Good Stuff Happens in 1:1 Meetings: Why you need them and how to do them well
Ways to prevent crime in your business
1. Ways to Prevent Crime In Your
Business
One of the details that a business owner must attend to
is crime prevention. Profit margins are often tight
enough that even small losses can shift the bottom line
into the red. With a little forethought, a comprehensive
strategy can be outlined.
2. The Value of an Honest Worker
Hiring employees that demonstrate integrity, morals and
ethics is the first step towards stopping internal losses.
Unfortunately, it is not always easy to predict how
someone will react to temptation. Reduce or eliminate
opportunities for theft through the use of locks,
authorized access areas and security cameras. It should
also be well understood who is responsible for
expensive equipment and tools.
The business owner needs to act according to how he
wishes workers to behave. A boss that lies, cheats and
steals cannot expect those under him to be any different.
A reputable company that fosters an honest environment
will breed loyalty.
3. Stopping Shoplifters
For retail businesses, this is one of the most common threats.
Sadly, there is no reliable way to spot a shoplifter. They come
in all shapes and sizes, from all age brackets and economic
backgrounds. Train employees to be aware of each customer.
Acknowledging everyone that comes into the store lets the
shoppers know that their presence has been noted. Suspicious
acting persons should be given extra attention. Often, a petty
thief will be scared off when he/she realizes they’re being
watched closely.
4. Repel Hi-Tech Assaults
Just about every business uses computers and some sort of
networking. Internet access is commonplace. Firewalls and
anti-virus software will provide basic security, but an
online policy should also be utilized. Access to company
records and other critical information must be monitored
and regulated. Employees that are involved in accounting,
payroll and payments should be well trusted but still
subject to occasional audits.
5. Guard Against Armed Robbery
Any business that directly handles money or valuable goods is
at risk to an aggressive attack. For this reason, entryways should
be well lit and under obvious video surveillance. Signs declaring
affiliation with a security service can deter robbers looking for
an easy target.
Bank deposits should not be made so routinely that a mugger
can easily plan out a schedule. Transporting large amounts of
money should be done in pairs. So should opening and closing
the store, since this is another vulnerable period.
6. Most importantly, make sure that employees are taught
to not resist an armed robbery. Instead, have them
comply with demands while remaining observant. They
can then provide detailed information to the police. A
business can recover from material loss, but the loss of
an employee trying to be a hero would be a tragic
event.
7. Crime Free
Taking a few simple precautions, retaining ethical
employees and having solid company policies can
significantly cut small business crime. Alternatively,
hiring the services of a security agency can alleviate the
headaches involved and be cost-effective for the owner
who would rather concentrate more on market growth.