Looking after your business premises is something that every business owner is rightfully concerned about. The issue is where to turn for help and what to look for. With so many new deterrents on the market claiming to solve crime using technology, it can be hard to know how to proceed. To make things simple for you we’re going to take a look at a few of the options on the market, and discuss their pros and cons.
Burglar Alarms are Simply Not Enough Anymore
The main issue with burglar alarms is that no one takes them seriously anymore. If you walk past a quiet suburban house with an alarm going off, you’ll probably pay attention. But sadly, you can’t say the same for a busy commercial premises. We’ve simply all become too used to hearing them going off in error day and night, that when we do hear one, we don’t pay it any attention.
There is another issue with them: they’re reactive rather than proactive. Whilst they may be cheaper to install than some other forms of security, they still rely on someone reacting to the alarm and taking decisive action. Many companies claim to have solved this with alarms that automatically contact emergency services or an independent contractor. Unfortunately these only offer limited security too…
An Alarm is an Inherently Reactive Device
Whilst knowing that the police or your chosen security contractor will be automatically contacted when your alarm sounds may be reassuring, is it really that effective? Unfortunately, the reality is that these types of services are still reactive rather than proactive. With crime increasingly turning to high speed breaking and entering offences using high speed vehicles, criminals are often in and out of your premises in under 60 seconds. With a good response time still being far longer than this, the window of opportunity for criminals remains large.
No matter how well covered your property is by alarms and how well they cover black spots, there’s no getting away from this inherent limitation. The fast response of the police may lead to more criminals being apprehended a short time afterwards, but the damage to your business has already been done.
Does CCTV Hold All the Answers When it comes to Protecting Your Business?
The advantage of CCTV is that it is a known deterrent for criminals. Even the act of displaying prominent signage can deter some criminals, as your property will no longer be a soft target. It also has the added benefit of identification which an alarm system will never have. By being able to identify intruders, you can readily prevent repeat offenders from operating with impunity in your local area. If enough businesses adopt this approach, then it is sure to deter a certain percentage of would-be burglars.
Private Security is an Effective Approach, but is it Realistic?
A private security firm patrolling your premises day and night is an effective deterrent and in a lot of people’s eyes, there is no substitute for boots on the ground. The issues quickly arise when you look into the numbers and see whether this is realistic from a budgetary standpoint.
Round the clock security is an expensive choice, and one that may be unrealistic for smaller premises. If your customers see a guard stood outside your high street shop day and night for example, this could easily make the wrong impression. It’s all about getting the balance between cost and effectiveness right, and doing it in a way that doesn’t negatively impact your brand.
So, what have we learned about the ideal security measure if there is such a thing? It needs to deter criminals and it needs to be able to catch those that still go ahead regardless. It needs to be low cost and flexible, and it can’t be so overt that it puts off your clientele.
Monitored CCTV Could be the Answer That You’ve Been Looking For
The idea of monitored CCTV is actually quite simple, but it’s surprising how often businesses opt for standard CCTV instead.
By having a trained professional constantly watching your CCTV feeds from a remote location, you can ensure that your CCTV is truly proactive for the very first time, which is precisely what companies like Resure offer. They will know precisely which telltale signs to look for and will have a keen eye for detail that an alarm or passive CCTV system never can. This will allow them to monitor events as they develop, and proactively call security or the police to intervene before a crime actually occurs.
Not only will this help protect your business and neighboring businesses from crime, it will catch would-be burglars before they become burglars. This kind of high-level security system will deter a large percentage of criminals from even attempting to break into your premises, and it will ensure that more hardened criminals are still caught and sentenced. Ideal for ensuring that you can greatly reduce the risks to your business and save yourself costly downtime.
Why You Cannot Afford to Cut Corners With Security
When you’re setting up a new business or moving premises, it can be easy to cut corners when it comes to security. For a lot of people, this doesn’t even mean deciding to install a cheaper option with less functionality. It simply means putting off the installation of your security system for a few weeks or months until your business is up and running. Unfortunately criminals are becoming more brazen and focused when it comes to targeting commercial properties.
By being able to spot premises that aren’t adequately protected, they can now target businesses all over the country and be in and out in as little as 60 seconds. Whilst you may feel that you can leave your premises unattended to for a few weeks whilst everything else settles down, it’s important to remember just how small a window of opportunity is required. A crime can be planned, carried out, and the proceeds sold on in a matter of minutes.
Don’t let your business be just another statistic.