There are many challenges for Commercial Buildings’ Security Management as they can be very difficult to control and protect. This complexity increases proportionally to the size of the building, its layout, the number of tenants and the surroundings, to name a few key factors, and they have a huge impact on the security management.
The crowd control is also an issue, as the larger it is, the more complex are the security and Health & Safety measures required, exponentially increasing the complexity.
At the same time, it is essential to ensure that the building, all the assets, people and also data are safe and protected 24 hours a day, 7 days a week efficiently, without increasing the operational costs.
The Main Security Concerns
From very small shops and premises, through to skyscrapers and landmark buildings with different tenants or multiple locations, when it comes to Security at Commercial Buildings, the main concerns usually are:
- Internal and External theft,
- Information security,
- Crowd control (Control the Access to the building and protected areas),
- Lack of staff attention to procedures,
- Health & Safety issues,
- Unwanted behaviour and
- Other risks to people, property and assets.
With such a difficult scenario, how to cope with all these requirements and keep a safe commercial building? It is not simple, but there are some ways to get over it successfully and design an efficient and cost-effective security system for a commercial building.
The Five Ws + How of a Security System
The first question that you should ask is “What?”. It is essential to understand what is expected to be protected, address all the concerns and evaluate all the risks before designing the security system.
Start by listing all the concerns you have, review each area and their entrance (“Where?”), list possible problems that may occur, think about all the assets you have, etc.
The third question is “Why?” and by that it means that it is important to prioritize your concerns and evaluate the risks and the impacts of each one of them on your business or building management. Having a precise and detailed list of it can help you to manage and address them efficiently.
It is possible to estimate the cost of the problems you might have if there is a security breach (“How Much?”). It will help you to decide the amount of money you are likely to invest in security systems in order to mitigate the risks and avoid any security problems. The importance of security can also be measured by the amount of money committed to it.
You must decide when is necessary to have your security system installed and working (“When?”). You may, also, break it into phases as some parts are more important and urgent than others.
After a careful consideration, it’s time to share your concerns with Security Specialists (“Who?”), so they can design your Commercial Building Security System.
The best allies
First things first: having the security design completed right from the beginning can save you thousands as well as avoid all the stress of getting it wrong in the first place.
That’s why it is so important to select a security consultant that you rely on and have outstanding credentials, as well as the technicians that will install all the equipment. Talk to them, but also check the company’s reputation and what other customers say about them.
What’s more, you will need to rely on the security equipment and the correct and efficient operation of it.
Security Equipment Overview
Investing in good equipment is another important chapter of the whole security required for a commercial building, and many of them can also help with the security management.
Intrusion detectors and alarms, video surveillance and access control systems are the essential solutions for security, and some of the most used equipment are:
- Access Control for buildings, floors and specific areas
- Access Control and Smart Management for Parking Lot
- Number plate recognition for parking lot area
- Electronic Entrance Door Locks installation
- Swipe cards reader, keypads or Biometric scanners for access control
- Mobile Phone remote access to footage, alarms and access control
- CCTV Cameras to prevent theft and increase security during the day and at night times
- Covert installations for Catching a suspect person, make sure staff is sticking to Health And Safety procedures or staff training purposes
- Keep footage recording, storage and easy off access to historical footage
- Centralized viewing of the site via smartphone and PC
- Smart Market Application to get Business Intelligence information such as people counting, people tracking, Facial Recognition for VIP or Blacklisted Customers, and other Business Analytics
- Install glass breakers and intruder detectors
- Security Alarm
- Mobile app to control alarm system
- And Much More (click here for more information)
Having the right equipment, the updated technology and getting it from reliable suppliers is a very good way to invest your money and get the best of each cent.
Equipment Operation
Besides having it right from the beginning, it’s crucial to efficiently operate the equipment and also to establish and follow the procedures as these are the last, but no the least, parts of the security system.
It is extremely important to create operational processes and procedures, follow instructions and keep a track on what’s happening on a regular basis to keep the system working properly.
Don’t forget to create plans to act in case of any breach or security issues and develop ways to increase your security efficiency even more.
Start by training all the related staff, documenting the procedures and keeping the operation manual and guides available for the team. In case of doubts, talk to your security consultant and ask for advice or more training to staff.
Establish a routine of checking it to make sure all the equipment and procedures are working and being followed by the team.
Regular meetings with the staff can also be arranged for updating information, sharing the new learning of the operation as well as avoiding mistakes or new risks.
Also, keep maintenance schedules up to date to prevent failure, replace batteries, complete software updates as well as check the security system’s general health. Ongoing Maintenance may be required by the city council and is critical to hassle-free operations, ensuring that access control systems, electronic door locks, security footage and/or an alarm system are ready and working.
The Greatest Challenges
In order to help you with all this complexity, our Security Consultants listed some of the biggest security challenges that Commercial Building’s Security managers will face and how to deal with them.
People Change, Procedures, not.
People might change during shifts, leaves, sick days or the natural turn over, but it is extremely important to stick to previously studied, tested and established procedures. That’s why it is so important to register the procedures and processes (e.g. manuals, routine checks and updates) and train staff as many times as required.
But procedures might adapt
Crime and building dynamic might change from time to time, like, for example, special opening times for Before Christmas Shopping or School Holidays, for example, so your procedures will also have to adapt to the changing situations and it is important that your team – responsible for security – also get updates from time to time about the new procedures. Register, share and train your staff.
Know your People
It is really important to know who you are dealing with, not only for staff and contractors hiring but also your suppliers and maintenance companies. Check their credentials and evaluate the risks they might bring to your building security (along with Health and Safety). Keep a good track on who is coming and going, what they are bringing and taking and how safe your information will be (confidentiality).
Don’t Hide your Security
Usually, when planning the security, some professionals put the aesthetic in the first place or just don’t want to scare people with too many cameras on the sight. Seems to be ok, but what most don’t know is that it actually is a very effective crime deterrent. By knowing that there are security cameras and surveillance it makes the criminals think twice before committing any attempting and also encourage staff to follow procedures and stick to Health and Safety recommendations. Keep it in mind and make sure people and staff know that your commercial building is being surveilled and secured at all times in a friendly and natural way.
Neglecting Maintenance and Support Needs
All the security equipment, such as alarms, sensors, detectors, access control, lockers, doors, surveillance cameras, DVR etc. that protect your Commercial Building must be regularly maintainedto prevent failure and to replace batteries, complete software updates as well as check its general health. It is critical to hassle-free operations. This procedure also avoids external hacking attacks on your building security system, ensuring that electronic door locks, security footage and/or an alarm system are ready and working, ensuring that they are ready and working.
Following this great advice from our Security Consultants will increase the chances of having a clearer view of your security needs, what are the main challenges and how to deal with it in a very efficient and cost-effective manner, from the beginning and on.
Have you thought of your Commercial Building Challenges? Share with our friendly experts and get a free security consultation.
