Retail Security

The importance of manned guarding for retail loss prevention

Within the retail sector loss prevention is the key for success. Having previously worked in retail I am aware of the drastic difference manned guarding makes to loss prevention. Losses that are influenced by theft can majorly impact monthly and annual sales figures. I understand that for larger businesses loss prevention is vital store managers are responsible for their stock and are required to have a justification for any losses that take place to those in higher authority. However, there is no reasonable justification for losses if they could be prevented. Therefore, I cannot stress enough the investment of manned guarding for your store. Deterrent- Security guards act as a major deterrent for thieves. The simple thought of being watched can throw most thieves as they are aware of the risk they are taking whilst attempting to commit the crime of theft in a store in which a security guard is present. Therefore, thieves are more likely to target stores that do not have security cover. In order to get the best turnover at the end of the day and reach their individual sales targets store staff must keep themselves busy by serving as many customers as they can therefore it is not possible for them to do so and keep an eye on each person that walks through the door. Crowd control- Often during busy periods maintaining order an become difficult therefore having a guard at hand who is able do this whilst your staff remain busy in customer service duties. During peak times of the day stores can get extremely busy and it is during these times that opportunistic thieves choose to strike. Therefore, it will be beneficial to your business to consider hiring guard for these periods as well as season sales when your store gets very busy. Evacuation procedures- Security guards are also trained to deal with evacuation procedures when a fire alarm is activated. They are responsible for getting all customers out of the store quickly and efficiently. Police Liaison- To avoid dealing with the stress of liaising with the police when a shop lifter is caught it is useful to have someone at hand who can do this for you whilst you focus on your other duties. CCTV monitoring- Managers are unable to put their work off just to monitor the CCTV therefore, it is important to recruit someone who can do that for you. Often stores have a CCTV system installed but there is nobody to monitor it making it a waste on an investment. Therefore, if you have CCTV installed in your store to enact as a deterrent it will also be beneficial to you to have a security officer monitor it to prevent as much theft as possible. G3 Security Ltd is responsible for providing many large UK high street and private retailors with Security officers. Our guards are based in stores all throughout London including sites like Oxford Street, Covent Garden, Lakeside, Blue Water, Westfield and many more. If you require a responsible, reliable and professional security officer do not hesitate to get in contact with us. You can either email us on info@g3security.co.uk or call us on 02032880000/02032880011

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Construction SecurityCorporate SecurityEvent SecurityRetail SecuritySecurity Company London

The importance of a detailed site risk assessment in the security industry

Site risk assessment before commencement of any new sites Risk assessment is a logical as well as consistent method of assessing the assets, their vulnerabilities, associated risks and their impact. By conducting a detailed site risk assessment, you can reduce the damage from any potential risks to an acceptable cost. To understand the importance of a detailed site risk assessment in the security industry, we need to familiarise ourselves with a few terms: Risk – It is the potential of loss or damage to an asset. Asset – It can be a person or property, information or activity; anything with value to it’s owner. Impact – It is the amount of damage or loss that could be caused by an adversary. Threat – It is the potential to cause damage or loss to the asset. Adversary – It can be anyone – a group or an individual, that wants to cause damage to an asset. Vulnerability – It is any weakness that can be used by the adversary to access the asset. Countermeasures – These are actions on the part of the owner, taken to reduce vulnerabilities. Cost-Benefit Analysis – It is part of the decision making process where the management considers the costs and benefits of each proposed alternative and selects the most viable option available. What can a professional Risk Manager do for you? While identifying potential security risks for your site, the Risk Manager would look for ways to: Reduce damage to your business Eliminate or control any indicators Utilise your security budget in a cost-effective way Minimise intelligence collection by any adversaries They will then formulate a strategy to – Identify vulnerabilities in security Manipulate indicators to deceive your adversaries Apply countermeasures Modify countermeasures from time to time The strategy they develop would depend on the needs of your organisation, the current laws and policies in place, expected risks to your site as well as your security budget. With a professional risk assessment of your new site, we will assess your assets, threats to them and  any vulnerabilities that can be exploited. We will then go on to assess risks and devise countermeasure options for you to implement, and at each step of the way we will advise you with the costs and benefits, so you would always know what to expect and decide on what is necessary. For a FREE site risk assessment call us now on 020 3288 0000/0011 or email  info@g3security.co.uk. Powered by Colm

