Allied Fire & Security White Paper

JUST LIKE MANY OTHER BUSINESS OWNERS, YOU’RE PROBABLY WONDERING WHETHER PROACTIVE SECURITY IS NECESSARY? An upfront investment in your business security can save you a lot of money in the long run, especially if you choose the right equipment and the right partner. Don’t rush the decision and take some time to analyze your company’s security needs. This whitepaper can help you understand what the right approach towards business security is, how to ensure the safety of your business and why you need to invest in this kind of solution.

We have nearly seven decades of experience in the field of commercial security. Through the years, we’ve assessed the biggest risks that companies face and the amounts they can lose as a result of lacking a proactive safety approach. Before we move on to the top six reasons to invest in a business security solution, let us make a brief presentation about Allied Fire and Security.

THIS PRESENTATION WILL ACQUAINT YOU WITH OUR EXPERIENCE AND THE REASONS THAT MAKE US QUALIFIED ENOUGH TO GIVE YOU COMMERCIAL SECURITY IMPROVEMENT SUGGESTIONS:

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Allied Fire and Security was established in 1948 and today, we specialize in a wide array of residential and commercial security solutions.

We also provide specialized security services for financial institutions and businesses in the hospitality industry.

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Allied Fire and Security employs more than 60 technicians. In addition, we work with a vast array of professionals in the field of security – electricians, locksmiths, safe and alarm technicians and many others. These partnerships enable us to provide modern, adequate and comprehensive security services.

Our approach is based on professional know-how and the use of the latest technologies in the field of business security. We give customers 24/7 monitoring and a rapid response in the case of an emergency.

We are fully-insured, we do thorough background checks before hiring new employees and we give our employees access to additional training programs.

All of these steps are undertaken to ensure the provision of a superior commercial security service.

The information contained in this whitepaper is based on our experience and the numerous years we have in dealing with commercial clients. We’ve prepared a summary for you that outlines the most important reasons and some cost-efficient business security solutions.

You will otherwise have to dedicate a lot of time on doing general research. The following list contains highly practical and applicable information that you can rely on to boost your business security.

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WHY SHOULD YOU INVEST IN BUSINESS SECURITY?

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WE HAVE SIX IMPORTANT REASONS TO SHARE

INTERNAL THEFT IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR COMPANIES IN ALL INDUSTRIES

A Jack L. Hayes International study suggests that internal theft is becoming an increasingly serious problem for many companies. Poor screening and employee selection practices are the main reasons for such problems. The study involved 23 large retail companies. More than 71,000 dishonest employees were apprehended in 2012, an increase of 5.5 percent on an annual basis. The companies had more than 596 billion dollars in retail sales and the apprehension of the dishonest employees led to the recovery of nearly 50 million dollars.

Apart from poor pre-screening practices, the lack of supervision and integrated security solutions are also to blame for the increase in internal theft. This risk is much bigger and it can potentially become more destructive than shoplifting or external crime. According to CBC News, US businesses lose 50 billion dollars per year due to employee theft. In addition, the research shows that 75 percent of employees have stolen at least once from their employer! The use of video surveillance and access control systems in the workplace can make internal theft much more manageable and they could lead to the complete disappearance of the phenomenon.

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EXTERNAL THEFT

No matter if they are involved in retail or other sectors, companies risk losing money because of external theft and extraordinary circumstances. Small businesses are the most vulnerable ones because they lack the safeguards against crime and the systems necessary for effective crime prevention. The crimes that most companies suffer from range from minor problems like shoplifting to much more serious issues like vandalism and arson. The cost of crime against businesses has been growing in the past years. According to a 2007 report, business burglary cost 1.4 billion dollars, shoplifting led to losses of 1.6 billion dollars and stolen office equipment added up to more than 656 million dollars. Though the data is somewhat outdated, it gives specific data to illustrate the scope of the problem.

The most common types of external crime that companies are subjected to include: • • • •

Robberies Burglaries Shoplifting Counterfeiting

• Piracy and cyber crime • Vandalism • Money laundering

The use of quality detection techniques is one of the best possibilities for reducing the incidence of external theft and other crimes. Video surveillance can also simplify the process of tracking the guilty parties and recovering from the losses incurred. Prevention should involve alarm system installation, video control, access control, the use of high quality locks, employee training, hiring or working with experienced security guards and the creation of procedural manuals.

