While the holidays are meant to be a joyous time of the year, it can be ruined by criminals. Here are 7 simple and easy steps that can help deter criminals from making your business and employees a target. Ensure security cameras are plentiful and visible.
1. Ensure security cameras are plentiful and visible.
Visible cameras make customers aware that they are being monitored. Cameras also prevent liability to businesses against a customer who may attempt to purposefully hurt themselves in order to seek legal actions.
2. Employ additional staff.
Having extra employees on the clock during hours of operation decreases the risk of theft
3. Keep normal business hours
Operating too early in the morning or too late at night heightens the risk for theft, burglary and robbery.
4. Limit multiple points of ingress and egress.
The “one door policy” is one of the best and most inexpensive safeguards during the holidays. Having an employee stationed at the front door throughout your daily operation will ensure that a set of eyes is on every individual who enters and exits the store, and make thieves think twice about acting.
5. Keep valuable items locked away.
This should be done at all times, not just during the holidays. All expensive items should be locked in a case and only retrievable by an employee at a customer’s request. While there may be times when criminals decide to “smash and grab,” having an extra layer of protection to safeguard valuables might be just enough to ward-off even the most brazen of thieves.
6. Have multiple employees on-hand while closing.
Criminals tend to target businesses where a single person is responsible for closing the store and handling the money at the end of each work day.
7. Change your routine.
Businesses that become too comfortable and predictable, whether it be opening, closing or with daily routines, become more prone to crime. Small, but necessary routine changes prevent criminals from having an advantage when planning a crime.
The number one reason criminals target businesses during the holidays is the high number of transactions and volumes of money stores manage. Additionally, the spike in customer numbers give thieves the benefit of blending-in while committing crimes. Following these simple steps will minimize your risk of becoming a victim during this meaningful and eventful time of year.
To help secure your business during this holiday season, give us a call today 800.261.2041