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Construction SecurityCorporate SecurityEvent SecurityRetail SecuritySecurity Company London

Why security automation can never replace security guards

With the advent of sophisticated technology in the security industry, many private and public sectors have turned towards it for their security solutions. This has resulted in creating the conception that there is no more need of security guards. Which is an extremely dangerous idea, both for the companies and the security industry. Here are a few points why technology can never replace security guards Flexibility: Unlike technology which can be installed only at particular set points and have limited scanning perspective which can create blind spots, security guards provide the advantage of movement. Decision-making: Programmed systems can handle only a set of problems. Security guards are versatile decision-makers and capable of adapting themselves to any unexpected situations. Real-time response: Quick response is an important aspect when it comes to security. Compared to automated systems which only prompt police officials during emergencies, security guards respond and can tackle emergencies in a very short period. Cannot be hacked: In today’s world, where every system is prone to hacking, trained security guards provide a reliable solution. A human element: Having security guards taking care of you provides a sense of assurance which no amount of technology can. Also, unlike technology, the interaction is more direct and rich. Human barrier: From a thief’s point of view, it is extremely easy for him to plan and overcome technology than a security guard. The reasons being the unexpectedness and emotional elements which come with a security guard. An intruder will think twice before attacking a security personal rather than technology for the fear of an undesired outcome. Having stated the above, there is no intent of devaluing technology in any way. It’s just to showcase how some aspects covered by security guards are irreplaceable. In-fact, with proper training and knowledge, if we could couple guards with technology, it could prove to be the ultimate security solution.

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Retail Security

Security tips for retail businesses

Retail business owners are often targeted by miscreants as well as robbers and burglars. In order to keep their business safe and running, they need to follow a comprehensive security policy that should involve electronic as well as manual surveillance. Here are a few tips to get you started: 1. Proper Lighting Care should be taken to provide proper lighting for all areas on the premises. Any dark corner can be used by thieves to sneak in. Both entry and exit points, should be well lit from inside and outside. Also at night the inside lights should be left switched on. 2. Building Design Re-evaluate the design of the building. Check to see if it is properly constructed to prevent any intrusion. Is the roof safely protected? Is it safe against vehicle ramming raids? 3. Windows and doors Check whether all doors and windows are constructed solidly. They should also be fitted with deadlocks and kept locked at all times unless needed. Also secure any skylights. 4. Property records Record all identification evidence about your properties such as computers, photocopiers, printers, etc. Keep them stored in a separate location. Also take some photographs of your property for identification purposes. 5. Telephone Keep all emergency contact numbers close to your telephone set and if possible have them programmed in quick dial. Also ensure against tampering of telephone lines. 6. Vaults and safes If there are safes installed in the office, make sure they are properly fastened and bolted to at least two different walls. Also keep them safely out of sight and properly locked at all times. 7. Cash handling and transfer Devise proper cash handling procedures and make sure that you don’t have any set banking procedures that could be easily identified and targeted by miscreants. Also, restrict your cash handling duties to only those trusted and always count the cash away from public view. If you deal with sufficiently large sums of money, you should consider hiring a safe cash transport  service. 8. Restricted access to keys Safely store and secure all keys with access restricted to only those who are in-charge and directly responsible for the task. Also provide a separate locker area to staff where they can store their personal valuables safely, when at work. 9. Surveillance and alarms Install intruder alarm as well as fire alarm systems in the property. Also install proper surveillance equipment (such as CCTV) as required and monitor the footage regularly. Keep recorded footage for at least a week at hand. 10. Documents and passwords Don’t store your passwords on your desk and change them frequently. Also destroy any sensitive documents properly and dispose them safely. Apart from following the above guidelines, you should also have proper insurance policy in place for your business and you should review it regularly in case you need an upgrade. For more tips on safeguarding your business and for any questions regarding security guards and monitoring, contact us directly at 020 3288 0000 or 020 3288 0011.

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