If there is something that can severely affect a business then those are definitely thefts and criminal acts which, unfortunately, entrepreneurs are exposed to at all times. Therefore, some preventive measures are in order if you want to protect all your hard work.
Choose reliable staff
Optimize your selection processes and human resources and hire people lacking in financial troubles, which may reduce the possibility of temptations within your organization. The socio-economic studies are reliable and help especially when the contracts are for positions where workers have to handle money.
Establish mechanisms for identification
Provide your employees with photo badges, identity codes, keys and customized systems to establish who is responsible for what happens within the company as well as the times of entry and exit of each person. This may sound cumbersome but necessary in order to demand accountability at all times.
Implement audit mechanisms
A simple but effective audit is to check regularly at random and surprise your staff to see if all the responsibilities are met orderly. You can ask them to show you important documents such as receipts and invoices. This control lets you detect any suspicious or abnormal actions and take preventive measures before an event occurs.
Hide the information
Information is one of the most important assets of your company business. Do not let anyone be open to all kinds of data such as customer lists, products, inventory and access prices. Be twice as strict with financial and banking information. Selectiveness in these situations is necessary, so allow only few people you can trust to have an access to all the data.
Use formal monitoring mechanisms
Many businesses, in an effort to cut costs, use informal mechanisms that are often entirely at the discretion of employees, promoting the possibility of altering the billing systems and under reporting of the real situation. A good investment that will help you have more control is to invest in automated control systems such as cash registers, software systems and warehouse inventories.
Train your personnel against criminal events
It never hurts to pay a security company to train your staff on how to act in case of critical situations or prevent possible attacks and robberies, kidnappings and assaults. A better-trained employee can make good moves and reduce losses in such situations.
Protect your vehicles with satellite systems
One of the best ways to reduce attacks against your goods transported by vehicles is installing satellite tracking systems. These are not only very effective on the issue of location but also make criminals leave before attacking the vehicles. The costs of these systems are not low but they have a tendency to become increasingly accessible. And make sure that you have a very visible sticker that says ‘Truck protected by satellite system’.
Invest in computer security
The security of systems is becoming increasingly important as many frauds can be perpetrated from the (internal or external) network. Implementation of certain minimum actions such as acquiring a good firewall, antivirus or regular password changes as well as making backups reduce the chances of risk.
Consider automatic monitoring systems
If your budget allows it or need demands it, you can install a system of surveillance cameras that allow you to monitor both the movements of customers in your store and the actions of your employees within the company. Some systems can be very functional with one or two cameras and there are even systems that allow remote security monitoring, either from home or any other organization.
Invest in safety
Another useful alternative, if your business is located in a high risk area, is the acquisition of insurance. Insurance can be much less expensive than what you think and be very useful when recovering your assets. Consider insurance against theft, fire or total or partial destruction of your property.
Reinforce security in your store or office
Think strategically – protection means identifying possible points where an offender may try to access your site. In that sense, reinforce your main doors and windows with access to the street with stronger materials or safer locks.
Install infrared automatic lights
The infrared security lights placed in hallways, courtyards and offices can be very useful to ward off intruders. These systems can be achieved even in the supermarkets; they are inexpensive and will not take more than 30 minutes to install.
Safety limits are defined by the budget only. Hiring security guards, patrols, shelter systems, cash transfers and other more sophisticated and expensive measures are always good if your investment capacity and the size of your business allow it.
