Santam provides some safety tips for small-business owners to avoid becoming victims of crime at a time when profits need to be maximised.

As the busy holiday season approaches, small businesses often find themselves more vulnerable to security breaches. In particular, increased stock levels and more cash on the premises could put them at greater risk of crimes such as robbery and shoplifting.

Mall robberies and cash-in-transit heists also tend to increase during the end-of-year festive season rush, says Shehnaz Somers, Santam’s head of commercial lines underwriting.

“Small businesses generally welcome last-minute shoppers paying cash. But to avoid losses when profits can and should be maximised, they should ensure they take all the necessary precautions to avoid becoming victims of crime,” Somers says.

Safety tips

She provides the following safety tips to small business owners:

• Check that security measures, including security lights, CCTV monitoring and alarms are in place and in working order, and that there is signage on the premises warning potential criminals.
• If your business has a cash register, remove all the money at night and leave the register open to deter break-ins. Money should be kept in an SABS-approved safe.
• Make more trips to the bank if necessary to reduce the sums of cash you have on the premises. Vary your banking routine – sticking to the same schedule can make you an easy target for robbery.
• Ensure your insurance policy covers additional stock on the premises, and that the stock is stored in a safe place. It is very important to ensure that the full replacement cost of the stock is insured.
• Your policy should also cover cash on the premises. Santam’s Money Cover offering, for example, provides insurance for loss of, or damage to money on your business premises, or while in transit to and from the bank.
• With an increase in business over the busy period, there may be an increased demand for deliveries, and you may even need to use your own vehicle to deliver goods. Make sure you are insured for goods in transit to the correct level of cover.
• Keep up to date on new technology which could reduce your risk, such as different types of tracking devices which could be used for cash or goods in transit. One such device allows you to monitor the transit remotely via mobile phone, for example, and triggers an alarm when something unusual takes place.

“Security will always be a challenge for businesses during the festive season. Owners should be aware of the risks they are exposed to. While you can’t always prevent becoming a victim of crime, implementing simple precautions should go some way towards minimising the impact. This includes having the correct systems in place for your premises, money and staff members, as well as having adequate insurance cover,” concludes Somers.