Protecting Your Business From Crime

Protecting your business from crime is essential if you wish to succeed as a business owner and avoid financial losses. All businesses are at risk for theft. You can be proactive and reduce the damage you endure if an incident occurs. Burglary and theft can be devastating on the bottom line. Unfortunately, organized retail crime, shoplifting, and employee theft are too common.

Protect Your Business

No business can be completely free from the threat of crime, but you can take steps to manage the impact. Here are some methods to tackle burglary and theft head-on.

Install an Alarm System

An alarm system is one of the best ways to protect your business. An alarm system is sometimes enough to deter criminals and is a great way to keep an eye on threats both inside and outside. You can customize alarm systems. Ideally, you would install one that you can control and monitor remotely on your smartphone, tablet, or PC with a central monitoring station at all times. 

Check Entry Points when Leaving

Do your best not to give criminals an opportunity of an easy in, such as an unlocked door, keys left in vehicles, etc. Burglars are commonly looking for open windows or unlocked doors and keep looking for the following most accessible opportunity. Help safeguard your building by locking and double-checking every entry point (doors and windows) every time you leave. Also, ensure your vehicle is locked and keep the keys on you. 

Keep Track of Keys

Track every key issued to employees, and employees return their keys when they leave the company. Have restrictions on the number of people with access to expensive equipment, as the more potential access points mean your business is much more valuable to risks. Consider installing an access control system with personalized key fobs to determine which specific employees can have entry access. 

Perform Background Checks

Sadly, it is often the most trusted employees who commit fraud in the workplace, so background checks on newly hired employees and contractors, mainly if they work with sensitive financial information about customers and your business, are crucial. A background check helps make better hiring decisions and acts as a preventive measure against employee theft.

Install Security Cameras

Being able to capture images or recordings of what goes on when you’re not there is invaluable. Surveillance cameras can discourage would-be thieves, act as 24/7 protection, and increase employee productivity. Install cameras in strategic locations to identify the faces of customers and employees and store footage off-site.

Evaluate Outdoor Features

How is the exterior of your building working in favor of your protection? Try to limit obstructive features that someone might be able to hide. For instance, tall hedges or large bushes can act as a hiding spot for criminals. It is also beneficial to have a well-lit exterior, ectopically near entryways and windows, and install motion-detection lights in dark areas.

Employee Theft and Dishonesty 

Unfortunately, employee theft is much too common, even more so in small businesses. You can help avoid employee theft by limiting the number of employees who have access to any of the business’s sensitive information, such as passcodes or PIN numbers. Continue doing what you can to lower the likelihood of dishonest acts and employee fraud, including computer fraud.

Protection Where it Counts

Is your business adequately protected if you find yourself in a predicament. Commercial crime insurance offers protection from the impacts of business crime. Likewise, commercial crime coverage will provide reimbursement for the amount stolen. This safeguard helps you maintain trust with your customer or client and minimize financial losses.

About David G. Sayles Insurance Services

At David G. Sayles Insurance Services, we help our clients decide which of these options is best for them based on their current situation and risk factors. Contact us at 1-855-977-1842 or insureme@dsayles.mysites.io for a consultation!