Christmas may be the season of goodwill, but it can also mean an increased risk of crimes against Queensland businesses in the lead up to and during the holiday season. A combination of more people in town centres, increased alcohol consumption and higher takings can put businesses, particularly retail businesses, at more risk of crimes such as theft.
This festive season, make sure that your business security is as up-to-date and effective as possible, so that you can enjoy what is traditionally the busiest time of year for many businesses with peace of mind that your building, staff members and customers are as safe as possible.
No matter where your business is based, whether in Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast or Ipswich, here are some things you might want to think about when beefing up your business security for the Christmas season:
- Check all the lights around your business premises are working and replace any that are malfunctioning. You might want to consider installing motion sensitive lighting around the outside of your building. Make sure there is enough interior light at night that people can see from outside if there is anyone inside.
- Make sure you have a monitored alarm system installed and that it is working. Ensure that you have signs or stickers in the windows that make people aware that the building is alarmed, as this can help deter potential thieves or vandals.
- If you have a retail business, consider employing a security guard or extra security guards to monitor exits and other potentially problematic areas. Thieves often target retail businesses at this time of year and the increased traffic can make it easier for them to pass unnoticed by staff.
- Make sure all your doors and windows have locks and that they are always locked at night and when there is nobody in the building. Now is a good time to consider upgrading your locks and checking any possible entry points to make sure they are secure.
- If you are taking more profits than usual, consider installing a safe or doing multiple bank deposits daily to ensure that minimal cash is on the premises. If you do take money to the bank to deposit regularly, do it at different times each day or engage a security provider to make the deposits for you.
- It’s always good to have in addition to a monitored alarm system (or other internal security measures) an after hours patrol service physically looking after your business. As with the season, usually businesses will carry extra stock to cater for the Christmas rush thus becoming more appealing targets after hours.
Christmas is the most profitable season of the year for many businesses. Make the most of it and avoid losing your hard-earned profits to thieves or vandals by ensuring that your business is as secure as possible this Christmas.
