If you walk into any kind of retail store, chances are that you're being videoed on a security camera. There might be someone at the front of the store to greet you as you walk by, and employees may trail between the aisles as you shop. Merchandise may be locked with anti-theft devices, and you may need to help to purchase them.
All of this is just a part of standard store security, and it's important to any successful retail store. No company grows by letting people walk in and steal whatever they want. Part of succeeding in the retail industry is protecting your investments, and investing in security.
Retail stores may train employees on how they can patrol aisles and protect merchandise through their presence. They may invest in high-definition security cameras, or simple chimes to alert employees to people's presence. There are several ways a retail store can protect itself, its merchandise, and its future.
And to learn more about how it can do that, keep reading below!
1. Store Security Starts With You
Protecting your store begins with the person that matters most in it — you! If you're a business owner, you want the best for everyone who clocks in for work and who comes in to make a purchase. You set the tone for how everyone else in your company will approach security.
If you show people that you're cavalier about protecting your assets, then they'll share your attitude. Yet, if you show people that you want to make sure everything in your company is safe and secure, people will follow suit. The first step towards creating a secure store is by showing you want one in the first place.
Demonstrate That You're Committed To Protecting the Store
There are several ways to show people that you're committed to your company's security. You can patrol aisles and offices yourself, keeping an eye out for anything wrong or you may approach people who you suspect may be up to no good. Yet, there's one thing that paints a clearer image than you can ever do on your own — money.
If you invest in security systems or anti-theft devices, people will see that you're serious about security. Investing in security training programs for average employees also does more than teach them the basics of security. It also tells them that protecting the store should be something that's always on their minds.
When people understand that you're committed to security, they will make security a part of their jobs.
2. Alert Employees When Somone Walks In
There are several small ways to make your company more secure and to intimidate away potential criminals. None of these ways require too much investment, and they can save you thousands in damages. A simple door chime can actually help thwart crime from unfolding on your floor.
Most door chimes sound when a person walks through the door or exits. They're designed to alert people who may not be paying attention that something is happening at the doors. It will turn eyes toward the person entering or leaving, and criminals are terrified of being seen.
Just by drawing the attention of people in your store to other people, you can curb crime. Door chimes create a kind of awareness, and awareness is all it takes to stop crime.
3. Approach Customers Enthusasitcally and Gently
Nothing is worse than losing customers and revenue as a result of hard security policies. If you search people for stolen items as they leave, or if need to ask employees for help purchasing small items, people may stop going to your store. There are better ways to ensure customers are trustworthy.
Your employees are there to help customers, but they're also there to help your company. They can achieve both by simply patrolling aisles and talking to customers as they find them. Approaching people with a smile and an eagerness to help can give people a more enjoyable shopping experience, to keep them coming in.
Approaching people out of nowhere can also help employees find criminals in the act. And when criminals see that your employees aren't afraid to approach people, they'll be less inclined to steal from you. They'll understand it's dangerous to target your store, and they will move on.
4. Set Up Security Cameras Around Your Store
No retail store is complete without a set of security cameras keeping an eye on the places that your employees can't. They're so common throughout retail stores because they're so effective at catching criminals. They may not help prevent crime as some other strategies, but they're great at fighting it.
Security cameras will see if someone steals something from your store. They will catch a picture of the perpetrator's face, and you will be identify them if they return to your store. If they return, you'll be able to arrest and charge them with shoplifting, so that they're off the streets and you can get restitution.
You can also send an image of their face around to other stores to be on the lookout. With more eyes watching for criminals, the quicker they'll get caught and the safer the retail industry will be.
5. Not Everyone is a Threat
Security is a fundamental and vital concern in retail, but it shouldn't be your only concern. If you treat everyone who enters your company like a threat, then all you'll get are threats. Customers will be less inclined to use your business compared to criminals since no average person wants to be treated like a criminal.
Be sure to balance your security investments with investments in other areas of your business. If your electronics section could use a makeover, try to invest in that before investing in more security cameras or electronic sensors, for example. Securing your business doesn't just mean securing the merchandise in it!
Security is Fundamental to All Kinds of Retail
Store security is important for running a profitable company that offers people an enjoyable shopping experience. When you invest in your store security, you're not just making sure that everything stays where it's supposed to. You're also giving people a place where they will be safe, and where they can relax without worry.
Security investments help everyone, except for the people they're not designed to help. They prevent criminals from hurting people while inviting customers to go enjoy shopping with your company. It's fundamental for any company's success to invest in security.
And to learn more about how even the smallest security investment can make a difference, just contact us. We offer some of the highest-quality security systems at some of the lowest prices, to help you protect your business!