How to Protect Your Business

Expert’s five tips to protect your business from theft.

Crime rates against businesses are on the rise, with a staggering 90% of businesses in the USA having experienced theft at their stores. Even more concerningly, 88% of retailers said that they felt shoplifters have been more aggressive this year compared to last.

“These concerning statistics highlight the importance of business owners being on the ball about security,” says Automatic Technology (ATA). “To that end, we recommend these security measures for businesses.”

See Everything With A Well-Designed Store Layout

“A well-designed store layout should allow staff to have clear lines of sight throughout the store, minimizing blind spots where theft could occur unnoticed,” ATA says. “Place high-value items in areas monitored by staff to increase the likelihood of thieves getting caught or deterred from taking anything.”

Display Only A Few High-Value Items

Displaying fewer high-value items reduces the temptation for thieves and makes it easier for staff to monitor and notice any suspicious activity around them. Moreover, keeping high-value items in secure display cases or behind counters further deters theft.

Train Your Staff To Spot A Shoplifter

“Training your staff to recognize common tricks used by thieves ,can stop them from getting hoodwinked,” ATA advises. “Staff are one of your key lines of defense, so investing in their training is a must.”

Training should include tips on how to recognize suspicious behavior, handle security incidents calmly, and know when and how to contact law enforcement or trigger store alarms effectively.

Restrict Who Has A Key

Restricting access to keys ensures that only authorized personnel can enter secure areas where valuable items or sensitive information may be stored. Also, the fewer keys there are, the lower the likelihood of a staff member losing a key or having it stolen, which could then be used for a break-in.

Protect Entry Points With Grilles And Shutters

Physical barriers like grilles and shutters make it harder for intruders to gain entry and can deter potential thieves, who will likely be put off by the increased difficulty of accessing the premises. Shutters over a shop’s front windows also have the added benefit of protecting them from accidental damage.

“Thieves are always looking for easy targets – an unlocked door, a smashable window, and so on,” ATA explains. “It’s impossible to make your premises completely impenetrable, but in reality, you don’t need to. If your shopfront is the hardest to crack open and your staff are always looking for shoplifters, thieves will likely switch their attention to easier targets.”