5 Low Cost Tips to Securing Your Business at Night

When it’s time to go home for the day, the last thing you want to do is worry about the security of your business. Unfortunately, there is no silver bullet that will completely eliminate every risk your business is exposed to during non-business hours. Although alarm systems, camera systems, and safes have come down in price, they still may not be an option for many businesses. The good news is there are some low-cost things you can do to reduce your risk.    

Listed below are five low-cost recommendations to improve your small business’s security.    

1. Have good lighting—both inside and outside. Good lighting is critical to improve both the safety and security of your business.
   • Adequate exterior lighting near every exit and entrance is a must. Bright lights expose anyone near the entrance and make them more noticeable to people passing by.
   • It is important to leave some lights on inside your business during non-business hours. This allows two key things to happen. First, if you have cameras, the lights will help your cameras see what’s going on and give you a clearer picture. Second, lights will allow people passing by to see what’s going on inside and call police if needed. If you decide to leave lights on inside your business, make sure everything of value has been put away and secured. 
2. Upgrade your locks. Standard door knob locks are a basic solution to securing your business. Unfortunately, these locks do not offer a high level of security and can often be defeated within a short amount of time. To elevate your security, consider adding the following: 
   • A lock plate can be added to the locking mechanism on a door to improve its effectiveness. 
   • Door bars placed on the interior door frame are a good option to significantly improve the stability of the door. 
   • Metal gates are more affordable than you think and can be used to add protection to any store front. These gates are particularly helpful for securing store fronts that are primarily made of glass.  
3. Create a secured space in your business. To protect valuable items, select a space large enough to house the items and work to increase the security of that space. You can use anything from a locked drawer to an entire room.  This may not be as secure as a professional safe, but it will provide additional security for your items. It is also important to create a nightly procedure for your employees to make sure they secure this area before leaving for the night. Using a checklist that requires initials can serve as a reminder and help with accountability.
4. Complete a perimeter walk. Verify all access points (doors, windows) are locked and secured. Complete this walk right before leaving for the night. This may seem like an obvious step, but doors that are locked at closing time may be unlocked by customers or employees who exit the building after you close. 
5. Present a secured environment. It is important to put procedures in place to reduce your chances of being seen as a target for theft:
   • Remove large bills and excess cash from all cash registers throughout the day. Be sure to place cash in  a safe or secured area.
   • Never count down the cash registers in view of the public. If possible, find an area with a locked door to complete any cash handling processes.
   • Remove high-priced items from display cases or front windows every night. Place these items in a secured area out of site of the public.    

By implementing these low-cost security measures, you can significantly reduce the risk of theft and ensure that your business remains safe during non-business hours. Remember, the key to effective security is consistency and vigilance.