How to Maintain Security Controls in Your New Small Business

The biggest challenge an entrepreneur is likely to face when launching a business in the US is financing,  according to a survey conducted by the US Chamber of Commerce. This lack of funds has forced many start-ups to operate on limited budgets, making it hard for them to meet their ever-growing needs.  When starting your business, one of the most important investments that you must make from the get-go is security. Unfortunately, if you don’t have a lot of capital to work with, you may not afford to hire a dedicated security team or even outtarget the tasks to a security company. Thankfully, there are various tools you can use to manage security in your small business and keep it safe from both external and internal threats.

Access control is a key element of any security system, especially if your business constantly receives a slew of visitors including customers, suppliers, and other business associates. It allows you to monitor who comes in and out of your business premises as well as who accesses certain areas and at what time. A  door access control system typically requires the use of codes, cards, or biometrics to gain access to the building or certain rooms within your business premises,  allowing you to monitor and control access to such areas. This helps you to prevent unauthorized access and tracks activity trails when an incident occurs, allowing you to identify the perpetrator. Modern access control systems can be connected to your smartphone or computer, sending you instant notifications when someone accesses certain areas in your facility.

As a business owner, it’s vital to keep an eye on your property to ensure that everything is fine at all times and to know immediately when something goes wrong. Smart surveillance systems have made this much easier and cheaper as they allow you to check on your business whenever you want to in real-time even when thousands of miles away. Smart surveillance systems come with strategically placed cameras that record the happenings in your business and transmit the live surveillance video to your computer or smartphone for viewing as well as to the cloud for storage and review. Some smart cameras also come with other powerful features such as night vision, motion sensing, facial recognition, and two-way talk to make them even more effective.

While enhancing your physical security is important, you must not forget about cybersecurity. Many of the threats your business faces today aren’t physical; they’re digital ones. In fact, the  Verizon 2019 Data Breach Investigations Report found that 43 percent of all cyberattacks in the US involve small businesses. A cyberattack can originate from any corner of the globe and put your most crucial information – everything from financial records to sensitive customer data – at risk. To prevent this, you must ensure that you have a cybersecurity defense plan to address potential cyber threats. For example, you can start by having anti-malware systems on all the devices you use in your business transactions. A hardware authentication system can also prevent unauthorized devices from gaining access to your business network, stopping cybercriminals in their tracks.

Security is not something you can afford to neglect or postpone to a later time, even when working with a tight budget. With a good smart surveillance system, access control system, and up to date cybersecurity system, you can take control of your security and protect your business from the most advanced threats you face today and tomorrow.