How To Secure Your Business While You’re Asleep

Crime doesn’t stop while you’re asleep. In fact, this is the most popular time for your company to be targeted by burglars and hackers. Staying up 24/7 to watch your business isn’t an option, so you need to find ways to protect your business when you’re not present. Below are just a few different ways to secure your business while you’re asleep.

Light Your Premises up at Night

Burglars are more likely to break into a store or office that hasn’t got any exterior lighting. This is because it’s easier to break in unseen. If your shop front or office entrance is lit up, burglars may think twice before attempting a break in because there’s more chance of being spotted by a neighbour or passer-by. 

Some businesses are hesitant to splash out on exterior lighting because of the added energy costs. A solution is to opt for motion-sensing exterior lighting which only triggers when someone is directly outside your premises. 

Make Sure Your Windows And Doors Are Secure

Burglars are more likely to look for business properties with windows and doors that they can break into quickly. Old flimsy doors and large fragile windows can make easy points of entry. Old locks could also be an easy target for someone who knows how to pick a lock.

Make sure that your windows and doors are strong enough to resist a crowbar or a brick. Opt solid frames made of metal or thick wood. When it comes to locks, make sure they are modern as these will be harder to force entry into. Reinforced glass could help to protect windows from being broken into. You could even consider installing shutters over windows. Many stores will opt for metal shutters to protect their shop windows from being vandalised or broken into. 

Protect Gates And Fences

If you have a property with gates or fences, consider how easy these are to scale or break into. If there are valuables behind these gates or fences, they could be easily stolen in the night.

Building fences and gates high can prevent people from breaking in. Some people also put spikes or barbed wire over the top. You should also make sure that locks on gates are secure and cannot be easily forced open. 

Consider Installing Security Cameras

Security cameras can help to collect video footage of any crime committed on your premises. On top of recording crimes like shoplifting or personal injury fraud during the day, a camera will be able to record footage of crimes like burglary and vandalism at night. Of course, in most cases, a camera will simply act as a deterrent against crime – if your camera is clearly visible, it is likely to put off any burglars or vandals and stop crime from occuring in the first place.

Security cameras need to be installed in the right places in order to be effective. You also need to make sure that they have night vision so that they can pick up criminal activity at night. Most cameras nowadays record footage onto the cloud where it can be easily accessed on any device at any time. Some will even send alerts if unusual motion is detected so that you can alert authorities if necessary. Camera installation costs can vary – obviously the better the camera quality, the more expensive the camera.

Invest in a Good Quality Alarm System

You could consider fitting your doors and windows with an alarm system. If your window or door is opened at night, an alarm will then trigger that cannot be turned off unless you (or someone else with the code) turns it off.

Modern alarms can link up with an app on your phone, alerting you whenever there is a break in. You can then promptly take necessary action. Some alarm systems work in conjunction with security cameras.

Turn Your Machines off at Night

Machines that are left running at night could be vulnerable to hackers. If no-one in your office is present, it could give a hacker time to rummage around remotely on your computer, stealing data or adding malware. 

A simple way to stop hackers infiltrating your computer systems while you are not present is to simply turn off your machines when you leave the office. Some companies leave machines in stand-by, which is often a waste of power as well as a security risk. It is very rare that hackers will infiltrate your computers at night while left on (most antivirus programs are robust enough to fend off these attacks and cybercriminals tend to prefer to other methods), however it’s still better to be safe than sorry. 

Outsource a 24/7 IT Support Service

There are many different types of cyberattacks that can affect companies at all hours. Being able to react quickly ideally requires having IT professionals constantly monitoring your business network. Hiring in-house IT staff to work around the clock is uneconomical for most businesses – a far better option is to outsource a managed IT company that is able to provide 24/7 support and maintenance.

You’ll find lots of these IT companies online. By shopping around, you can compare rates and plans. The best managed IT services are able to provide other services beyond cybersecurity such as cloud storage and advice on how to improve one’s infrastructure. 

Hire Staff You Can Trust to Take Over in Your Absence

It’s possible that your business may not close while you’re asleep. For example, bars and hotels stay open long into the night. It’s unlikely that you’ll be working every night shift, in which case you’ll need someone to take over in your absence.

Theft and cybercrime can occur at any time and so you need to make sure that whoever is manager is trained to deal with these situations. It could be worth drilling things like cyber attack response plans if you work in a 24/7 office. Your night staff should also know how to deal with a burglary or other crime. In certain industries, it could be worth hiring security to deal with any issues (such as bouncers or security guards).