10 Ways You Need to Update Your Businesses Physical Security Plan Right Now

There are more than 30 million small businesses operating all over the United States. If you want your business to succeed, you need to keep up with the competition. But a competitive market isn’t the only challenge that small businesses face. 

Nearly a quarter of all the annual burglaries in the US take place on business premises. On top of this, small businesses have a higher burglary rate than bigger organizations because criminals see them as easy targets.

That is why every business owner should have a thorough physical security plan in place. Protecting yourself from burglaries and other types of criminal damage is vital if your business is going to have a future. 

Not sure what sort of physical security planning you need to do to make your business secure? Then you’re in the right place! Read on to find out about the importance of physical security for your business and for our top ten security solutions to include in your plan.

Why is Physical Security Important to Your Business? 

Keeping your business safe from criminals is vital if you want it to succeed. This is why you need a physical security plan in place. 

Planning ahead can prevent break-ins or damage in two ways. Having security measures in place can stop criminals from getting into your business and makes it easy to catch anyone who does get in.

However, having physical security in place can also act as a deterrent. If your building looks like too much of a challenge, many criminals will simply look for an easier option.

Avoiding break-ins benefits your business in several ways. It prevents serious financial damage and loss of information, as well as protecting your employees.

In addition to this, it can help to build trust with your customers. If they feel like their money and information is in safe hands, they’ll feel more confident using your business’ services.

Finally, having decent security measures in place is important for your business’ insurance. If you do have a break-in your insurance company will want to know that you had appropriate security measures in place. Without these, they may refuse to take your claim.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at ten things you should do to ensure your physical security plans will work!

1. Keep Your Doors Up-to-Date

When it comes to renovating your business’ building, whether it’s an office or a store, most people focus on aesthetics. However, it’s important to keep practicalities in mind. 

Your doors play a huge role in how secure your building is, so it’s worth taking the time to find good ones. This is especially true if you have bought or are leasing an older building. 

The latest technology means that your doors can provide more security than ever. You may look for shatterproof glass in them or advanced locking mechanisms.

This is your first line of defense and refitting a secure door will not cost you a lot of money. It could, however, make the world of difference if someone tries to break into your business.

2. Invest in Your Locks

It may sound obvious but the locking mechanisms in your business are a vital part of your security system. Nevertheless, many often forget to update their locks or to change them regularly. 

There are now loads of different options when it comes to locks for your business. You could go for traditional deadlocks or opt for ID-card access. Some businesses now even invest in fingerprint access for extra security.

Whatever you use, make sure it’s something that a criminal won’t be able to manipulate or get around easily.

It’s also worth thinking about having locks throughout your office. Having a lock on the front door is great, but what if someone gets past it? If you have locks on your cabinets and office doors this creates an extra obstacle for thieves!

Having multiple lines of security like this is also known as compartmentalization security and is a great strategy to use.

3. Make Sure You Use Shatterproof Glass

If you have glass in your building, make sure it’s shatterproof. This takes care of a huge weak point in your building.

You can use shatterproof glass in a number of ways. This includes: 

  • Storefront windows
  • External doors
  • Internal doors
  • Office windows
  • Counter separators
  • Glass-fronted cabinets

If you aren’t sure about the glass used in your business premises at the moment, it is worth taking the time to find out more. This could save you a lot of trouble further down the line.

4. Install Surveillance Cameras

Surveillance cameras and systems are a great way to protect your business. They’re a way of ensuring that you are always able to see what is happening within your business.

In fact, often the presence of visible security cameras is enough to deter criminals from breaking into a property. After all, they increase the chances of getting caught. 

Modern surveillance systems even upload video footage directly to digital cloud storage. This means you can watch them anywhere and it prevents criminals from stealing security tapes during a robbery.

5. Get an Alarm System

Alarm systems are a huge deterrent for potential thieves, as they immediately alert people to the break-in.

You could opt for a traditional loud alarm, which will sound the minute someone breaks in. These alert people in the surrounding area and can also link up to the local police station. Often, they startle would-be criminals into fleeing the scene of the crime before they can do much damage. 

However, if you want to catch criminals then you may prefer to go for a silent alarm. These send a message to the local cops immediately about a break-in. However, the criminal won’t know they’ve been caught until the cops actually show up, so there’s a better chance of catching them in the act.

6. Monitor Comings and Goings 

Not all criminals will break into your building in the dead of night. In fact, a break-in can be much easier to do during the day, when there are lots of distractions. Because of this, it is a good idea to monitor who comes and goes from your building.

You can do this by having security cameras on all the entrances and exits to the building. Having employee keycards can also help you to track who is in the building and when. This is important for the safety of your staff as well as for the security of your business.

7. Stay Aware of Your Weak Spots 

No building is without its weak spots and knowing yours is vital to keeping it secure.

If your building has air conditioning vents or uses a filter system, for example, make sure that these have their own locks and alarm systems. If you have a security team on your premises, make sure that these weak spots are part of their regular patrol. 

On top of this, be aware that security risks may be temporary. For example, if someone is replacing a storefront window this creates a new weak spot in the store’s security. To combat this, make sure you put in additional security when this kind of work is carried out on your business premises.

8. Install a Panic System

If criminals do break into your business during the daytime, this poses a serious threat to your employees. Having an internal panic system in place ensures they get to safety as quickly as possible. 

This may involve installing panic bars, security alert buttons, or even a panic room. It is important that all your employees are fully briefed on what to do in the event of a break-in.

9. Back-Up Your Alarms With Physical Sensors

Alarm systems are good but they often need support from extra physical sensors. This is another type of compartmentalization security.

Alarm systems often work off one or two triggers. So if a criminal gets into your building via a different route they might not set off the alarm. 

You can fit extra sensors to detect movements in all the doorways and windows throughout your buildings. This ensures that the whole of your building is covered by your alarm system, making it much more secure.

10. Get Help From a Security Management Team

You may be thinking that this sounds like a lot to manage—and you’re right. Maintaining high-level security for your business is a big job.

Ideally, you want someone to keep an eye on your security cameras at all times, and check that your locks are up to date.

This is why a lot of people choose to outsource their security needs to physical security consulting companies such as Patrol Points. These companies are experts in everything security-related.

They’ll be able to assess your current security arrangements and recommend strategies to improve them. On top of this, they’ll take care of running your new arrangements so you can relax and focus on your business.

Update Your Physical Security Plan Today!

Having a thorough physical security plan in place protects your business so that you can focus on growing its success. For more tips on how to grow and protect your business, keep scrolling! 

Adam Hansen
 

Adam is a part time journalist, entrepreneur, investor and father.