Drive Home the Point of Living in a Protected Environment

When your job is protecting both individuals in their residences and business owners and employees at the workplace, your goal can literally be to alarm them.

Companies in the security business are tasked with coming up with the best products and services that will keep people safe, be it in their homes or while in an office.

So, how do you go about this without alarming them to the point where they are always looking over their shoulders?

While crime rates (specifically break-ins and assaults) vary around the country, they are still a matter to deal with depending on where you work and reside. Worst of all, it is typically the unassuming victim who ends up being targeted.

As a security provider, how can you assist both business owners and residents to not only use your products such as a security alarm system, but be more vigilant of their surroundings.

Ways to educate business owners include:

* Office monitoring - There are different systems (including alarms) available that can protect an office from both outside and inside theft. Installing video cameras in the office can help in many instances to identify the criminal or criminals in the event of an outside intrusion. Have the cameras positioned at any doorways, along with areas where there is expensive equipment such as computers. Video cameras can also assist in lessening the chances of an inside job, be it employees who may look to steal money, laptops, expensive supplies and other office items;

* Outside the office - Whether you own or rent your office space, make sure there is proper lighting for starters in and around parking facilities. You also want security cameras (when applicable) leading to your office, thereby allowing you to catch on film anyone that should not be heading to your office, i.e. non-employees going there after hours (excluding a cleaning crew), individuals who have been in the area frequently, yet have no business to be there etc;

* Document all office equipment - From chairs to the most expensive computers and printers, make sure all your office inventory is documented and accounted for on a regular basis. It is not unheard of to hear of employees walking off with office items that do not belong to them, then attempting to sell it to make a profit. If something substantial from your office goes missing, you can provide law enforcement with serial numbers and other documentation in the event someone tries to sell it.

When it comes to protecting homeowners and renters, your security business can offer them a number of tips, including:

* Be smart when not home - It is becoming more and more common for criminals to visit social media sites, including Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare, to see just who is home. Advise individuals coming to you for home security protection to be cognizant of not announcing when they are not home to the social media world. Not only could their home possessions be at risk, but women especially could find themselves in a precarious position coming and going from home if they announce it too often;

* Alarms do work - For some homeowners and renters, they tire of the task of setting their home alarm system when leaving their residence. Remember, it just takes one instance to forget it and come home to a burglary in progress or already find your prized possessions gone. If you are selling alarms to consumers, make sure to remind them to review the product, go over the installation process so they know what is involved, and have them set up with a company that quickly and efficiently responds to alarms going off;

* Form alliances - Lastly, neighbors helping neighbors can greatly improve a neighborhood’s safety. Advise residents to set up a neighborhood watch (which can include having a Facebook fan page with private settings) so that suspicious activity in the area is quickly reported. Businesses in the field of providing security systems can do themselves and their customers well by offering security education through blogs, videos, podcasts, and teaming up with local law enforcement.

While there are still some areas of the country where residents don’t lock their doors and businesses have an open door policy, others have learned through unfortunate circumstances that criminals can be ready to strike at anytime.

Make it your business to be secure if and when that happens.