Article
Security steps can pay off for QSRs
Simple measures can help keep employees and your business safe — and cut your insurance bill.
September 27, 2009
Over the last six months, the quick-service restaurant industry has experienced several deadly robberies, including a Subway employee killed by a robber who gained entry into the store by knocking at the back door and a Taco Bell manager killed by a former employee who used that past relationship to gain entry into the locked store.
News stories like these are extreme examples of the dangers employees, operators and sometimes customers face in the course of a restaurant robbery. And while no measures are a guarantee to prevent such crimes, operators can take plenty of steps to make their stores more secure.
Most of the precautions aren't new, but security experts say they are surprised at how many operators fail to implement them.
Tim Dimoff, who focuses on workplace security as founder and president of SACS Consulting, said that putting good operations procedures in place is as important as implementing security measures. Those procedures start with employee hiring and carry over into management training.
"Basically what you want to do is establish the right culture in the business through good pre-employee screening, good training, good policies and strong safety and security procedures," he said.
Screening prospective employees is important because all too often, robberies are committed by either a former employee or a friend of one. Background checks should include criminal records as well as civil suits.
It's equally important the restaurant implement and train employees on strong security measures for cash handling, from limiting the cash in the drawers to using time-delay safes. Dimoff recommends safety procedures for money drops at the bank, including taking money during the day or having two people take the cash if the drop must be made at night.
Additional tips for a more secure restaurant |
Source: Wallberg Program Products |
Those measures are deterrents for employee theft but also prevent any criminally minded former employees from sharing or using a store's weaknesses to commit a crime. Not all former employees are potential robbers, but the knowledge and experience they share with others can either an asset or a detriment to the restaurant.
"If you have good physical safety and security procedures, then that employee actually becomes an advocate for telling people not to attempt to rob the place," Dimoff said.
Training the store's managers on employee relations also is important, SACS' management training seminars, for example, teach managers the necessary skills required to observe, document and confront employee issues. "Too often, managers are trained on the technical part of running a restaurant but don't get trained on how to manage people," he said.
Training managers and implementing strong security measures and procedures also ensures a well run restaurant.
"Anytime you have a better running operation, you'll have fewer problems in all categories," he said. "The better you train your management, the more employees will respect that manager, respect the business and think that there's less opportunity for any kind of internal theft, robbery or any other criminal activity."
Video analysis technology
Installing video surveillance equipment is a highly recommended security measure, but its usefulness often comes after a crime is committed. But new video analysis solutions actually help enable detection of potential criminal activity.
Previously used primarily at industrial facilities, video intelligence or computer vision technology is now available for small businesses, including QSRs. Cernium Corp., for instance, has developed Archerfish, a mobile video intelligence solution. The video software identifies people in unusual situations, such as someone at the back door at a time when no one should be there. A mobile alert is then sent to appropriate personnel.
Operators select the parameters to identify unusual situations as well as who to alert and in which format — e-mail, text, still image or video clips. Craig Chambers, CEO of Cernium, said some clients are testing having alerts sent directly to the local police dispatcher.
Chambers said the technology is especially useful for exterior surveillance. Its ability to identify a person is a leap forward compared to closed-circuit analog video systems that rely on motion detection technology. Those systems often detect useless information outdoors, including something as innocuous as a moving bush.
"With Archerfish, its enhanced video analysis or computer vision capability is not just asking it to look for something moving but asks it to look for something it believes is a person in an area he shouldn't be or going in a certain direction he shouldn't," he said.
Insurance discounts
Jeff Wallberg, owner of insurance agency Wallberg Program Products, said he is surprised by the number of restaurant clients he encounters that have yet to install even traditional video surveillance systems.
The systems provide some deterrence for crimes but are a better help in solving them. The greater benefit is in the peace of mind — and often a break on insurance rates. Installing other security measures, such as alarm systems and panic buttons to alert police of crimes during operating hours, also can mean insurance discounts.
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Operators also sometimes neglect to install sufficient lighting in the parking lot. A well lit lot and store is inviting to customers and can be a deterrent for unwelcome activity. Plenty of lighting in the parking lot also can help employees identify a getaway vehicle, if necessary.
Good lighting often results in a break on liability insurance. But if implemented along with security measures, it can translate into further discounts because altogether it's a sign the business is well run.
"The owners should take a proactive approach," Wallberg said. "The more they do for themselves, the more the insurance company would like to do for them."
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