Partner Article

Keeping your business safe and secure over the winter months.

Most of us look forward to the festive period with relish and glee. With many of us getting extended time off work, parties to look forward to, time with the family and possibly even a Christmas bonus, it’s packed with treats and fun times. But while many of us allow ourselves time off for revelry and relaxation, some people are working harder than ever. For thieves and burglars, petty criminals and robbers, Christmas is the North Star on the calendar. With houses full of gifts, shops full of goodies and wallets full of cash, opportunity is rife for criminals to turn the Christmas good will to their sinister favour.

If your business shuts up shop for Christmas, the building(s) are vacant and work is a forgotten distraction. This is primetime for the opportunist thief to take advantage of potentially lax and vulnerable security. Crime statistics show us that the number of UK homes and businesses hit by burglars rises by around 2% over the Christmas period. While this may not sound much, with one home being burgled every 37 seconds or so in the UK during non-seasonal months, a two percent rise is actually quite considerable.

What can you do to keep the burglars out?

Front of house.

There is a natural inclination for businesses to fear the worst when it comes to crime. You have worked hard to build up your establishment and you don’t want any uninvited guests causing harm. As a result, you’ll see many shops, warehouses and offices fitted with the biggest, ugliest barricades possible to ward off intruders. The knock on effect of this can actually cause some damage. Customers can be left to feel uneasy and a little worried by such equipment. They may start to feel they are in a crime zone, and the simple aesthetics of this is enough to put some people off. The market today is varied and caters for the needs of each individual business. It offers an expansive and visually appealing range of shutters for offices, warehouses and shops which are designed to stave off criminals whilst maintaining an inviting appearance for customers. Modern shutters are being designed to allow through-the-shutter browsing for window shoppers, which is great for high street shops. The importance of the visual effect cannot be underestimated. In 2013, insurers paid out £3million to business owners in commercial claims every single day on average. (Source: Association of British Insurers).

Alarm Systems and CCTV.

The importance of an effective, reliable alarm system cannot be underestimated. By having an alarm system which is linked up to your security provider, and in turn the police, should you fall victim to a break in then the reaction time will be so much faster. The chances of catching the criminal(s) in the act are therefore greater, and the damage to your assets limited. Have motion sensors tucked away out of view of customers, but have a clear sign to inform criminals you have alarms and cameras in place. CCTV technology has evolved dramatically in recent years, and you can ensure your business is further protected with a disguised but effective array of cameras across the exterior and interior of your business.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by A1S Group .