Businesses Should Brace For Increase In Thefts

Businesses Should Brace For Increase In Thefts

As the recession cuts deep, businesses should brace themselves for a rise in both internal and externally driven thefts, according to Armourguard.

Armourguard General Manager, Ian Anderson, said there are a couple of key trends that will shape demand for security solutions over the coming year, including a predicted rise in crime.

“The latest Police statistics show an overall increase in recorded offences for 2008,” Ian said.

“Given crime’s correlation with recessionary bottoms, we expect crime to rise throughout 2009, which will drive the demand for residential and commercial security solutions.”

How much that growing demand will be offset by individuals and businesses spending less is still unknown, although organizations that cut costs in the security area do so at their peril. For businesses, ill-thought-out cost cutting in this area is all too often a false economy that usually results in a gradual increase in things that go missing in the workplace.

Ian said security motivators for the residential and commercial sectors were different.

“In residential markets, value is tied more to emotional than financial benefits. When it comes to commercial markets, value is aligned more closely to financial benefits associated with reduced risk and lower insurance costs, and less shrinkage of, or damage to physical assets.”

No slowdown for thieves
Because of the global economic slowdown, the International Monetary Fund has predicted that world GDP will decline about three per cent during 2009. Nonetheless, goods will still be on the move and an even greater target for criminals. Well-publicized increases in Somali pirate activities are an example of this type of increase in criminal activity. Hidden from public view are the pirates on land who prey more quietly, but no less brazenly, on goods that are being moved around locally and globally by logistics companies and other businesses.

“This is where technology can play a key role, by effectively reducing distance and allowing for more centralised management of security systems. The very fact that Internet-based video and networks can render borders and distance meaningless provides an enormous opportunity for companies to upgrade their security infrastructures to be more interconnected.”

Standards are key
Globalisation also spawns a growing need for global security standards, which will further develop in 2009.

“That’s because open markets demand common approaches.

“Even though the ‘not-invented-here’ syndrome often obstructs national acceptance of international standards, the fact is that standards help drive down costs. As a result, global security standards are ultimately good for companies by enabling them to better manage security across borders in more cost-effective ways.”

New operational efficiencies
This year could also be a tipping point toward the deployment of innovative security applications that incorporate new and not-so-new technologies in fresh and more cost-effective ways. One example is Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), a technology invented 60 years ago but now finding practical applications.

“After years of hype, RFID is finding its way into item-level, in-store deployments to help retailers better manage merchandise inventories and prevent out-of-stock situations. By having a real-time view of their inventories, retailers can take a more predictive, proactive approach to stocking merchandise, staffing their stores and managing their promotions.”

Web services & GPS
Another major trend in 2009 is security’s integration with web-based services in both residential and commercial security applications

“In general, the interactivity of web services, thanks to wireless broadband, will enable users to more actively participate in their security rather than passively awaiting an alert to some threat.”

Global Positioning Systems (GPS) technology can further enhance security applications with precise location capabilities.

“Mass notification, for example, can be customised to target specific groups of people either by function, locations, threat-level or any other factors, separately or in combination.

“Asset tracking, another example, can help authorities to locate stolen goods. With advanced integration of wireless technologies and databases, users can set preferences for alerts to be delivered as text, images or video to their mobile phones, PDAs, laptops or any other electronic means that suits them.”

Outsourcing security
Also, as cost/performance optimisation becomes acute in 2009, more and more companies are likely to consider shifting their security operations from in-house to external resources.

“These managed security services can be customised from a hybrid solution located on a company’s premises and using its own services to a hosted, off-site solution that provides comprehensive and tailored protection.

“While 2009 will certainly provide most of the world and nearly all industries with economic challenges, underlying trends may slow down, but they will not go away. As new, more cost-effective security applications are introduced, a point will be reached when their cost-benefits are just too compelling to ignore.”

ENDS

© Scoop Media