When it comes to retail security and loss prevention, for a lot of businesses it can be hard to know where to start. From everyday security to emergency procedures to staff awareness and education, there’s a lot to consider. Security relates to not only the protection of inventory, assets and financial stability, but the safety and wellbeing of staff and customers as well. When considering security, it’s important to acknowledge that every business is unique, and so their needs will be unique as well. For this reason, undertaking a security audit is often the best place to start. Take a look at the steps involved in a professional security audit:
Identify Weaknesses
Sometimes the hardest part of creating a security plan is identifying what the actual threats to security are. Often a professional with years of experience and expertise can identify certain security factors that, to anyone else, may not even appear to be remotely related to security. Retail security is not only about shoplifting, it’s also about accessibility, the safety of staff and customers, the physical layout of a retail space, the way that inventory and products are displayed, stored and managed, where and how money is managed, how staff use or do not use technology, online practices and cybersecurity, information sharing, staff education and training, and much more. Even something as simple as your store’s points of entry can have a significant impact on your needs and subsequent planning. A security audit starts by identifying the assets that need protecting, and then approaches the security of those assets from all angles, ensuring that any weakness or potential threat is accounted for.
Analyze Risk
Once the assets, weak points and potential security threats within your business have been identified, these then need to fully analyzed. Going over the identified weaknesses with security professionals, alongside you or members of your team, allows for a comprehensive understanding of your business, the security gaps that need to be addressed, and how each of those impacts your day to day operations. Obtaining a full picture of the overall activities and the overall health of your store is what will lead to the very best plan in terms of loss prevention and safety. Analyzing all risk factors from a security-specific perspective identifies and accounts for security gaps and leads to better overall safety and loss prevention measures.
Create Solutions
Once the risks have been identified and analyzed, a solution needs to be created. Solutions should be uniquely tailored to each scenario and context. No two businesses are the exact same, and so their plans wont look the exact same either. An audit leaves a business with specific and specialized recommendations to improve security and prevent loss. These recommendations could include things such as undercover or uniformed security officers on site, updated or new technology and equipment, new emergency response procedures, new security protocols, training and education for staff, or the implementation of cybersecurity measures. A security audit leaves your business with a full, specific set of actionable and practical next steps.
Security audits are about observing, analyzing and creating solutions, and they’re a great way to begin the process of protecting your retail business against theft, vandalism and any other potential security breach. If you want to know more about how your business could benefit from a security audit, contact us today! The decades of experience and expertise that our professional team has means that the solutions you receive have been tested and proven to provide results.
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