5 Ways to Protect Physical Stores

There is no doubt that the retail industry is facing a challenging time with the ever-increasing shift to online shopping.

Even with an evolving threat to the retail landscape, companies need to ensure they are deploying adequate security measures to protect physical stores from theft and provide solutions that enhance the overall shopping experience.

Below are various tips on how to protect the physical sites from being compromised and what some of the best practices are in terms of physical security.

Install In-store Security Systems

Physical stores suffer from theft. This problem can be tackled by installing in-store surveillance systems, which can identify the culprit by gathering evidence in a series of images and videos.

In-store surveillance systems not only help prevent thefts but also deter them in the first place. Also, it provides assurance to customers that they could leave their baggage without worries while they shop around. It actually works especially well for small businesses where theft is most common.

Prepare Ahead Against Emergencies

Proper planning is essential for any business, and this is especially true for physical stores. The key is to be prepared ahead of time, so you are not putting your customers in danger or disrupting your business during an emergency.

There are many options for retail store owners to protect themselves against different hazards and unforeseen circumstances, including getting public liability cover to protect both themselves and their customers.

To reduce the damage of a disaster or to avoid it, one must prepare ahead not only for oneself but also for the store.

Hire Enough Staff to Adequately Cover the Store

Employing security guards is vital to protecting the safety of shoppers, workers and your physical store property, but you also need enough workers, not just for security reasons but also for an improved shopping experience.

For years, it has been known that having security in stores is a visible deterrent and works more effectively than as opposed to CCTV alone. In fact, hiring enough workers should be the first line of defence to protect your physical store, with CCTV acting as a backup and secondary line of evidence.

Use Security Solutions to Mitigate Health and Safety Risks

The health and safety of employees and shoppers alike should be your top priority. The influx of theft and violence in retail environments has risen to dangerous levels, with 40% of retailers suffering from threats of violence.

Learn the right way to use security solutions to mitigate health and safety risks. From guards to cameras and emergency equipment, there are a lot of options available for protecting your physical stores.

Lock up Valuable Equipment in a Separate Room

Another great way to secure both clients and employees is to lock up valuable equipment in a room that has a separate key. This will decrease the odds of merchandise disappearing due to laziness by employees or even eliminate the risk period.

Further, this will provide additional storage and secluded space for confidential documents or secret designs for new products. It may not be possible to implement this into every retail location.

Conclusion

Protecting physical stores from threats is incredibly complex and expensive. It involves many resources, including people, technology, process enhancements, and tools. Retail shops can use a combination of prevention methods discussed above to create a “defence in depth” approach to protect their store, its employees and its customers.