There are a number of different factors that come into play when you talk about business security and the risks will differ from industry to industry. However, whatever line of business you are in, you should take certain measures to protect your business.
Security for small businesses is essential. Crime costs businesses around $50 billion each year with some companies being more susceptible than others to the risks of a cyberattack or a physical break-in.
So what can be done to protect your business?
In this article, we’ll let you know how to protect your business. Here are nine ways to improve your business security.
1. Control Your Keys
Does your business have a key-control policy? Access to company buildings, locked areas, and safes should only be provided on the basis of necessity. If you’re providing someone with access to any of these areas, you should document exactly which keys they have.
Create a simple record of what keys your company owns and who is in possession of them at any given time. Every time keys are either issued or returned they should be signed for and witnessed.
2. Install Deadbolts
Preventing intruders from breaking into your business premises will mean making sure that there are plenty of deterrents in place. You should do everything in your power to make the task of breaking in as difficult as possible.
By adding deadbolts to all of your exterior doors, you will be able to reduce the chances of intruders breaking in, or at the very least; slowing them down.
3. Install an Alarm System
Knowing when someone has gained access to your site is essential. A good burglar alarm that detects intruders will not only let you know when someone has broken in, but it will also deter thieves and make them think twice about continuing with their planned break-in.
4. Use Security Cameras
Security cameras serve a dual purpose when it comes to protecting your business. Firstly, they act as a deterrent. Nobody wants to be caught on camera as they know that the evidence can be used against them in court. Secondly, a camera system can be used as a means of surveillance and investigation.
If you have a security camera system installed at your business, unless you have someone monitoring the footage around the clock, you should review any footage periodically.
5. Have a Good Fence
If your business has a perimeter, you should guard this and make it as hard as possible for people to pass through to your actual premises. Hire industrial fencing contractors to install heavy-duty security fencing that will deter would-be thieves from attempting to enter your premises.
Once installed, you should check your fence daily for any signs of forced entry and any weaknesses or vulnerabilities in it.
6. Create a Visitor Management Policy
Who is coming in and out of your business premises? There may be areas of your business that you wouldn’t want unattended or unauthorized personnel entering.
Create a stringent visitor management policy. This should include having all visitors sign in and check their identification when they arrive and to sign out when they depart.
You may also want to make it a policy that all visitors must be escorted everywhere while they are on site.
This will also serve as useful as a record of who is on-site in the event of a fire.
7. Put Someone in Charge of Your Company Security
Appoint someone from your team to take control of all matters of security within your company. This person will have responsibility for the following within your organization:
- Checking that all security measures are in place and have not been breached
- Ensuring that all keyholder information is kept up-to-date
- Arranging maintenance of security systems such as alarms and security cameras
The person that you appoint to this position should also liaise with local law enforcement.
8. Use Strong Passwords
Cybersecurity should be a major concern for your business. According to the FBI, the cumulative cost of cybercrime is $3.5 billion although the actual amount is likely to be much higher.
Strong passwords are important to prevent your data from getting into the wrong hands. One of the ways that you can ensure your business is not put at risk would be to change your passwords regularly.
Have your entire team change their passwords to something new every month.
You may also want to consider using multi-factor authentication to provide additional security. By using biometric information you can ensure that the only people who will be able to log in to your systems will be those who have had an account set up.
Besides multi factor authentication, there are other security parameters that can save passwords like SSL certificates. When a website is having an SSL certificate, the login credentials shared on the web will remain secret and encrypted. Multiple SSL brands are providing different SSL certificates ranging from single domain to cheap wildcard SSL certificate. A site holder can choose any of them as per site’s structure and budget.
9. Think About Industry Specific Risks
As previously mentioned, different industries will face different challenges with regard to their specific security risks. For instance, pawn brokers and jewelers will face a different set of challenges than other retailers, however, for most retailers, shoplifting is a concern.
In sectors such as agriculture or construction, vandalism is a concern and you’ll need to protect your site from attack from this sort of criminal.
Knowing what your specific risks are will allow you to tailor your security to the needs of your business.
Take Your Business Security Seriously
Business security is a serious matter. All businesses whether large or small should take it seriously.
By appointing someone to take responsibility for the installation and maintenance of all of your security systems, you’ll be able to protect your business from harm.
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