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EASIER INVENTORY CONTROL FOR LARGER COMPANIES

Inventory control for companies that deal with hundreds of products and items on a daily basis can be a tremendously challenging task. Surveillance systems can be integrated to track inventory at different locations, in case you have multiple warehouses. Technology-based inventory tracking will also make it easier to keep track of product availability and schedule restocking more efficiently. Making such practices more efficient can lead to a 25 percent reduction in overall spending on inventory.

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INSURANCE SAVINGS

The selection of a commercial security solution can help companies save money on their insurance premiums. Many insurance companies are willing to offer reductions to the businesses that make smart investments in business safety.

Some insurance companies are willing to provide up to 30 percent discounts for companies that install video surveillance equipment.

In addition, companies can reduce the number of fraudulent claims by relying on the footage they collect from their security system. Chuck E. Cheese is an example of a company that reduced the cost of fraudulent claims by almost 600,000 dollars per year after the installation of surveillance cameras at each Chuck E. Cheese location. Major retailers have a wellestablished practice of relying on such footage to investigate the validity of liability claims.

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SAFER WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES

The use of a carefully-chosen security system for your business can create a safer workplace environment and build your reputation as a top employer. Many companies find it difficult to deal with issues like workplace violence, harassment and sexual harassment. Sexual harassment has been decreasing steadily but it’s still a common problem in the workplace.

The number of charge receipts went down from 15,889 in 1997 to 11,364 in 2011, US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) statistics show.

Still, many reports suggest that a large portion of the employees that are subjected to harassment will not report. Harassment will not be reported especially in cases involving superiors and managers. Fear of retaliation is a legitimate concern, which is why many professionals in the field believe that the EEOC reports present misleading information. The only way to adequately protect workers and give them access to the best possible workplace conditions involves the selection of a customized and modern security system.

REMOTE VIDEO SURVEILLANCE OPTIONS Managing your surveillance cameras has never been easier. Adjust cameras, view live video or DVR recorded video from any of your mobile devices. As an authorized dealer of the popular OpenEye® MDVR technology, we have the mobile and interactive options for video surveillance systems you’ve been looking for. Our systems are compatible with: 3

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iPhone® iPad® Android® Blackberry®

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NATURAL DISASTERS AND DISASTER PREPAREDNESS

Commercial security solutions often include flood and fire detection systems. Such systems can provoke a rapid response in the case of an emergency, which will seriously reduce the cost of damage and the financial losses stemming from it. According to FM Global Insurance statistics for 2012, US businesses are seriously lagging behind when it comes to disaster preparedness. The study revealed that:

75%

75 percent of the questioned employees believe that their employer is not well-prepared to handle a natural disaster.

72%

72 percent said that they will not feel safe at their workplace in the case of a natural disaster.

71%

71 percent of employees believe that their employer will be incapable of bouncing back and moving on after a natural disaster.

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Small businesses that have less than 1,000 employees are the ones having the worst disaster preparedness.

employees

consensus

employees

employees

40%

companies terminated

The statistics get even more shocking – nearly 40 percent of companies will not reopen after experiencing a natural disaster.

Emergency preparedness involves understanding of the types of disasters common for the region (flooding, hurricanes, fires, etc.), finding reliable partners to offer assistance in the case of an emergency, installing a monitoring and alarm system that will worn of a natural disaster and coming up with a rapid response plan.

PROVIDING 24-HOUR ALARM MONITORING Our monitoring center will notify you in the event an alarm occurs on your property and dispatch police or fire departments in a timely manner upon verification of destruction or intrusion.

This is our list of six common and general reasons why business security is so important. Concerned about the specifics of your business? Want to get a personalized consultation? We encourage you to contact us and talk to the Allied Fire and Security professionals about the specifics of your business security concerns.

LOCATIONS PORTLAND, OR Serving Oregon & Southern Washington 530 NE Couch St., Portland, OR 97232  503-281-1177  503-288-1539 CCB #64465 SEATTLE, WA Serving Western Washington 1015 Central Ave N, Kent, WA 98032  425-988-6500  425-988-6501 SPOKANE, WA Serving Eastern Washington & Northern Idaho 425 W Second Ave, Spokane, WA 99201  509-624-3152  509-624-6909

Thank you for taking the time to read our whitepaper and we hope that you’ve found the information useful. To find out more about business security, please visit our website:

VISIT US ONLINE

WWW.ALLIEDFIREANDSECURITY.COM

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