Small Business Security Tips

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Small Business Security Tips

If there is something that can severely affect a business, it’s someones unethical decisions to perform a robbery or theft.

The starting point to talk about security is to convince the business owner or administrator. Why? For two important reasons:

  • The issue of prevention is something that is not visible to the naked eye, much less the benefits that this brings unless an event happens.
  • Generally, the security costs are very high, but if you want high-quality protection you must pay what is necessary. Therefore, we must be very clear on the importance of implementing low-cost security measures and strategies that protect your business without exceeding budget limits.

The second important aspect is to be clear about the areas that must be protected against attacks and attacks and according to the studies, the main ones are:

  • Foreign Security.
  • Internal Security.
  • Informatic security.

Of course, in addition to allocating a certain budget to security (between 5% and 20%), you can observe a series of measures and habits that will help reduce the possibility of risks and save hundreds of pesos in protection systems:

  • Select a reliable staff:

Optimize your recruitment processes and human resources to hire creditworthy people who lack as much as possible of financial problems to reduce the possibility of temptations within the business. In the positions where you have to manage the money, it is recommended that you study socioeconomic because it is very reliable and helps us when hiring.

  • Be very jealous of the information:

In any business, information is one of the most important assets. Therefore, anyone should be prohibited from having access to customer information, products, inventories, prices and types of data. And much less financial and banking information. Be selective and allow only a few people you trust to have access to.

  • Use formal control mechanisms:

Many businesses in their desire to reduce costs use informal accounting mechanisms that are often entirely at the discretion of employees, allowing the possibility of altering systems and reporting less actual billing. To have better control of the business, it is necessary to make a good investment in automated control systems. Some of these may be cash registers, inventory systems, and warehouse software.

  • Train staff against criminal events:

It never hurts to pay a security company to train staff on how to act in cases of critical situations or to prevent possible attacks such as robberies, kidnappings, and assaults. If you want to reduce losses in any possible situation, it is better to train an employee for it.

  • Security alarms:

There is nothing more effective and immediate response to any alert thanks to a well-equipped alarm system, suitable for optimal performance in spaces with a large flow of people, such as your business. Always rely on the alert capacity that alarms may have. Each time the technology is more impossible for thieves because their accessibility is increasingly complex for them, wireless systems for example, which gives an aggregate of interconnectivity and multiple users in the alert. Configure your alarm wherever you are thanks to the technology of activation and remote deactivation: this innovative system will achieve that a simple forgetfulness is no longer inconvenient.

  • Electronic security systems:

If your budget allows or needs demand, you can install a surveillance camera system that allows you to monitor both the movements of customers within your business, as well as the actions of your employees within the business. Some systems can be very functional with one or two cameras and there are even systems that allow remote monitoring from the Internet either at home or from any local IP camera.

  • Invest in insurance:

Another useful alternative especially if your business is located in high-risk areas is the acquisition of insurance. Insurance can be much less expensive than you can think and be very useful when recovering your assets. Consider insurance against theft, fire or total or partial destruction of your assets.

  • Reinforce security in the premises or office:

Thinking strategically about protection means determining the possible weak points where an offender could try to enter your facilities. In that sense, reinforce your main doors and windows with access to the street with more resistant materials or safer locks.

  • Install automatic infrared lights:

Infrared security lights placed in corridors, patios, and offices can be very useful to ward off intruders. These systems can be obtained even in the supermarket, they are cheap and it will not take you more than about 30 minutes to install.

  • Make backup copies.

In case something happens, you can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that you have a backup of your system and your data. Carry out all these precautions and you will see how the risk of suffering a breach of security of your business data decreases. Let yourself be helped by Microsoft and your effort will be rewarded!

  • Other recommendations.

Always be alert to strange behaviors on the part of your employees that may denote suspicious activity such as:

  • Arrivals and departures after hours.
  • Altered documents
  • Small missing box (anti-theft)
  • Use of backpacks or bags when entering or leaving the company.

Recommended actions in case of being the victim of a criminal event finally, if with all of you or your business have been victims of robbery, assault or kidnapping. Or if you detect any fraudulent activity within your organization, always observe these actions:

  • Stay calm.
  • Report immediately to the police in your area, they will know how to proceed.
  • Avoid defending or reacting violently against assailants or thieves.
  • Avoid touching objects in your premises if it is presumed criminal presence.
  • Make a formal report of what happened.
  • Evaluate the situation and reinforce your security measures in general.

If you have an established business, you need to take certain measures, since small businesses are often one of the favorite victims of thefts. You should also consider that there are external risks that can cause great damage to the functioning of your company.

Insecurity is a problem that can affect us all equally, the difference is in knowing how to reduce that risk to suffer from being a victim of criminals. Remember to follow these simple recommendations and make them part of your routine.