What Type Of Security Camera Is Right For Small Businesses?

A few weeks ago, we talked about Which Type of Security Camera Is Right For You. In the blog post, we discussed several types of security camera surveillance systems.

Today, we thought we’d dive deeper into the security camera conversation and see what type of security camera is right for small businesses. Here are the options:

• Box Security Cameras – These cameras are the larger, bulky cameras hanging in corners of stores. Box security cameras are used as visual theft deterrents.
• Bullet Security Cameras – These cameras are small and have a cylinder shape. These cameras are favored by many small businesses because of their small size.
• Dome Security Cameras – These cameras blend in with the surroundings. Businesses use dome security cameras because no one can tell which way the camera is pointing.

For small businesses, the best business security solution is the domed security camera. There are several reasons why a small business should buy a dome security camera:

1. Dome security cameras are harder to vandalize: Because of its design, these cameras are harder to disable or damage. A vandal will think twice before messing with a dome security camera.
2. It’s harder to tell where the camera is pointing: Because of its black dome, vandals cannot see which way the camera is pointing, making it harder to commit a crime.
3. Dome security cameras seem less intrusive: Because of its design, these cameras do not make customers feel like their every movement is being watched. This creates a better atmosphere for your business.

While dome security cameras are usually the best bet for small businesses, we suggest that you discuss your business security options with a professional. They can help you make sure you are making the right decision.

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$50 Million Art Heist Shows Business Security Importance

How does someone steal a $50 million painting from a museum in Egypt with a security system and 40-plus surveillance cameras?

You would think it involved an elaborate plan like something out of The Thomas Crown Affair or Ocean’s Eleven. But no high-tech gadgets or slight of hand were used to take a priceless Vincent van Gogh painting.

According to the investigation, all it took was sloppy security measures and carelessness from museum employees. Only seven of the 43 security cameras were working and guards neglected to check museum visitors for suspicious activity.

The lessons learned from this embarrassment can be applied to your business security plan:

• Have a good, working business security system
• Invest in reliable camera surveillance systems
• Employ trustworthy, professional employees
• Train employees to notice suspicious activity

Most Importantly: Regularly test your security cameras to ensure they are working properly.

Security cameras do not work forever. Many business owners assume equipment works for years. But without proper maintenance and regular testing these cameras can break down. We recommend testing your cameras on a regular basis.

Because the security guards at the museum were so negligent, police are holding them in jail for neglect and professional delinquency.

Don’t let a faulty security system and employee incompetence threaten the security of your business. Do your homework and find the right business security solutions.

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Which Type Of Security Camera Is Right For You?

There are many types of security camera surveillance systems and even more different features to choose from when selecting how to prepare your business security solution.

Each camera is meant for different business needs and different circumstances so choosing the right one for your needs is essential. In this article we’ll go through the three most common used cameras so you can get a better understanding of your options.

Box Security Cameras – When most people think of security cameras, this is what they think of first. Generally for indoor use, the bulky cameras are meant to be seen and act as a deterrent to crime. Their biggest strength comes from their ability to magnify details and reach ranges that are not always possible with other cameras. You will most often see these cameras in retail shops and banks.

Bullet Security Cameras – These ultra small cylinder shaped cameras (called lipstick cameras by some) are perfect for small spaces and remaining undetected. Good for indoor and outdoor use, these cameras are used for both home security and business security and many are equipped with excellent infrared capabilities that can see up to 20 ft. in the dark.

Dome Security Cameras – Dome cameras are versatile indoor and outdoor (with weatherproofing) devices that are commonly used to blend in with the surroundings. Domes are frequently tinted so nobody can tell which way the camera is pointing as well as vandalism proofed so they cannot be easily disabled. You generally see these cameras in department stores and indoor malls since they fit with the surrounds and do not make customers uncomfortable.

These three options all come equipped with a number of features that are designed to meet your security needs. Check with your security company to find exactly which camera is best for you.

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Stop Employee Theft By Setting The Right Policies

Setting up official policies to deal with employee theft is vital to combating it effectively. The better designed your theft prevention policies are, the more likely that they will work.

Last week, we defined How To Prevent Employee Theft By Hiring the Right People. However, many more policies are necessary to prevent theft. Here are some of the most important ones:

Employee Education – Explaining what constitutes employee theft, how to stop it, and what procedures must be followed to every employee is a must. By giving the proper training, you turn your employees into your own security team. Make sure that you make education sessions positive and explain how each employee benefits from preventing theft.

