According to a number of recent studies, commercial environments like retail stores, schools, hospitals, and similar areas are at a much higher risk of break-ins and burglaries than a lot of people realize. There were over 1.5 million burglaries that occurred in 2015 alone, for example, and a full 28.4% of those targeted retail establishments. This trend alone costs businesses in the United States an estimated $800 million in retail property losses per year.
Statistics like these, in a nutshell, are why security patrol services are so essential. But despite them, a lot of business owners still think that they either can’t afford to take such a step, are worried about the implications of suddenly having a security patrol around, or think that their specific environment makes them less of a target.
In fact, a lot of these ideas are misconceptions that couldn’t be further from the truth. Here are three key reasons why you should absolutely implement a security patrol:
1. IT DECREASES THE CHANCES YOU’LL BECOME A VICTIM
By this point, it’s common knowledge that burglars and other people with malicious intentions are likely to go elsewhere if a target is protected by a security patrol or another type of security system. Recent studies, however, reveal that this factor may be more powerful than we even thought.
According to one recent study, a full 60% of burglars say that they would actively seek an alternative target if some type of security patrol and/or alarm system were present. Likewise, of the burglars who do attempt to go through with their plan, a full 74% of uncompleted intrusions can be directly credited to those security measures.
So not only will a security patrol make it less likely for you to become affected in the first place, but it will also help mitigate and eliminate risks if you do find yourself the victim of someone who wants to do harm.
2. IT HELPS KEEP YOUR EMPLOYEES AND YOUR CUSTOMERS SAFE
For many businesses, perhaps the biggest reason to implement a security patrol ultimately comes down to the fact that it keeps their employees – and their customers – safe and secure at all times. Employees don’t have to worry about what they would do in a dangerous situation and, in truth; they can focus less on security to begin with. They’re free from worry or stress and can devote the majority of their attention to the most important goal of all: helping run the business.
3. IT’S A BETTER APPROACH TO YOUR UNIQUE CHALLENGES
When people think about commercially driven security patrol services, they often don’t realize just how customizable these offerings truly are. The fact of the matter is that every business is a little bit different – they all have their own unique challenges that they’re trying to address and problems that they’re trying to solve, particularly when it comes to security.
When you partner with the right provider, you can break free of the “one size fits all” approach to security to create a true, comprehensive and totally holistic system that is built for you and you alone. Security patrols can include everything you need – from standard armed guards to security officers who are designed to be discreet to walking patrols, driving patrols and much more. Many security officers have also been trained to deal specifically with the public, making them an ideal fit for this type of situation.