A solid business security plan neither starts nor ends with having electronic security systems installed. The truth is, a good security plan takes time to plan – and the time to do it is not after an emergency. With that in mind, here are some tips for designing a business security plan you can live with and benefit from, no matter the size or budget of the organization.
Identify Security Threats
What are some of the chief security threats to the organization? External threats are a given: burglary, trespassing, vandalism. The threats of violence that are part of our new reality must also be acknowledged as well. But what about internal threats: employee theft, register skimming, time card fraud? Is cybersecurity a concern? Maybe it should be. These are all threats the new security plan should identify and address.
Identify Environmental Risks
Fire is a threat to any structure, business or otherwise. But does your organization use materials that pose a special risk of fire? Are you located in an area that is more susceptible to threats of fire for some environmental reason? And what about weather hazards: blizzards, flooding, freezing? These can have a bigger impact on operations than many business owners realize. Contingencies for all of these things should be included in the new security plan.
Categorize What’s in Place
After identifying all these threats to security and organizational health, it’s time to take stock of what you have in place to address them. This is where your security integrator can be a valuable contributor to the security plan. During the onsite assessment, your integrator should be able to look at the security technology you have in place and categorize each system by its function. If something is ineffective or in need of an upgrade, a good integrator will call that out and clearly explain how a new product would serve the plan better.
Choose New Precautions
This is your integrator’s other role in assisting with the development of your new security plan: recommending new precautions that can fill in the gaps between the risks you face and the defenses you have in place to neutralize them. Of course, this includes recommending certain products and services – but there may also be protocols that need to be implemented, updated or documented in the plan. After all, security measures can only be followed if they are part of the written plan.
By implementing these tips, your business can develop a security plan you can live with – and one that will serve you well for years to come. For more questions on business security, New England organizations can contact Wain Security. As experienced security integrators, we will be glad to answer them.
About Wain Security
We are an experienced, trusted integrator of burglar alarms, fire detection, video surveillance, access control and audio/video communications. We provide custom system solutions that stay within your budget and are backed with proven reliability. Let us put our experience to work for you.