Setting up a smoke shop can be quite challenging with all the requirements that you need to complete before you are allowed to operate. For this reason, you need to ensure that your shop is well-protected so that your efforts in setting it up won’t go to waste. This article lists down some of the greatest ways to make sure that your smoke shop is well-protected.
Hire Security Services
One of the primary ways for you to make sure that your smoke shop is well-protected is by hiring security services to man your shop. The safety and security professionals behind https://www.cuttyprotectionandsecurity.com/ suggest that you go for the services of a company that employs well-trained guards who are reliable not only because of their skills but because they are trustworthy as well. With their presence, anybody who is planning to do something untoward to your store will have second thoughts because your shop is well-guarded.
Install CCTV Cameras
Another thing that you can do to make sure that your smoke shop is well-protected is to install CCTV cameras and other anti-theft and loss prevention devices. For instance, you can also consider setting up mirrors that will allow you to have a good view of what the people at the back of your store are doing. You can also think about the installation of signage as well as merchandising security tools such as security stands and shelf locks that will prevent shoplifters from taking what they want from your shop effortlessly. This will then help reduce the risk of your shop being victimized by shoplifters.
Guard Your Shop against Internal Theft
Apart from anti-theft devices, you should also guard your shop against internal theft or those petty crimes committed by employees. There may be instances wherein you are prompted to hire seasonal employees because in doing so, your overhead costs won’t be as much as when you hire permanent workers. While they can help you meet the demand of your shop during the busy season, this can also be one of the opportunities that you are opening up your shop to the risk of internal theft.
To guard your shop against this crime accordingly, you should exert the effort to conduct background checks, even if you are only hiring seasonal employees. You should also set the right permissions when it comes to the software that they will be able to access. In parallel to this, make sure that even your seasonal workers are well-trained and onboarded properly. But perhaps the key is in making all of your employees happy, keeping them engaged, and preventing them from being empowered to conduct a crime of internal theft.
Secure your POS with Technology
The advancements in modern technology have already provided businesses, including smoke shops, with the capability to automate some of their processes to reduce paperwork, including their point of sale or point of purchase. However, this entails the need for the business owners to install the necessary software that needs to be updated regularly.
Apart from regular updates to implement security patches, you should also secure your POS from hackers by being keen on equipment tampering. Some of the signs of tampering include broken seals as well as missing screws and extraneous wiring. Otherwise, you can also physically secure your POS by positioning it in a manner that will make it difficult for prying eyes to get any information. When it comes to your network, make sure that your POS system is running on a different network that is separate from your guest WiFi in case you do provide one for your smoke shop.
Implement Crowd Control Measures
Finally, make sure to implement crowd control measures as you deem necessary, particularly during the busiest times of the year. This is also applicable when you are planning on conducting a certain promotion or offering a new product that may attract several customers coming into your shop at once. In this case, start by mapping out your store and come up with ways on how you will be able to keep your shop from being overcrowded. You should also take the time to create a contingency plan.
To ensure that your smoke shop is well-protected, you should consider hiring security services and installing CCTV cameras. Alongside this, you should also exert the effort to guard your shop against internal theft. Also, take the time to secure your POS with the latest technology and implement crowd control measures as necessary. All these are geared towards ensuring that your smoke shop is safe and your investment in it is secure.
