When you run a small business, it’s hard to imagine that your company could be a target for thieves. After all, why would they be interested in a tiny, small business – what could you possibly have that they want? Well, the truth is that as a small business, you are at a significant amount of risk from theft. And, it can come from almost any direction. In today’s guide, I thought we would take a look at the areas of your business that need protection from thieves. Let’s crack on and start reducing the risks of theft to your company.
The opportunist
Burglars are opportunistic in the vast majority of cases. They might spot an open window from a distance, and be in and out of your premises in a matter of minutes. You won’t even notice until you realize half your equipment is missing. While alarm systems and cameras can help, they won’t reduce your risk from theft entirely. You also need to make staff aware of their responsibilities. Windows should be kept closed whenever anyone leaves a room. And it’s the same principle for doors – lock them up if they aren’t in use. Finally, make sure employees know to report any sightings of strangers or suspicious activity.
The copycat
Whether you are a musician or a content creator, what you produce should be yours by law. Sadly, piracy, copyright issues, and intellectual property theft are rife these days. Your best bet to protect yourself is to be proactive rather than reactive. Use a professional service that can help you identify issues as soon as they occur. According to DMCA Takedown, you need fast, comprehensive and efficient counter-strikes against copyright infringement.
The insider
An astonishing amount of thefts from businesses are inside jobs. So, while you might trust your employees implicitly, it’s still important to perform checks every once in awhile. Don’t leave temptation lying around, either. The sight of money, for example, can be incredibly enticing for any employee who is going through financial hardship. Debt problems can also lead to people making desperate decisions – and they may even fall victim of blackmailers.
The Cyberthief
Of course, these days your business will have a lot of valuable information about your customers, either onsite or in an external server. Don’t underestimate how enticing this data is to hackers and thieves. Personal details, financial information and anything else you store as data can be used in a multitude of wicked ways. And the truth is that even with the highest security, and an experienced hacker can break into your system. The trick is to make it as hard as possible, and hope they will give up and find a weaker target. Make sure all your systems are locked down enough to deter all but the most determined cybercriminal.
The shady customer
Finally, it’s also important to know who you are dealing with. Fraud, embezzlement, forgery, counterfeiting – all are big problems in business. Make sure you are aware of all these issues and learn how to spot them as best you can.
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