Security is a critical element for the successful operation of any business, but particularly in the retail sector. Here there are large amounts of goods present on the site and the premises are open to the public. This results in people passing through every day, increasing the level of risk from theft and other criminal activities. It’s important with a retail business to assess the security protocols that you have in your store on a regular basis and see how they can be improved.
Risk assessment
The first elements of any security assessment should be to analyse the potential risks that there are to your business. This will enable you to see where you need to focus your security measures and where your current systems are lacking. Customer theft in the UK is continuing to rise and is the biggest cost to retailers in terms of crime. In 2012/13, there was a 2.8% rise in customer thefts, which cost retailers £2.2 million.
With a risk assessment, you should look at the areas where customers and visitors enter and exit the store. For instance, do you currently have cameras trained on this area or security guards patrolling and watching those coming in and going out? This is a key area where thefts can be prevented.
It’s also important to focus on areas of the store that contain particularly high value stock, as this is likely to be a potential theft risk. You should ensure that you have robust measures in place for these goods, as preventing a theft here could dramatically lower the cost of crime for your business.
As part of your risk assessment you need to assess the training that is currently in place for your staff. Do they know how to assess risks themselves and what to do if they see any suspicious activity? They are your eyes and ears on the shop floor, so it’s vital that you make the right use of them.
Implementing new measures
Once you understand the level of risk that you are facing, you can start to look at implementing new security measures to counteract them. Each incident that you prevent can make a difference to your business. Recent data released by the British Retail Consortium showed that the value of items stolen from retailers in any one incident averages £241.
Hiring security guards from a specialist agency, are ideal for retail outlets. They provide you with a focused and professional set of eyes that can be watching constantly for suspicious behavior. When you have security guards stores or outlets across the country, you can make a big difference to the levels of security and, therefore, the cost of crime to your business. Being able to spot potential breakages in outside windows or doors before they happen will stop you having to get an emergency Locksmith Belfast company like http://www.belfastlocksmiths247.co.uk in to help before the damage is made.
Security shouldn’t just be an area you consider once and then forget about. Regularly looking at the levels of security and how they can be improved can bring enormous rewards to your business.
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