6 Tips To Prevent Theft In Your Establishment

What are some good tips to prevent theft in your establishment?

1. Hire professional security personnel
2. Consider a criminal record check when hiring
3. Train staff in excellent customer service
4. Implement accountability on staff
5. Keep a record of all your assets
6. Deter criminals with a security system

Thieves, burglars, or robbers—whether these criminals use force, illegally enter your property, or quietly shoplift, they will target any establishment to get what they want. Because most businesses keep cash inside the building—even if only for the short-term—they pose as temptations to these troublemakers. To help you, below are tips to prevent theft. Keep on reading.

Hire Professional Security Personnel

A strong deterrent to criminal activity is the presence of security personnel. This is the reason why banks hire them. In the event of suspicious activity, they are trained to take the next steps to mitigate the situation. This prevents suspects from getting away and customers from getting hurt.

Aside from that, an establishment with security personnel can also improve your customer service. Visitors and clients will feel at peace inside your building and they can rely on these professionals to help them with basic services—such as escorting them to dimly lit parking areas, for example.

Consider A Criminal Record Check When Hiring

Besides outsiders, thieves can also come from your staff—especially if you don’t know much about them. You may see red flags such as changes in spending habits, preference to work alone, and changes in productivity. Concerning this, you might notice inventory and financial discrepancies with no one to blame it to.

To prevent this from happening, conduct a thorough background check before you hire applicants. Aside from the usual employment history investigation, a criminal check will point you to any bad hires. You might be surprised that some of them may have criminal records not just for theft.

Train Staff In Excellent Customer Service

You can’t profile shoplifters by their appearance. In this case, the better dressed the criminal, the higher their chance of completing their task. This is because they don’t look like a thief, so your staff won’t pay attention to their every move.

To deter shoplifters, good store management is a big factor. On every shift, allocate enough workers to ensure that at least one will remain while the others are in the backroom. Making your staff available to every customer makes them feel that they are being watched. A simple greeting or helping hand is enough to achieve this.

Implement Accountability On Staff

In the workplace, each worker should have their own responsibilities. Rank and file employees have a different task compared to managers, which means that not every document or room can be accessed by all staff members. When you hold them accountable for their duties, you can expect a reduction in internal theft.

For example, all cashiers will answer for their respective cash boxes. Employees who are tasked to receive cash are different from those who file the receipts. Front-facing staff is given access to general areas, while only managers can enter the room with a safe. To restrict entry, you can also use a door access control system.

Keep A Record Of All Your Assets

From products, office equipment, and linen—keeping a record of all your assets will prevent loss and help you track theft. You can do this by installing RFID tags on your property and investing in an asset tracking solution. A reader can conveniently record the existence of all items in a room, informing you of any object out of place.

For example, if you operate a gown-renting business, you might not notice that the returned dress is different from what you lent. But because of the RFID tag, you can hold the customer accountable for this situation. Another instance is for hotels that hire a third-party laundry service. You can prevent lost pillowcases because the system records the linen that is left at the store.

Deter Criminals With A Security System

The most effective and cost-efficient way to prevent theft in your establishment is to invest in an integrated security solution. Depending on your requirements, you can use a combination of features to keep your building safe from both internal and external thieves.

For example, the visitor management system helps you screen all guests, giving you a way to store their pictures and ID. You can also restrict both outsiders’ and staff’s access to lifts and doors, giving them less of a chance to enter important rooms. If you have CCTVs, these can be combined with an intrusion alarm system to notify you of forced door entries and other criminal activity.

With all these benefits and more, you will be at peace even if you leave your building.

Key Takeaway

Theft prevention involves the hiring process, staff training, asset management, and investing in an integrated security solution. With this holistic method, you can assure that every nook and cranny of your building is safe from thieves.

For more tips to prevent theft, you can contact Elid. Aside from providing you with various security solutions, they can help you find the right fit for your establishment.