During school holidays and long weekends, offices across South Africa prepare to close doors for a few days and families gear-up to hit the road. Unfortunately, these are prime periods for break-ins at unguarded homes and businesses. Research suggests around 686 households and 54 businesses get broken into daily in SA - and this increases substantially during the holidays.
Review security procedures and equipment before the holidays to ensure your premises - personal and professional - are safe and secure. Here are some tips to help protect your home and business while you're away:
Lock it up
Valuable items are all the motivation needed to break in. During holidays, businesses should adopt a 'clean desk policy'. Pack away laptops and other valuable equipment in a lockable store room, away from prying eyes.
The same goes for homes. Take extra precaution and store valuable possessions in a safe to reduce theft risk. If your home is on the ground floor or has windows that allow outsiders a look in, make sure blinds and curtains are closed to deter thieves from peeking.
The most important security tip is to ensure properties themselves are locked up properly. Access points should be locked and alarm systems set correctly. Task one individual, make sure they know the procedure ahead of time, and request confirmation when they've completed the lock-up and alarm activation.
Back up your data
Invest in cloud storage to back up data in case of theft or natural disaster while on holiday. Managed Document Services (MDS) allow businesses to track and protect important information, and can be easily implemented through Nashua.
MDS also allows accessibility from any device, at any time. If there's an emergency while you're away and you need to check something remotely, it's simple. Being able to access essential information can help minimise losses and impact to business continuity.
Turn it off
Security is more than just preventing theft. Reduce the risk of damage by switching off electrical points and appliances. Not only will you negate fire risk caused by overloaded power points, you'll be saving on electricity costs too.
Increase security
Assess whether current security measures could be improved. CCTV cameras and alarms will intimidate potential intruders, so should be used to their full advantage - make sure they're working by testing comprehensively.
To ensure coverage of an entire property, homes and businesses can be installed with Hikvision Video Surveillance, offered in SA through Nashua. This technology allows users to designate areas of interest (an entrance, for example) and set cameras to monitor objects entering or leaving the premises.
Eyes everywhere
Enlist security personnel to monitor premises over the holiday. This is particularly important at night. Consider installing lights in and around the property to discourage potential intruders.
As a last precaution, ask neighbours to keep an eye on your office or home. Ask them to alert you of any suspicious activity.
With security precautions in place, heightened awareness of holiday dangers and tech tools to monitor your property from afar, you can enjoy the Easter holiday and long weekend, while keeping your business and home safe.
Leading business solutions provider Nashua, shares the latest tips for offices, employees and efficiency. For an opportunity to speak to someone at Nashua about business solutions, email nthabiseng@gullanandgullan.com. For more information about Nashua's security solutions visit www.nashua.co.za.
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