Being the owner or operator of a restaurant is stressful. This service based business has so many moving parts that it can be challenge to focus in on one specific area at a time. This is especially the case when it comes to security. However, not only do restaurants have substantial cash on hand, but they also have a lot of high-value equipment. Make sure you know how to devise a security plan that will work to protect your business.
Assess Your Risk
When it comes to security risks, every restaurant has different areas of vulnerability. However, the one factor that remains consistent is that if you fail to highlight these areas, you put yourself at a greater threat level. Hire a security firm to have your risks assessed. A common misconception is that security firms only offer guard services, but most companies also perform assessments.
The purpose of this assessment is to highlight your areas of vulnerability. Based on this feedback, the security firm learns which areas they need to focus more attention on and it offers you the opportunity to correct any issues that could be attributing to your risk, such as poor outdoor lighting.
Develop An Inventory System
While most people focus all their efforts on outside theft, the unfortunate reality is that in-house theft is often a problem. Some employees steal while on the clock. If you don't have a solid inventory process established, it's easy to get away with things in this area. Create a system that tracks the start of the day item count and end of the day count.
While you might not catch it right away, you will be able to compare the start and end day figures to your sales record. When the number doesn't match profit, this can alert you that there might be some employee theft going on that needs your focus.
Get Your Team Involved
Even if you partner with a security guard firm, it's still important that you on-board your team members. Your employees know far more about the day-to-day operations than the security team, so your employees' experience may be able to help alert the security professionals of an issue right away.
You should also train your employees. First, ensure everyone is trained on proper security guidelines, such as keeping the doors closed and locked. Second, train employees on what to do in the event of a security threat, such as a break-in. Lastly, establish a protocol for reporting suspicious activity to management so that it can be forwarded to a guard on site. This multi-level approach can ensure you're covered from every angle.
As a business owner, you've worked hard for everything you have. Keep security a top priority to protect your efforts. For more information, contact local professionals like S&S Security Services.
Share12 December 2016
I have always been one of those people who loves to get involved with business, but a few years ago, I realized that my company had a few security problems. We were losing a lot of money to shoplifting, and it seemed like every time I turned around another employee decided to steal from us. I started thinking about ways to make things better, and so I started focusing on creating a more secure business. This blog is all about working with security teams, making positive changes to your business, and avoiding the kinds of debilitating losses that can come from theft.
