Whether it’s your first, third or fifteenth business location, it’s always an exciting time. Setting up new business premises brings a lot of interesting challenges with it – from choosing a location to styling the interior – but one of the first things you should do when opening a new store, branch or location is to address the security of the property.
This month, we’ll provide a number of key steps for securing your new business premises, which will help you to protect your staff and visitors as well as your future profits. Getting these important details right will put you in the best position moving forward and allow you to get on with making your business flourish.
Step 1
Locks
Once you get the keys to your new premises, start thinking about how you’ll lock the building up once you start operations. You may want to replace existing locks with superior systems to increase security and reduce the risk of a previous tenant/owner regaining access when they shouldn’t. You may need to discuss lock changes if you’re leasing the building or are part of a complex with multiple occupants.
Step 2
Intruder Alarms
If you’re not there and someone decides to target your premises for theft or vandalism, you’ll want to raise the alarm automatically as quickly as possible. At Fire Action we offer a number of intruder alarms, from commercial alarms to wireless and remote alarms. Not only will this deter thieves, but it will ensure you are alerted immediately if the alarm is ever triggered, giving you peace of mind when you leave the premises.
Step 3
Door & Window Covers
If you have numerous doors on your premises or large windows, you might want to consider shutters or covers. These provide an added layer of security and can stop vandals causing mindless damage to your property, something which will result in a negative image for your business but which will also cost you to repair.
Step 4
CCTV
The ultimate weapon in setting up and securing your premises is CCTV. Whether it captures potential thieves and vandals on camera for police to use or helps you to keep an eye on staff and equipment while you’re not there, CCTV helps to protect everyone. Plus, thieves are much less likely to target a property with CCTV over one without it.
Step 5
Access Control
Controlling who can gain access to your property is important for many businesses – especially for offices where there are a lot of people coming and going and a lot of important equipment. Using access control panels provide an added layer of security, all without the need for it to be manned.
Step 6
Security Lighting
From lighting which comes on inside at night to provide a view into your premises for any security guards, to lighting which is triggered by motion outside, think about how lighting can help with securing your property. You can deter would-be thieves and also make any night security team’s job easier.
Step 7
WiFi Encryption
Once you’ve tackled a lot of the physical security it’s time to think about securing your internet. A lot of businesses rely heavily on the internet now for placing orders and conducting business via email. It’s important to keep this protected with a secure WiFi network like WEP or WPA. Consult your IT and telecoms provider for more details on how to secure your network and keep unwanted people out.