Your assets are the backbone of your business. Your computers, legal documents, machinery, and equipment is what keeps the business running. Protecting the contents of your business premises from theft should therefore be a priority.
Even with insurance coverage, securing your premises will protect your insurance premium and avoid any disruption to your business caused by a burglary. Here are five key ways of securing your business premises to protect against theft.
Use an Alarm System
As soon as your business moves to a new premises, you should invest in a monitored alarm system. Alarm system installations are a deterrent to would-be burglars. Monitored systems also help mitigate losses in the event thieves do break in. They send an automatic alert to the police, ensuring a timely dispatch and increasing the likelihood of apprehending the thief.
Invest in Strong Locks
Your first line of defence against any potential burglars is the strength of your locks. Locks with a pin cylinder mechanism are the most difficult to break, and many burglars will pass up the opportunity to rob your premises and opt for one with locks that are significantly less time-consuming to break.
It is worth noting that no lock is fool-proof, and an experienced burglar will likely be able to break or pick any lock with the right equipment and enough time. But the vast majority of burglars are opportunists and will pass up the chance to rob your premises when confronted with a sturdy lock.
Effective Lighting
60% of burglaries take place at night or in the evening. This is because thieves want to avoid detection. Installing security lighting outside your premises will remove the protection the darkness offers the thieves.
Effective lighting doesn’t have to be expensive either. Most businesses opt for passive infrared. These lights only come on when movement is detected, keeping energy costs down, while protecting against unwanted nocturnal visitors.
Record the Location of Keys
Even the strongest locks and most hi-tech alarm system is powerless to stop an intruder with a set of keys and an alarm code. Update your business practices to ensure there is a record of everyone who has keys and knowledge of the alarm code.
It is also good practice to use a restricted key system, which prevents the keys from being copied. It may be more expensive if you lose your keys, but it saves money by protecting against theft and burglary.
Off-Site Data Storage
The most valuable part of any business is its data. If thieves could gain access to all your clients’ payment data and sensitive personal details, they would be able to steal their identities and clear out their bank accounts. This would mean a huge payday for any prospective burglar.
Protecting sensitive data should be the top priority for any business. The best way to do this is by using an off-site data storage facility. That way, if the worst does happen and a thief enters your premises, the non-physical data is safe and secure at an undisclosed location.
Follow these five principles to make your business premises more secure than Fort Knox and prevent your business from unwanted after-hours visitors.
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