Business offices of all kinds, whether small, large, one floor or taking up an entire multi-floor property, must ensure that they are as secure as possible to prevent theft and ensure the protection of their valuable assets.

With offices containing a wide range of valuables such as cash, computers and legal documents, an effective office security solution is vital when it comes to the success of your business. In fact, having a proper security system in place can not only protect your assets, but it can also reduce the cost of your insurance premium.

Sonitrol Western Canada has listed five tips and tricks that will help secure your business and prevent both internal and external theft.

1 - Use a verified alarm system

A verified security system is one of the best ways to prevent crime and ensure quick police response. At Sonitrol Western Canada, we verify every alarm through audio and video surveillance before sending a call to emergency services.

False alarms (which do not happen often with our advanced system) are simply reset without bothering you or the police, while crimes in progress are watched by our central monitoring operators who are then able to alert the police in real-time.

This ability to verify alarms, means Sonitol has the highest apprehension rate (over 175,000 apprehensions and counting) and the lowest false alarm rate (less than 3%) in the industry.

What does all this mean? Police respond to Sonitrol alarms with an average response time of just 3.5 minutes - compared to the 45 minutes of traditional CCTV alarms.

2 - Install laptop locks

Laptops are one of the most frequently targeted assets for office crimes. Not only are they easy to carry, but they are also often expensive and carry valuable information about your business.

By using a laptop lock - a metal cable with one end that attaches to a hole in the side of your laptop, and the other that is looped around or connected to a non-moveable object - you can make it incredibly difficult for thieves to make off with your valuable portal equipment.

3 - Keep important documents in locked cabinets

Losing important and confidential documents can be disastrous to your business, especially if they hold sensitive information or data. As a result, it’s important that your company develops a process for storing important documents in locked cabinets, as well as backing up virtual copies to an offsite hard drive.

4 - Keep cash in your office?

Use a safe If you have cash in your office, it's not a great idea to leave it laying around in your office. While a safe won’t completely secure your cash from the threat of theft, it will give you an extra layer of security to use alongside a verified security system.

Police are known for responding to verified security alarms in great time, meaning there’s no way a thief will be able to break into your safe and make off with the cash before the police get to them.

5 - Get rid of metal keys

Metal keys can easily get lost, stolen and are easy to copy, which creates a security risk for your business. Add on the time it takes to change the locks each time a key is misplaced and you not only increase risks, but you also start racking up additional costs that your business doesn’t need to spend.

Managed access control, or keyless entry, is one of the easiest, most cost-effective ways for you to increase security. It gives your business the ability to create key cards on an as needed basis, without replacing your entire system.

Sonitrol access management system is integrated with our Sonitrol intrusion detection system so different employees can have different access levels. Employees who are authorized to open the facility will be allowed access and be able to disarm the security system.

Meanwhile, employees who are not authorized to open a particular area of your office will not be allowed access to that facility when the security system is armed. This helps to keep your most valuable assets secure from both internal and external theft.

In need of expert help?

Whether you run a small business or a large enterprise, Sonitrol Western Canada can provide specially-designed security systems that can be tailored for the unique needs of your business.

Our proven results will ensure your business is protected from the threat of office crime - leaving you to focus on what matters, your profit.

Are you looking for professional security advice in Western Canada? Contact us today for your no charge and no obligation security audit.