More than 400,000 business premises in England and Wales experience crime each year, with theft and burglary being the most common offences. With such a high risk of sustaining financial loss due to crime, it’s vital that businesses take steps to protect their premises. To ensure you’re effectively minimising the risk of theft, take a look at these 8 top tips to protect your commercial property.

1. Complete Regular Security Audits

Before you take any action, be sure to conduct a strategic security audit to highlight potentially vulnerable areas of your premises. This will ensure you’re aware of on-site locations that pose the most risk and can modify your security protocols accordingly.

Remember – maintaining optimal security is a long-term process and risk factors can change over time. By scheduling regular audits, you can ensure you’re fully aware of any emerging risks and have the bandwidth to implement timely and effective solutions.

2. Publicise CCTV Surveillance

CCTV is an obvious choice for businesses that want to deter thieves from targeting their premises, but it’s only an effective deterrent if would-be criminals are aware of its presence. While CCTV can help to identify thieves after a crime has been committed, publicising your use of CCTV can act as a deterrent and help to prevent theft before it occurs.

Companies are generally required to disclose if CCTV is in use, particularly if staff are likely to be seen on camera, but you can amplify this message to deter thieves with clear signage, motion-activated audio alerts and illuminated cameras.

3. Use Real-Time Monitoring

If you’re going to install a state-of-the-art CCTV system, make sure it offers real-time monitoring so you can remain fully aware of what’s happening at your business premises at any time. As well as being able to view camera feeds, remote monitoring systems often enable you to set up real-time alerts. This means you’ll know if any unauthorised personnel gain access to your premises, so you can take action straight away.

No matter how committed you are to protecting your business, no one can be available 24/7. By using a real-time monitoring system, alerts can be sent directly to police and/or an off-site security company so that professionals can respond to any threat instantly.

4. Introduce Security Protocols

Advanced security systems can be highly effective, providing they are used correctly. This means your staff will need to follow relevant security procedures to reduce the risk of unauthorised access, theft, burglary and crime in general.

From knowing which doors can remain unlocked to checking a guest’s identity before allowing them access to your premises, there are numerous ways you can reduce the risk of theft simply by training your staff to be more security-conscious.

5. Install Security Barriers

Security barriers are a highly effective way to protect both the perimeter of your site and specific areas of your premises.

Fixed barriers, like our heavy-duty hoop barrier, will prevent vehicles from entering or getting too close to specific areas, such as near to doorways or access points. Alternatively, swing gates or arm barriers facilitate controlled access and helps to prevent unauthorised personnel from trespassing on your property.

As well as successfully limiting access, security barriers are a visible indicator of your company’s proactive approach to security. This shows potential thieves that active security measures are in place, which helps to make your premises a less attractive target for potential thieves.

6. Consider Exterior Lighting

Exterior lighting design can transform your premises, but it does more than simply enhance the appearance of your site. When an area is illuminated, it makes it harder for thieves or trespassers to go unnoticed. As a result, they are less likely to loiter on the property or to try and gain access to your buildings.

Floodlights, spotlights and motion-activated lights can all be used to create an exterior lightscape that enhances security while showcasing your premises. What’s more, you can choose physical security solutions, such as barriers, that have in-built lighting to maximise functionality and effectiveness.

7. Rely on Access Control Systems

Good perimeter security can stop trespassers gaining access to your property, but access control systems provide a second and even third line of defence. With a user access control (UAC) system, specific areas are subject to tighter security controls, which limits access to unauthorised personnel.

Depending on the system you choose, you could require authorised personnel to use a key code, swipe a card or even use biometric scanning to verify a person’s identity before they are granted access to specific areas.

If you can place high-value goods or information in designated areas, then UAC systems are a highly effective way of keeping them secure and preventing unnecessary losses.

8. Install Security Bollards and Posts

Like security barriers, bollards and posts are a seemingly simple yet infinitely successful way to prevent theft and burglary at commercial premises. From fixed and static posts to drop-down, removable and automated bollards that facilitate controlled access, there are endless ways to tailor your security to your specific site.

For commercial premises, anti-ram and anti-terror bollards can be the ultimate way to prevent crime. With enhanced strength, these bollards can withstand a significant impact so even if your premises are targeted, you can be confident that the building won’t sustain any damage.

You can also rely on these high-security bollards to keep your staff and nearby members of the public safe.

Arrange Professional Bollard Installation

Like all security devices, posts and bollards should be professionally installed to increase durability and maximise security. At Bison Security Posts, we offer professional installation services to ensure that whatever posts you choose will deliver enhanced functionality and performance.

To find out more or to access expert guidance to help you secure your premises, get in touch with our team now on 01708 956833 or scroll down and submit a contact form.