Check The Books – Conducting regular audits on areas that are likely to be targeted by theft is an important step to eliminating it all together. Audit every area where money changes hand (purchasing, payroll, sales, etc.) regularly, even if you completely trust the people involved. Make some of these audits random so thieves do not have time to cover their tracks.

Enforce Mandatory Vacations And Job Rotations – Many employee theft schemes are discovered only when an employee takes a sick day and someone else must fill in for them. By enforcing mandatory vacations and occasionally rotating people between departments, you prevent anyone from being able to hide their theft.

Support Employees – While it’s not a valid excuse, many employees feel justified in stealing because they feel the company wronged them. By supporting employees through tough times, treating them kindly and with respect, and setting management practices that encourage overall company profit, you will see a major decrease in theft and an increase in loyalty.

Create Reporting Programs – Make it easy for your employees to report theft and make sure that everyone knows exactly how to do it anonymously. Some companies have even had success offering small rewards to anyone who reports a serious instance of employee theft.

Choose Right Business Security Solution – A good business security system with access codes, alarms, and camera surveillance systems where necessary can make a big difference in stopping employee theft. While it’s not exactly a procedure, it should certainly be part of your security efforts.

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Things To Consider When Buying Business Security Cameras

When buying security camera surveillance systems, it’s important that you understand exact what you’re getting and why you want it.

Some people have expectations for their camera surveillance systems that are simply not possible or would require a different type of system entirely. To prevent this, everyone should know what their cameras can and cannot do before deciding to buy them.

Know What You Want To Monitor – What areas of your business do you want to monitor with your security camera and how good does the quality need to be? Different cameras are good for different things and selecting the right one can make the difference between an effective system and a useless one.

Understand The Risks of Security Cameras – Security cameras provide an expectation of protection from people entering your business. That’s why fake security cameras can be a legal risk. If people expect protection but don’t get it, your business can suffer the consequences.

Let People Know You’re Monitoring Them – Part of the usefulness of security cameras is that they prevent people from committing crimes because they don’t want to be filmed. Use signs to make sure that your employees and customers are well aware of your security cameras.

Don’t Expect To Record Voices – In most areas, video recording is completely legal but recording conversations without someone’s permission is against the law. That’s why CCTV systems do not offer audio functions.

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How To Prevent Robberies At Your Business

Robberies can be a major problem for some businesses, and it’s important that you take every step you can to protect your employees, customers, and store.

There are a number of methods that you can follow that will help prevent robberies and keep everybody as safe as possible.

• Your business security system must include a good security camera surveillance system. This means a professionally installed, highly visible system that records all areas where frequent customer interactions occur.

• Train your employees to look for suspicious behavior. Sometimes it is possible to notice threats before they happen. And when they do, contact the authorities immediately. By having your employees look for anxious, jittery, or suspicious people, you can help prevent robberies.

• Take police action immediately. Employees should pay careful attention to what robbers look like, so they can give a full description to police. Be sure to take every action necessary to aid in the arrest. This makes the statement that you are not a safe target to rob in the future.

• Be friendly. Believe it or not, having your employees be really friendly to every customer that walks through the door can potentially stop robberies. People don’t rob someone that they like so if the robber is immediately treated nicely before they have a chance to act, they may leave without causing trouble.

No strategy is fool-proof, but by taking the actions recommended here and discussing your options with an experience security professional, you can significantly cut down on the risk of robberies in your business.

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The Real Cost of Vandalism

Think that minor crimes, such as vandalism, aren’t a huge deal to your business?

Many business owners make the mistake of considering minor crimes to be a nuisance and not worth worrying about. After all, they reason, the costs of preventing these crimes will be greater than the cost of the crime itself.

This couldn’t be more wrong. The U.S. Small Business Administration estimates that the average cost of each case of vandalism to a small business is $3,370. This results in a loss of 13.5% of annual net profit for a small business making $500,000 a year in revenue, according to Dr. Martin Bressler, author of a study on business crimes and a professor at Houston Baptist University.

So the next time you’re thinking about what crime costs to your business, consider the real costs and, suddenly, that security camera surveillance system may seem like a lot better investment.

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Common Myths about Employee Theft

Employee theft can cut significantly into profits and cause huge problems for any business that does not actively take steps to avoid it. Unfortunately, there are a lot of myths around employee theft that make it more difficult to detect and deal with.

