As the busy holiday season approaches, many retailers will face an increase in opportunistic crimes in their stores; following these safety and security tips can help keep your shoppers, employees, and assets safe and secure.
With the holiday season just around the corner, retailers face their busiest time of the year. The increase in foot traffic, increased inventory, and irregular or expanded store hours all contribute to a more hectic environment, making it essential for retailers to prioritize their security programs and take the necessary steps to help keep their business, employees, and customers safe.
Whether you’re a single storefront, a high-traffic retail center, or a nationwide chain, following these business security tips and best practices can help you maintain a welcoming shopping environment and quality customer experience, all while keeping your business safe and secure during the holiday season.
1. Ensure decorations and holiday displays don’t obstruct camera views, interfere with security systems, or block pathways
When placing your holiday decorations, it’s important to ensure that they don’t interfere with store security systems or pathways. Displays should not be mounted near cameras, as they could potentially obstruct their views, falsely trigger motion detectors, or knock devices over.
This is also an opportune time to review and adjust your camera placements as needed, making sure surveillance systems effective cover high-traffic areas.
2. Limit cash in registers
For the safety of staff and the business, it’s important to implement a strict policy surrounding cash handling during the holiday season. Make sure to remove any cash from your store if it will be closed for a predictable holiday—such as Thanksgiving or New Year’s Day—or for an extended period of time for a holiday break, and otherwise limit the amount of cash on premises throughout the rest of the season. Consider taking the time to retrain existing or seasonal employees to ensure that all are aware of your cash handling policies.
3. Conduct background checks on seasonal employees, and ensure training on security and safety protocols has been completed
If you’re hiring seasonal or temporary employees for extra staffing during the holiday rush, make sure to take extra precautions. Conducting background checks on seasonal employees can help minimize threats of internal theft and ensure the overall safety of your store’s shoppers and assets. It’s also imperative that all employees are trained on your store’s security protocols before the busy shopping season begins.
4. Enforce customer capacity limits during the busy holiday season
Be careful to monitor and enforce your store’s capacity limits, especially during peak times, to ensure safety for both patrons and employees. Effective occupancy control can be critical in preventing overcrowding, carrying out crucial emergency response procedures should a security incident or fire occur, and overall help to reduce opportunities for unsafe interactions between customers.
5. Test your fire and security systems
Ensure your systems are working properly by inspecting and testing all fire alarms, access control systems, loss prevention systems, and security cameras before the busy season starts. This way, you’ll have enough time to make any repairs or changes without disrupting business operations or interfering with your customers’ shopping experience.
If you have an access control system, make sure that your system’s open/close schedules are updated and set for your holiday hours.
6. Ensure both the interior and exterior of your store are well-lit
Proper interior and exterior lighting are critical for improving the security of your store. Well-lit entrances and exits serve as significant deterrents to criminals, and additional lighting in parking lots and loading areas help ensure the safety of staff and patrons who may be arriving early or staying late. In the event of a crime, effective lighting is also critical in helping to capture evidence for reporting.
7. Avoid overloading electrical outlets
Especially with the addition of lighted holiday displays, be careful to avoid overloading electrical outlets and risking a fire. Limit how many high-wattage appliances are plugged into a single outlet, be cognizant and evenly distribute power usage across multiple outlets and power sources, and routinely check cords, electrical outlets, and receptacles for damage.
8. Clearly outline and post fire and emergency response protocols for shoppers and employees
Clearly outlining and posting emergency protocols helps to ensure everyone knows what steps to follow in the event of a fire or emergency. Display fire evacuation routes in visible areas, such as break rooms, exit doors, and customer service areas, and ensure fire extinguishers are accessible and in compliance with NFPA requirements for placement, inspection, and service. Make sure emergency signage is visible to both employees and customers, especially in high-traffic areas.
While these tips are especially critical during the high-traffic holiday season, they’re foundational in building security program best practices for retailers year-round. Partnering with a trusted security partner and integrator can help you build and adhere to a robust security program, and ensure you are equipped with best-in-class solutions to respond to emerging risks – no matter the time of year.