The need for business security
Your business is one of the most important things in your life.
Not only is it a source of income, but there are staff members depending on you.
It doesn’t matter how profitable or up-and-coming the company is, if security isn’t one of the most important parts of your strategy, then everything may just come crashing down.
The thought of business security is one that doesn’t cross every business owner’s mind. After all, isn’t that what the security company you hired is there to do? Yes, but that’s not always enough to make sure your staff and inventory are safe. People are prone to human error and any number of factors can delay the police or a security company when you need them to check on your premises. Because of this, it won’t hurt to invest in additional security measures.
Having more security will also help with insurance premiums. And if your office is broken into, you’ll be able to prove that every measure was in place to stop the intruders.
What should you already have?
There are a few security measures that you should already have in place. After all, we do live in South Africa which is known for it’s higher than average crime rate. Your entire building should have motion sensors and an alarm equipped. These are ordinarily armed at night when no one is around to watch over your company.
Additionally, all of your important doors should have a strong lock and perhaps security gate fitted. These may seem unnecessary as there are those that can get through them with a crowbar. They are at least deterrents for anyone looking to quickly make off with your valuable assets.
If your office is surrounded by high walls, look at investing in barbed wire or electric fences. Though these aren’t foolproof either, they are at least a discourage intruders.
Access control
One way to track people coming in and out of the building is to set up an access control system. This can either be done by having a receptionist or security guard with a sign-in sheet, or a identity card system. With the latter, your staff members will be able to gain entrance to the building by using identity cards, which will record the comings and goings of your company.
Community group
A community group isn’t just for residential areas – it can benefit those in industrial and commercial zones as well. Get to know all of the other business owners around you and look at starting a WhatsApp group or some sort of contact list. Everyone will be able to inform each other if there are crimes in the area, or someone has been staking out the businesses around you.
Community groups also work well if there is direct contact with a communal security company. Everyone shares the same call out team, which can be quickly alerted to any trouble. And it may be easier to mobilise everyone in the area than calling on a third party, such as the security company.
Security cameras
The thought of security cameras may conjure up the notion of massive monthly bills, and the need for a dedicated staff member to keep a constant watch on all of the cameras. Instead, think of it as a once-off investment. You’re going to need to lay down money for the cameras, the DVR to control and record footage, a data storage solution, as well as a video wall controller for displaying all of the camera feeds.
In order to save on storage space and electricity, thus saving you a bit of money each month, your security cameras can be hooked up to motion sensors. When the sensors pick up movement, the camera’s will begin to record. This means you won’t have hours upon hours of footage where nothing is happening, taking up valuable recording space.
When purchasing a camera and DVR system, look at getting one that can connect to your phone. You will be able to check on the cameras at any point, even when you are not at the office. And if there is a security emergency, you will be able to record and share the footage with the community group.
Off-site backup
Your financial records are incredibly important. If that information is stolen, you’re going to have a long and difficult process recapturing all of the data. In order to avoid this issue, set a nightly backup of all the information to a offsite cloud storage solution. Not only will this ensure that your information is safe and secure, but can be accessed from any PC.