Congratulations! You’re opening a new business location. Whether this is your first one, your fifth or your hundredth, we know your mind is going a mile a minute right now. And no surprise, since there’s plenty to think about. Fit-outs, staffing, suppliers, signage, and employees. With all that going on, security tends to be something that’s dealt with fairly late in the process. But in reality, security is something that needs to be thought about from the start, because the earlier you think about it, the easier and more cost-effective it is to get it right. To help you out, we’ve put together a practical checklist to help you secure you new location properly from day 1.
Start with a Risk Assessment
Before you start looking at cameras or alarm systems, you need to understand your building and how your business will run from it. Then carry out a basic risk assessment, looking at things like:
- The type of business you’re running.
- The value of the stock or equipment you’ll have on-site.
- Your opening hours.
- Foot traffic in the surrounding area.
- The number of entry and exit points.
A retail shop, office, warehouse and hospitality venue all operate differently, and so they have different risk profiles and different security options will fit best. Understanding all of this means you can choose the best solution for you, rather than just choosing something out of a catalogue.
Secure Your Entry Points
Most incidents, whether a break in or a daytime theft, happen through the simplest routes. Doors and windows. So this should be where you focus your attention first. Are the doors all solid, well-fitted and properly locked? Do you need to upgrade the locks or switch to a smart locking system? Are any rear or side entrances protected as well? If you have windows, are they standard glazing, reinforced or alarmed? It all sounds very basic, but physical security is your first and most important layer of protection, so it’s important not to neglect it.
Install CCTV Where it Actually Matters
CCTV systems with visible cameras are one of the most effective deterrents for thieves, but only if they’re placed correctly. If they’re in the wrong places, then potential intruders won’t care and will go ahead anyway. Key areas your CCTV should be covering include:
- Entrances and exits
- Tills and any payment areas
- High-value stock zones
- Stock rooms and delivery areas
- Blind spots on the shop floor
Don’t Forget Back of House
Front-of-house is usually what gets the most security attention, especially in retail and hospitality settings. In theory, this makes sense, since this is where the public will be and theoretically the highest risk for theft or vandalism. But a surprising number of thefts are done by employees, so you need to make sure your back of house is protected too.
Control Access
As your team grows, you’ll need to think about access control. This is how you make sure that only employees can access the back of house areas, and control which employees can access which areas. There are a number of different ways you can do this, including using keycards or fobs, mobile-based access, and restricting access to sensitive areas using keys. All of these create accountability, and make it easier to manage staff changes without needing to replace locks.
Think About Out of Hours
Your business is most vulnerable when it’s empty. So, this is when your security needs to be at its highest and tightest. Consider things like monitored alarm systems, external lighting around entrances and car parks, cameras with remote access, and receiving notifications for unexpected activity so that you can respond accordingly.
Build Security In
This is one that often gets missed, but it can make all the difference. If you’re fitting out a new space, then you have the chance to get ahead on all of it. Simple design choices can improve your security in both passive and active ways. Things like creating clear sightlines across shop floors, positioning tills where staff can see entrances, avoiding hidden corners or blind spots, and keeping high-value items in visible or controlled areas. It’s much easier to design these in now than it is to fix them later!
Plan for Maintenance and Support
Another easily forgotten thing is that security systems aren’t one-time installations. Over time, you’ll need to maintain it, repair it, or even replace elements that get damaged. System checks, servicing, software updates, support if something stops working, even adjusting the system as your business evolves, all need planning for. So make sure you have an idea of how you’ll do that, so that your system can stay reliable long after opening day.
We know, that’s a lot to take in! But it’s absolutely worth doing now. At Securifix, we often work with businesses who wish they’d thought about security earlier, since retrofitting systems after opening can be much more disruptive and expensive than building them in from day 1. Often they don’t even need the most complex or expensive system – just something that’s well-planned and layered, that can fit and grow with your business. If you’d like some help to figure out what you need and how to implement it, just speak to the Securifix team today.