Some of the most common myths about employee theft include:

Longtime Employees Are Too Loyal To Steal

Just because you’ve had an employee for a long time doesn’t mean that he or she isn’t stealing from you. We hear cases all the time about employees who have been with a company for more than 10 years and are suddenly caught with their hand in the till.

It could be that these employees have been stealing from you the whole time, or it could be that something in their life or in their attitude has changed. Whatever the case may be, the lesson is that no matter how well you think you know someone, they could be stealing from you behind your back.

Also remember that the longer they have been with the company, the more they know about how it works and the better they understand how to hide their tracks when doing something wrong.

Poor Customer Service Isn’t Theft

This myth is true in that technically, an employee giving bad customer service isn’t theft. However, for the sake of your business’ bottom line, it really should be!

Poor customer service is the fastest way to stop a customer from ever returning to your company. When an employee gives bad service, they might as well be taking money right from your wallet and giving it to your competitors!

It’s only by monitoring your employees using surveillance camera surveillance systems and immediately correcting issues can you stop this type of theft.

Bad Employee Productivity Isn’t Stealing

Like the previous myth, this one isn’t technically stealing but it can be just harmful. You’re paying a lot of money to employ people to do important jobs. If your employees are not doing the work that you’re paying them to do, they are no better than another employee stealing cash out of a register.

Only by monitoring employees carefully at all times can you make sure that they are doing what they are supposed to and not getting paid to do nothing.

Honest Employees Will Report the Dishonest Ones

Many businesses feel that their more honest employees will report any dishonest behavior immediately so they don’t have to worry about extra security measures. While this does happen from time to time, it’s not the norm.

Honest employees often don’t come forward because they fear being labeled as a rat or simply feel bad about getting another person fired. Relying on honest reporting is a great way to allow theft to continue as normal. Implementing business security solutions is the only method you should trust to stop theft.

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Common Business Security Myths

There are a lot of myths out there about business security solutions that leave many businesses vulnerable to fraud, robberies, and even employee theft. These common myths, that may seem harmless at first, can lead to major problems that are not easily repaired.

Here are some of the most common myths:

People Only Sue Big Companies with Fraudulent Claims

We’ve all heard the stories about people suing McDonalds because their coffee is too hot, or someone claiming to have broken their neck in a major retail outlet when really they are completely fine. But what about smaller companies, are they ever really sued with fraudulent claims?

This myth makes the claim that people only sue large businesses because that’s where the money is at. Unfortunately, the reality is that small and mid-sized businesses are also regularly targeted with fraudulent claims. The worst part is that these businesses are much more vulnerable because they can’t afford expensive lawyers and a large settlement could put them out of business.

Shoplifting Only Happens In Low Income Areas

This is a common and completely untrue myth that claims that people in richer areas are much less likely to be stolen from than in poorer areas. Unfortunately, the facts show that expensive stores in fancy shopping malls are just as likely to be stricken by shoplifters as anywhere else. Additionally, since the products they sell are so much more valuable than in lower end stores, there is an added incentive to steal.

Vendors Keep Perfect Records and Are Completely Honest

Many people don’t ever consider vendors a potential source of shrinkage when looking at where they are losing money. For some reason, while businesses are quick to blame customers or even employees, the activities of the vendors are seen as beyond suspicion.

The truth is that vendor fraud is estimated to account for 5.2% of overall shrinkage. It’s important that you watch your vendors carefully to prevent theft.

People Only Steal Inventory and Cash

The reality is that there are a lot of ways that people can harm your business without actually taking something physical.

Without proper business security systems and camera surveillance systems, customers can make false injury claims, employees can “under ring” sales or not work when they should be, and vendors can make errors that hurt your bottom line. When tracking what your company is losing from theft, be sure that you can measure all of the damage, not just the physical loss.

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Top 5 Reasons Your Restaurant Needs Security Cameras

1. Stop Employee Theft: Strategically placed security camera surveillance systems significantly lower employee theft, which is so common in an industry known for high turnover rates.
2. Protect Customers and Employees: Security cameras act as a deterrent against robberies and break-ins and help to prosecute those who do attempt to steal from you.
3. Avoid Liability and Fraud: By recording everything that goes on within your restaurant, you can protect your bottom line against fraudulent injury claims.
4. Offer Remote Access for Managers: Many security cameras let managers monitor their stores from any computer. This allows you to know the store is running smoothly even while you’re not around.
5. Make Customers Feel Safe: People are much more likely to visit a store where they feel safe. By using visible security cameras, you provide customers with the peace of mind that keeps them coming back.

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