How to Improve your Small Business Security without Breaking the Bank

Businesses are often subject to vandalism, theft and other related incidents. There is no doubt that every type of business goes through these kinds of security threats and this is especially the case in the retail business. If you operate a small business and you want to make sure that you protect it as much as you possibly can then there are solutions out there for you to implement.

Have One Professional Security Manager

Think about it, who is the longest-standing employee that you have? Can you trust them? If so, make them the project manager for your security. You need to hire someone who has the capacity to manage this. They don’t need to be an expert when it comes to cybersecurity and all of the technical side of things, but they do need to be able to track and monitor any security information that happens to come up. They also need to be the point of contact for any service providers that you have and they also need to be responsible for updating any passwords on the systems from time to time. You may even want to have them handle any security alarms that happen as well. After all, security breaches happen more when everyone thinks that someone else is in charge. By having someone who is the point of contact for everything to do with security, you can really crack down on any issues that might be present.

Have a Maintenance Plan

Running your own business isn’t easy and you may have a lot of systems in place to help you to automate things. You have to make sure that you have a maintenance plan present if you want to keep these systems running properly or they could end up being a liability. They could also potentially cost you a ton of money in terms of your equipment as well. If your computer has a password then this needs to be updated on a regular basis and you also need to make sure that you do everything you can to stop any viral threats as well. One way for you to do this would be for you to have an anti-virus system installed as this can save you a ton of money in terms of your maintenance plan.

Check your Entry Points

If you have commercial garage doors installed then this is great, but if you do not keep them maintained on a regular basis then this can cause you problems. You need to make sure that they are being locked on a daily basis and you also need to check for signs of wear as well. After all, someone could have tried to break into your garage door before and you wouldn’t even know if you don’t do regular inspections. If you have the ability to upgrade your garage doors then you should certainly think about doing this as it can increase your security by a huge amount. The same concept applies to your fire doors and even your business entrance as well. If you have thin glass on your door then this can easily be broken and entry can be gained to the premises. To avoid this, have a security check done and try and find out where your business could be lacking. After all, most criminals are opportunists and they will always take advantage of a business who has a broken glass panel, a weakened door or a blind spot.

Check your CCTV

Having CCTV is no good if you don’t check it on a regular basis. This can provide you with a very valuable insight when it comes to intruders and it can also help you to see if there are any blind spots as well. CCTV footage helps you to see if there are any possible criminals around your area. Try and look out for people looking at your business or patrolling the area. They could be trying to find an entry point and when you have this information you can easily stop the break-in from happening in the first place.

Be Clear with Your Security

You need to have a plan which lets you know what goals you have in terms of your security. Having a system is just no good on its own. You have to make sure that you understand how it flows with your site and you also have to know how you can improve. For example, if you have a lot of cars coming into your business then it would be a good idea for you to have number plate recognition and you also need to be able to identify someone if they are an intruder as well.

Crisis Management

Security incidents happen and there is nothing that you can do to try and stop them. For this reason, it is a good idea for you to have a crisis management system in place so that you can detail the points of contact and so you also know how to deal with any of the scenarios that are present. You also need to know how to deal with the assembly points and the crisis itself so you can stop it from happening again. This is one of the best ways for you to keep your business safe.

Don’t Share Everything

Another huge and important factor that you need to remember when running your small business is that you need to take note of what you are sharing with the outside world. For example, are you telling everyone that your business will be closed for quite some time? Are you making it obvious that nobody is in after a certain time? Do you make it known that you don’t have an alarm system? All of this will really stop your business from being more secure and it will also put you in a very vulnerable situation as well. If you want to stop all of this from happening then be careful who you share your information with. This can really stop bad things from happening in the first place and it is a great way for you to really take control of your business and everything that it has to offer.

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