Keeping yourself, staff, and your products safe and secure inside your store should be a top priority every single day. The reasons for doing this are seemingly endless, but most importantly to minimise the chance of loss (product or profit) and the health and wellbeing of your workforce. There are many risks associated with a common retail or convenience store, most of which can be prevented or at least minimised with a little bit of thought and a few precautionary measures. It shouldn’t be too hard to ensure security throughout your store, but if you think you may need a little help then carry on reading to find out where to start.
Protecting Products From Theft
A large amount of profit can be lost through not protecting your products properly. If you fail to install any kind of precautionary measures, thief’s will see your store as an easy target and you will start to see your stock dwindle. This is also the same situation for untrustworthy staff, as they will see your lack of security as a chance to pick some extra cash or products. One of the best ways to prevent these situations from happening is by installing some kind of CCTV system throughout your store. With the extra bonus of security camera POS integration you can keep tabs on what is happening at the till, as this is where most of the money you receive gets handled and stored each day, and is usually the way out of your store for customers. If you carry some more expensive products, you may want to think about fixing electronic tags to said items that can only be removed by you and will trigger some kind of alarm if they are taken from the premises. This will decrease your levels of theft drastically, because the tag will be unremovable for the average person and will then render the product completely without value or function. These tags are not expensive to purchase and do not cause damage to the products they are attached to, so it really is a no brainer.
Managing Crowds On Busy Days
If your store is on a high street or in a city center, its probable that at times you will feel somewhat overwhelmed with the number of customers you serve in any given day, especially on weekends. This can bring a whole host of different risks and dangers, including damage to products and safety concerns for staff. If too many people pile into your store, there’s also an increased likelihood of one of your customers being hurt too. Any stock on display could be knocked over, produce could fall off shelves, and staff will have too many people to watch to notice any bad behaviour or stealing. One of the best ways to combat these problems is to hire a security guard or 2 during your peak hours, to limit the number of customers that are able to enter and ensure the safety and security of everyone inside when its gets a little busier. They can also act as a deterrent for any hopeful thieves, as they will see your extra efforts and probably take their chances elsewhere.
Security Outside Working Hours
Your store in still under threat when you close the doors at the end of each trading day. As soon as you and your staff leave the premises, the only level of security you were able to keep is gone you won’t discover any foul play until when you arrive the next morning. There are a few easy ways that you can keep your store safe outside working hours, one of the best being the installation of roller shutters. They can provide you with an extra layer of protection from the outside world, and work to keep your store and it’s contents secure and inaccessible. Simply locking the door behind you isn’t enough to protect your business, especially if your store is lined with glass windows that could easily be smashed or broken. By making the investment, you can have confidence that you will return the next day to find your store in the same condition as yesterday, with the shutters having successfully done their job through the night. Another great way of protecting your business when no one is around is by installing a security camera on the outside of the premises. This can be streamed through onto your phone or laptop, so you can check your store at any time, and also keep a record of anything if it were to happen.
General Healthy & Safety
Everyday smaller risks should still be taken into consideration, as they can be just as dangerous as bigger situations if not handled properly. Consider any possible fire hazards around your store, and make sure that you have the right equipment to deal with any kind of blaze that may break out. Invest in the suitable signage, such as wet floor signs to notify any customers of a potential slip risk in their path. Give your staff the sufficient training when it comes to using ladders or any other equipment that might pose a danger, so they can feel confident and ready whenever the time comes to use them. It’s useful to just take a slow walk around your store every so often, so that you can assess the different risks to customers and staff, and then take steps to resolve or minimize the issues you discover.
Hopefully the information above can help you ensure maximum levels of safety inside your store. With a little bit of forward thinking and the installation of some new security technology, you can be confident that your workforce and products are out of harm’s way at all times. Even a small issue has the potential of becoming a massive problem, so don’t overlook anything raised by staff or customers and be committed to finding a resolution. Don’t forget about the security of your online store if you have one, as there are equally as many different dangers out on the internet too!
Recent Comments