Small businesses are vulnerable to various security threats which can cause loss and harm, both financially and physically. Threats can come in many forms such as an intrusion into premises or malicious damage to property.
Addressing these challenges is crucial for protecting sensitive information, maintaining business continuity, and safeguarding customers’ and clients’ trust.
Abbey Security Services explore the greatest security threats facing small businesses in East Anglia and how you can help to prevent them.
Burglary & Theft
Small businesses have many items which are attractive to thieves. Some are more visible such as stock, retail merchandise and cash but other assets, which are essential to your business, are also valuable to thieves such as vehicles, equipment, tools, computers, and data. Any business which is running or operating retail premises, warehousing, or manufacturing sites can benefit from static manned guarding as an effective way to deter criminals. From guarding retail shopping parks to manning gate controls at a construction site, security guards are professionally trained to spot a potential thief or intruder and know how to handle most situations that arise.
Unexpected visitors
Visitors that are unaccounted for can present a security risk to small businesses. If you are not aware or don’t know the purpose of someone’s visit to your premises, it is possible they could be there to carry out a criminal act. This could include theft, violence, accessing confidential data or scoping the premises to commit burglary.
Certain businesses, such as warehousing and logistics companies, receive visitors daily in the form of individuals delivering and collecting goods. Without adequate security measures, such as a driver booking-in procedure, there is a risk of visitors accessing warehouse areas where goods can be stolen. Repeat visitors in particular can gain knowledge of the site and how it operates, allowing them to spot vulnerabilities which they can exploit for their own gain.
Tailgating
Tailgating isn’t just something experienced on the road, it also occurs where a potential criminal follows someone, often an employee, into business premises. Even with secure access control in place, a criminal will use cunning tactics to gain access, playing on the politeness of those who hold the door open behind them, for example.
Installing anti-tailgating barriers, which allow only one person to enter secure areas at a time, is one way to deter this. Trained security officers can also be used to control access at entry points and provide CCTV monitoring to identify individuals that may be unaccounted for and raise the alarm.
Vandalism
Causing damage and disruption to premises, vandalism can put your business on hold. Whether it’s a smashed window, broken equipment, or a slashed tyre it could mean having to temporarily close your business or halt operations while repairs are being carried out which, as well as being costly, means a loss of income. Preventing vandalism will help your business remain strong and keep you from losing customers.
Posted on April 15, 2024