The Office for National Statistics recorded 5,594,000 crimes against businesses in 2016. Most of these were against wholesale and retail properties, but all kinds of business premises were affected: nearly one in five (18%) administrative and support service offices were victims of crime in some way.
You might think your startup is safe with a state-of-the-art alarm system installed, but it’ll take a lot more than that to give you true peace of mind when it comes to business security.
Yes, alarms are effective. But they are even more effective when used in tandem with other security measures, such as what follows. Here is our guide to making the most of a commercial security system for your startup.
Use a keyholding service to lock and unlock your doors securely
Startup workers are notorious for working round the clock, coming and leaving the office at unusual hours. This creates a situation where individual workers may need to be trusted to open up or lock up the office themselves. This is a lot of responsibility to burden all of your employees with, especially considering many startups employ a lot of new graduates in the first job roles.
As CMS Keyholding explains, lock and unlock services can help with this. Keyguards can routinely visit your office at agreed times to open up and lock up your doors. Best of all, these key holders can arrive whenever you want them to, meaning the unique rhythm of your startup workforce can go on uninterrupted and secure.
Use monitored alarms to ensure a quick response
It’s all well and good having alarms go off when someone breaks into your office, but if no one calls the police when they hear it, or if no one is nearby, the alarm might not make any difference.
Monitored alarm systems avoid this problem. A monitored alarm system allows you to rely on keyholders in an Alarm Receiving Centre for alarm response. This means when your alarm goes off, a team of professionals will be on hand to head out and help. Because they hold your keys, these key holders can access the premises and check for any damage, intruders or stolen property. If necessary, they can call the police and cooperate to help solve any crimes. Or, if it appears to be a false alarm, they can put your mind at rest.
Use CCTV to deter and catch intruders
When CCTV cameras are positioned prominently they can be one of the most outwardly visible security measures a business can implement. Because of this, it is no surprise that a study carried out by the Home Office found that an absence of CCTV cameras was a big factor in most criminals’ decisions to burgle particular properties.
As well as discouraging burglars from targeting your business, CCTV cameras can be useful in catching criminals if your security is breached. The police regularly release CCTV footage of crimes-in-progress with the hope that members of the public may be able to come forward with information to help them catch the perpetrator.
For a business perhaps looking to recover expensive and important stolen equipment, this is extremely helpful.
There are, however, a few guidelines that users of CCTV on a commercial premises must follow by law. These government CCTV guidelines include:
- Putting up a sign to tell people they are on CCTV and why.
- Providing individuals with footage you have recorded of them if they request it within 40 days (for a fee of no more than £10).
- Sharing images with the police should they request it as part of an investigation.
Use better door locks to keep everything under lock and key
Finally, no matter how good your commercial security system is overall, it will be nothing without the foundation of solid locks and doors. Try installing a lock with a key that can’t be copied. Make sure your lock has the highest ANSI Grade you can buy.
As a guide in the Independent confirms, no property is secure without a strong door. British Standard (BS) Kitemarks are the mark of quality here, and BS Kitemark PAS 24-1 is the “door of enhanced security” you should aim for.
Whether your startup has been running for a few years, or whether you are still getting to grips with running a business, it is important to make the most of your commercial security options in order to keep your business safe. That way, you can focus on the real business of running an SME, such as innovation, management, and strategy. That’s why you started up, after all.