As a business owner, you know that keeping your company’s data and property secure is of the utmost importance.
But did you know that most burglaries occur during the day when employees are present? Or that most businesses don’t have a plan for what to do if they’re locked out of their office?
Keeping your business secured is an essential task that needs to be taken seriously. Your staff members and assets need to be secured in order for your company to grow.
Business robberies are always a risk, but there are ways you can take action before it’s too late. Here are some things you should consider when keeping your business secure.
Keep Your Employees Secure
Your employees may be your first line of defense against burglars. Teach them to take security measures seriously by implementing an SOS policy.
- If they hear someone breaking in, they should leave immediately and call 911. Don’t try to apprehend the intruder or attempt to keep them out of the building on their own.
- Instruct your employees to treat any unexpected visitor with suspicion, including repair personnel and service providers who arrive unannounced. Notify you before arriving at work.
- Inform friends, family members, and delivery companies that no one is allowed into your office without speaking to you first. This includes anyone claiming that there’s been an “emergency.”
- Inform your business insurance company that employees should not be allowed to work alone.
Install High-Security Locks
It’s important to take a proactive approach when securing your business. A high-security lock may cost you more upfront, but it will deter burglaries and make it much harder for intruders to steal anything from your office.
Many businesses choose Schlage locks or Medeco locks because they are extremely difficult to pick open.
If someone tries to break in by picking the lock, the cylinder can actually move out of place inside the door frame, jamming the lock.
This makes it much more difficult for burglars who attempt to snap off doorknobs or use crowbars to pry open doors with locks that aren’t secured to the frame.
It’s also important to remember that your office locksmith should be well-versed in all types of locks and hardware, including high-security locks.
24/7 Monitoring
You can never predict what will happen tomorrow or at night, which is why having security monitoring available around the clock is highly recommended.
Even if you don’t have expensive equipment installed, you need to make sure someone watches over everything 24/7.
Many businesses choose the solution of getting commercial alarm systems monitored by their local police department or a trusted private company.
Have a Surveillance System
It is a good idea to either invest in a surveillance system or hire someone who can watch your place of business from another location.
This way, if something does happen, you have footage of it and know the identity of the thief or trespasser.
Even if they appear friendly on camera, don’t open the door for them unless you’ve made sure that it’s one of your employees outside.
Install Security Cameras
Having security cameras put up will provide an advantage over criminals because they won’t want to take chances being caught on tape vandalizing or stealing from you.
You’ll be able to change out those old film cassettes every few weeks without having to pay a fortune for it.
Make sure to choose a reliable company for installation because most security cameras will come with long-range lenses and various features.
Keep Valuables Out of Sight
A great way to make your place look secure is by keeping valuables locked up in a secured storage room.
Of course, it doesn’t mean that you should keep absolutely everything secured but at least the heavy equipment or any other things that criminals would find useful when trying to break into the building.
Keep all expensive machinery tucked away from plain sight, especially if it looks like it needs some attention from service technicians who are called out only on an emergency basis.
Create An Emergency Plan
In addition to training employees how to respond during a break-in, it’s crucial that you create a plan for dealing with other emergencies as well.
For example: What will you do if a fire breaks out?
This is especially important if your business has only one entrance/exit. If everyone tries to leave at once, it could cause a dangerous bottleneck situation.
Everyone should know what their role is during an emergency so that they can help evacuate guests and other visitors as quickly as possible. In some cases, it may be necessary to shut down your office for several days while repairs are made or smoke damage is cleared.
You need to have a plan in place for how you will handle these situations.
FAQs About Keeping Your Business Secure
Does my commercial property need a professional locksmith?
It depends on how high risk or valuable your assets are; however if you have very pricey technology or valuable equipment that may be attractive to thieves then hiring a professional locksmith as part of an overall security plan is recommended.
For those with less valuable items like documents and paper files, the cost associated with securing these items professionally may not be worth it. Rather, investing in a secured filing cabinet may do the trick.
Is it necessary to have a professional locksmith on duty?
Depending on your location, you might consider hiring a professional locksmith company that is available 24 hours a day.
This way if anything were to happen you would have professionals ready to assist you rather than trying to figure out how to deal with the situation yourself or finding someone else who can make the repairs.
Does my building need cameras?
If you are looking for an added layer of protection, then installing CCTV cameras inside and outside of your business is always an option.
However, before investing in this technology it is recommended to research whether or not this type of security measure would actually work at deterring any criminals from targeting your business over another within the same area.
Will a security guard or having a dog on site prevent my business from being targeted?
While a security officer and a canine patrol team may stop some criminals from targeting your business, it is important to realize that they cannot be everywhere at once.
In cases of cyber attacks, for example, this type of force may only slow the attacker down rather than prevent them from gaining access to sensitive information.
Since they can’t do everything for you, it is crucial to have secured locks in place along with other added protection layers such as cameras.
Are there local laws against keeping firearms on my property?
While storing firearms on your property can help protect against crime especially if law enforcement is unable to respond quickly enough; however, it comes with many risks.
Knowing the local laws and understanding all the risks involved before deciding to keep firearms on your property is important.
Will my business be covered under my home insurance?
Most likely not; therefore, it would be a good idea to find out if purchasing an additional commercial insurance policy to cover both your building and business owners’ equipment would be cost-effective, or perhaps hiring a professional locksmith company may do the trick.
Are you looking for a locksmith?
King Locksmith & Doors is a full-service locksmith company that can help you with all of your security needs.
We provide 24/7 service to our customers in Washington D.C., Maryland, and Baltimore. We have the experience and expertise to handle any lock or security issue that you may have.
You can trust us to provide you with the best possible service and to keep your business secure. We are licensed and insured, and we offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee on all of our services.
