When you own a brick and mortar retail store, you have to think about your building, physical inventory, and the protection of your people and assets. Unfortunately, these things often get ignored or forgotten. But it’s not because business owners don’t care – it’s simply that nobody has ever given them a handbook on how to do it.
In this article, we’re going to focus on some simple ways you can protect your business from theft, break-ins, storm damage, and a whole host of other issues that could potentially compromise the integrity of your business and storefront.
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6 Ideas for Protecting Your Store
As you develop a plan for protecting your store and keeping it safe, here are several suggestions you’ll want to consider.
- Invest in a Secure Storefront
The first step is to make sure your storefront is nice and secure. This is typically the largest and most convenient entrypoint for criminals. It’s also the area that has the most glass. This makes it more vulnerable to high-speed winds, storm damage, and break-ins.
If you’re worried that your storefront might not be secure enough, contact a company like Orange Mirror & Glass to come out and give you ideas. Different situations call for different types of glass.
For example, you may be able to get away with single-glass door entrances, or you may need double-glass. Then there are frameless and framed doors, different types of locking hardware, etc. It’s best to consult with someone who knows what they’re talking about.
- Implement Monitored Alarms
It’s definitely a necessity to have a monitored alarm system. A lot of business owners think they can get away with fake alarm systems that give off the illusion that the space is being protected, but most savvy criminals can spot these systems.
For best results, make sure every single window, door, and entry point has a sensor. You also want motion detectors canvassing the entire interior of the store. This ensures intruders are detected even if the sensors don’t activate (or if someone is already inside the store when you lock up).
One of the most important factors with an alarm system is good monitoring. If you don’t have good monitoring, it doesn’t really matter. Take your time in researching companies and response times.
- Integrate Access Control
Access control is really important if you have certain areas of your store that you want to keep off limits. For example, you should have a code on your break room door. This prevents anyone who is not a staff member from walking in. (One tip is to give each individual employee their own unique code that’s connected to a computer system. If something ever goes missing in the room, you can use time logs to track who was where.)
- Use Video Surveillance
If you want another layer of security, video surveillance is a must. Nothing deters crime quite like the presence of video. But even more than that, it provides an irrefutable record of what happened at any given time. So if something goes missing from the store, you can turn on the CCTV and find out what happened and when.
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- Install a Safe
It’s always smart to have a safe in your store. Not only can you keep cash in the safe before transferring it to the bank, but you can also store important documents. For best results, hide a safe in the wall behind a picture or door. If you have a larger safe, make sure it’s bolted to the ground so that it can’t easily be removed. (Even if it can’t be opened on the spot, criminals will take a safe with them if they can.)
- Get the Right Insurance Policies
Even with all of the right protection methods in place, it’s not always possible to prevent a crime or natural disaster. This is where having the right insurance policies in place can keep you financially protected from major losses. Speak with your insurance provider to find out more about retail insurance and all of the different coverages and add-ons.
Adding it All Up
It’s easy to get so dialed into growth mode that you forget about downside protection and all of these small things you need to do to keep your business safe and insulated against different risk factors like natural disasters, theft, and other mishaps.
By implementing a proactive plan, you can keep your store protected and avoid unnecessary frustrations.