you need to exercise due caution when you grant access keys and when you reveal security codes as well. Every instance of theft needs to be fully met with prosecution. Keep an eye on your petty cash and on your till money as well, as this will help you out even more in the future.
Information Theft
If you want to protect sensitive information such as your client financial records or even your employee details, then you may want to use an access control system so that you can restrict entry as much as possible. Your IT systems are usually protected from any external threat by simply installing a quality anti-virus software and by having a firewall as well.
Little changes like this can really make a huge difference to your overall level of security. If you want to make your company even more secure, then consider using a swipe card system instead of keys. That way, it’s harder for a criminal to duplicate keys and it is also way harder for them to break into the various parts of your business where sensitive data might be kept.