Keeping your Business Secure yet Welcoming

A lot of people worry about making their business look unappealing when they add security tools to the property. They fear that their location will “look like a jail” or “feel like a fortress” if they have physical security tools installed. This is a fear that makes sense. You spend a lot of time and effort making your location look appealing in order to attract customers, so it’s understandable that you do not want to detract from this look.

However, physical security is incredibly important. While other types of security are designed to alert the authorities that there is a crime in progress or make it easier to identify criminals after the fact, physical security tools put a barrier in between your property and the criminal. This makes it significantly more difficult for anyone to break into your location.

Security gates also make your other security tools more effective. Many robberies these days are what are considered “smash and grab robberies.” These crimes are what they sound like. In a smash and grab robbery, a criminal uses weapons or force to break through a window or door. He or she then steals the desired items from the store and leaves quickly. The element of speed is very important in a smash and grab robbery. Criminals want to get in and out of a crime scene as quickly as possible. They know that it takes time for the authorities to arrive and they use this to their advantage.

Physical security tools such as security gates slow criminals down. It requires much more time and effort to get through these gates, if doing so is even possible. This is a truth that criminals do not want to contend with. They don’t want to spend a great deal of time at a crime scene. They know that the more time they spend there, the more likely it becomes that they will get caught. Security gates make your alarm system more effective by giving the authorities more time to respond.

Using Security Gates Effectively

However, when it comes to choosing physical security tools for your property, it’s important that you balance security with appearance. Some types of physical security can in fact make your property look unwelcoming and even intimidating. For example, fixed security bars that are often placed on windows can provide a good level of security, but they also obscure your window, making it difficult to display items for the public to see. Plus, there is a perception that barred windows indicate a “bad neighborhood” where individuals may not wish to stop and shop. This can hurt your business.

Instead of ruining the appearance of your business, the solution is to install folding security gates. These gates can be rolled or folded out of the way during business hours, ensuring that your property remaining welcoming and appears pleasant, open and friendly. They can easily be concealed in openings or inside displays in order to prevent them from detracting from the look of your store. When your business is closed, they can quickly and easily be locked up. This allows you to receive the physical and visual benefits of security gates when your business is closed without taking away from the look of your property when it is open.

DOWNLOAD our 10 Critical points for securing your store.