3 Easy Security Improvements Your Small Business Needs Right Now

Recent nationwide events have made small businesses more vulnerable. Potential for riots and state-wide closures threaten many businesses and make it more difficult for customers to reach your establishment. Right now, you don't need additional worries like poor security measures to interfere with your bottom line.

You need strong security measures that protect your investment, guard against crimes like theft and vandalism, and gather and store useful evidence in the event of a lawsuit. Your current security measures might not be enough. Here are three easy security improvements your small business needs right now.

1. Update Surveillance Cameras

If you use fake surveillance cameras, rethink that strategy and install cameras that work. Or, you may have a basic, minimally functional analog security camera that could be replaced with a system that can do much more for your protection.

Consider these superior security camera options and what they can do for your business:

Facial Recognition

Cameras with facial recognition are a new and growing trend in video surveillance. This feature provides an instant and reliable way to identify employees or regular tradesmen at your business. Additionally, this feature can document the facial features of an unknown individual for later use.

360-Degree Images

A camera with 360-degree capability is not just a lens that can physically turn in a circle, which can be noisy or malfunction. This lens feature provides a true full-view scope of a camera's surroundings. You can utilize this camera to cover an entire area, which cuts back on the number of cameras you must use.

Night Vision

If you're not a fan of motion-activated lights as an aid to your security cameras, look no further than the handy night vision feature. If you have a poorly-lit space or desperately need to surveil after the sun goes down, night vision will record crisp, black-and-white images. Or, upgrade further to thermal-imaging cameras for irrefutable evidence of any intruder.

2. Switch to Wireless

Security cameras need a way to communicate effectively between devices, recorders, and even with your computer. Physical wires can be tricky and expensive to install within existing walls, are susceptible to power fluctuations, and can be severed with a quick slice. Why not go wireless?

A wireless security system does not rely on power outlets or ports. This increases the speed and ease with which you can integrate a system into any building type that houses your business, especially one with brick or stone.

A lack of wires means you have nearly unlimited capacity to add, change, or replace equipment whenever you want. This flexibility allows you to adapt your security system to meet the changing needs of your business. For example, you can choose to add additional cameras with different features based on trends in local crime.

Finally, the best feature of a wireless system is your new ability to access and control it via a smartphone or laptop anywhere in the world. You can interact with live and archived camera feed without the need to physically be at your business.

3. Upgrade Access Control

When your business first started you probably only needed a few copies of door keys for trusted partners or employees. However, sometimes simple keys may no longer be sufficient, as they are incredibly easy for anyone to duplicate. Or, you may have added more employees and you're not sure who comes and goes, and at what time.

You can get a better grip on access control when you get rid of those metal keys to take advantage of a new and better option. If you want to stay simple and low-tech, switch to electronic key cards with a keypad to limit access and record who arrives or departs. Or, talk to the experts at Phoenix Access Control for something more robust.