Small business owners urged to assess their security: Small business owners are urged to be aware following a noted increase in business-related incidents over the past few months. Martin Kriel, Managing Director of ADT Security, East Coast Region said that there are a number of measures small business owners can take to protect their businesses. Going about your business: Install an alarm system coupled to an armed response company and get to know the officers who patrol your area. In the morning and evenings, make sure at least two employees open and close up shop for the day. Place a surveillance camera behind the cash register facing the front counter. Try to greet every customer as they enter your business; look them in the eye and ask if they need your help. Direct attention can discourage a potential robber. Be aware of who is on your premises and where they are, paying special attention to anyone who is just hanging around but not buying anything. Keep your business well-lit inside and outside and also keep trees and bushes trimmed so that they don’t obscure outdoor lights. Handling cash on your premises: Keep a low cash balance in your cash registers. Drop all large bills right away; should a customer want to pay with a large bill, politely ask if they have anything smaller, explaining that the cash you keep on hand is limited. Place all excess money in a safe or deposit it immediately. If you do make regular bank deposits, vary the days and times at which you pay those trips to the bank as well as the route you travel. Also, do not use marked ‘moneybags’ which will make it obvious that you are carrying money to be deposited. At night, use only one cash register. Leave the others open, with the drawer tilted to show that it is empty. In the event of a robbery: If your business is being robbed, put your safety first. It is more important than money or merchandise. If you have a silent alarm and are able to reach to activate it without being noticed, use it. Otherwise, wait until the robber leaves. If you are confronted, co-operate with the robber for your own safety and that of any employee or customer who may be there with you. Be careful. The robber is likely as nervous as you are. Try to remain calm, not making any sudden moves and keeping your hands in sight at all times. Do not stare directly at the robber but do make mental notes of their physical description, what they are wearing and anything else that may be important to law enforcement. Tell the suspect if someone is working in another room on the premises or if you are expecting anyone to come out of a back room. Do not chase or follow the robber once they have left your business. Leave the job of catching them to the police. In closing, Kriel suggested considering installing CCTV to supplement your security system. “The entire process, from recording to video storage has improved drastically in the last ten years. Security camera systems in general have become quicker, of a higher quality, and above all a great deal more affordable.” THANK YOU SACAN for this info.
Posted on: Wed, 24 Jul 2013 09:39:12 +0000
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