Business owners who want to be proactive about protecting their properties after dark have more options at their disposal than they may realize.
Some of the most popular options for beefing up your company's defenses include:
- Making it obvious to would-be criminals that your property is secured and protected
- Installing security glass or a security glass alternative
- Assessing your property for lighting and visibility
- Installing an access control system
- Speaking with a professional security consultant
We'll review each of these factors in the article below. Alternatively, you can speak to a security expert at Ackerman by calling 866.343.1234, or scheduling an appointment with us online.
Tip #1: Make Your Security Obvious
One thing has been made clear after interviewing dozens of criminals: they're opportunists looking for an easy score.
So your best deterrent is to be obvious about your security. The more obvious you make it, the more a thief will second-guess their ability to get in and out of your property without getting caught.
A mix of these security options could easily be enough to deter most opportunistic criminals:
- Security lawn & window signs.While no studies have been done on lawn signs deterring criminals, we do know from the FBI that the average break-in lasts just 90 seconds to 12 minutes. A security sign makes it likely that the building is monitored, giving thieves less time in the building, and therefore not as valuable of a target.
- Property watch services. Many police departments around the country offer property watch services, where they'll add your business to a nightly patrol route. Similar private services may also be available in your area, which you can check with a quick Google search.
- Hire a security guard.If your business is in a business park or is located near other businesses, ask the owners whether they'd like to pitch in to hire a security guard to patrol the area. The more eyes you have on your property at night, the less likely a criminal will attempt a break-in.
Tip #2: Invest in Security Glass
Security glassis a toughened form of glass which has been heat-tempered and laminated to increase its strength.Other forms of security glass use hardened plastics such as acrylic and polycarbonate for even more protection against blows and even bullets.
The purpose of security glass for a business is clear: it increases the time it takes for a thief to access the property. An opportunistic burglar will only work so hard to break through security glass with alarms blaring and time ticking away.
Many companies assume they can't afford security glass. That's far from true. If brand new windows aren't an option, a security film of adhesive polyester can be applied to your current windows and doors for a simple and fast security solution.
Tip #3: Make Smart Property Management Choices
Keeping the outside of your property well-maintained with good lighting and regular cleanup will limit hiding places and give opportunistic burglars pause. Every business should make some attempt to keep their property maintained to avoid would-be burglars.
So what do we mean by "smart" property management? Your company should begin with:
- Keeping the grounds well-manicured to limit hiding places.
- Keeping hedges and trees to a minimum alongside the building, especially by windows and doors.
- Keeping the property well-lit is a commonsense property management choice. Alternatively, a motion-activated floodlight will scare away most criminals before they set foot near your property.
Tip #4: Install an Access Control System
According to Statistic Brain, employee theft costs U.S. businesses $50 billion annually. That includes theft of property and data as well as fraud. Even worse, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has reportedthat 75% of employees have stolen from their employers at least once.
In other words, no business is immune to employee theft.
Employees know their way around the property, understand its defenses, and know what's valuable and where to find it. It's a perfect storm for an opportunistic individual to deplete a business of its hard-earned valuables.
Protecting your business from employee theft after hours begins with a strong access control system. Access control allows a business to:
- Limit employee access to specific areas within the building
- Record when an employee enters and leaves the building or a specific area within the building
- Keep employees accountable for their actions in the building, especially when access control is paired with discrete commercial video surveillance.
Access control, it should be noted, protects against more than just employee theft. It restricts access to the building itself, making it more difficult for uncredentialed external threats to harm your employees or property.
Tip #5: Have Your Property Assessed by a Commercial Security Professional
Consulting a professional security company is an eye-opening experience for most business owners. A security technician can spot any number of flaws in a commercial property's defenses, including:
- Poor video camera placement & blind spots
- Unprotected access points
- Broken alert sensors
- Fire alarm issues (including compliance issues)
- ...And many others.
Professional security companies like Ackerman have installed thousands of custom security systems in business properties across the country. Ackerman covers all of your business security needs, including: remote access control, video surveillance and cloud storage, mandatory fire alarm inspections and more.
Give us a call at 866.343.1234, or schedule a timefor a business security consultant to assess your property today.
