Many businesses focused on e-commerce after consumers opted to shop online to avoid catching the virus when the pandemic started. The situation highlighted the importance of cybersecurity to protect the personal and financial information of businesses’ customers.
After the situation improved, people started to visit physical shops as the economy began to recover. Businesses also had to respond accordingly and strengthen the physical security of their shops to protect their assets, employees, and properties from damage or theft.
So, they had to implement measures to reduce the risk of damage and theft in their physical stores. Here are some measures these businesses implemented.
Controlling Access into the Business
The first thing that businesses should do is to control access into their premises. Installing digital locks allows them to know who entered and exited the employee’s door of the store. These digital locking systems allow business owners to limit access to the employees of the store.
Adjusting the system also allows them to provide access to specific employees into different areas in the store. For instance, access to the storage area is only provided to inventory personnel. Other members of the staff will not be able to access this area in the store.
Businesses have several options in controlling access, including using a swipe card, fingerprint scanner, keypad, and key fob. They should provide each member of the staff personalized access to allow businesses to monitor who entered or exited the store. Each time the staff uses the swipe card or fingerprint scanner, the system records their entry or exit to or from the premises.
Aside from controlling access in the front gate, the business should also ensure the premises is well-protected. It should set up composite fencing to prevent unauthorized entry into the property. The fence uses durable materials that require little to no maintenance. Additionally, it prevents anyone from the outside from seeing what is going on inside the property.
Installing a Video Surveillance System
Another security measure that businesses should implement is installing a video surveillance system inside and outside the store. Aside from deterring crime, security cameras also provide evidence if any criminal activity took place inside the store. Even if businesses implement measures to prevent crime, it’s always a good idea to have video evidence in case a crime happens inside the store.
Security cameras inside the store also deter pilferage and internal theft. It also allows the business to encourage productivity among its employees and deter horseplay. An indoor camera also deters shoplifting in retail stores. Additionally, it’s advisable to ask someone to monitor the video cameras from the security office to the real-time handling of any security incident on the premises.
Setting Up Exterior Lights
Exterior lights also provide security at the store at night. It prevents potential thieves from hiding in dark areas around the store. When used together with a video surveillance system, exterior lights will discourage criminals from targeting the store. Criminals opt to avoid well-lighted properties since it’s easy for people to spot them when they enter the premises.
Additionally, exterior lights help keep the employees safe when they leave work at night. Employees feel safer when they walk to their cars at night in a large parking lot that’s well-lighted. The store should also install motion-activated lights to save on electricity expenses. These lights turn on when some passes close to the sensor of the light. Setting up the sensors in strategic locations in the property will catch anyone trying to enter the store at night.
Using Identification Cards
Identification (ID) cards are also important for a business to maintain security in its property. Using ID cards allows managers and security personnel to know who is inside the employees-only areas in the property.
This is particularly true for big businesses that have a lot of employees on their payroll. Since it’s challenging to know everyone, an ID card verifies if a person walking around the store is an employee.
Businesses can also incorporate their access control system into the ID card. This facilitates entry and exit into the premises. It also allows businesses to monitor the attendance of the employees.
Requiring Visitors to Sign In
Requiring visitors who enter restricted areas to sign in is another simple yet effective security measure. It allows businesses to verify the identity of visitors before they are allowed to enter the property. The system also allows businesses to check if the visitor has a valid reason for entering the employee-only areas of the store.
Keeping the physical store of businesses secure is important to prevent incidents that result in injuries or losses for these businesses.
