No matter what type of commercial operation you’re running or commercial buildings you have in your portfolio, security is important for all of them. Here are a few ways to improve commercial building security:

1. Conduct a Building Vulnerability Assessment

There may be some common security concerns across commercial buildings, but specific vulnerabilities will vary from building to building, situation to situation, etc. Because of this, it’s important to conduct a building vulnerability assessment to identify and address your building’s specific needs.

You will want to take all aspects of your commercial operation into account as you examine the building. Simply working through the building floor by floor and section by section can help you identify and prioritize security needs. Entrances and exits are common vulnerabilities, but you also need to consider interior rooms, hallways, doorways, and more to determine the complete security solution you need.

It’s a good idea for you to think about all of these things when you are considering your building’s security and when you are tackling security budget planning. But, you also don’t have to take it all on by yourself. A good security systems integrator can help craft a customized security solution that meets your operation’s needs.

2. Implement Some Form of Access Control

One of the most common and impactful ways to improve commercial building security is to implement some form of access control. This helps protect, monitor, and control entry and exit to the building and also helps to prevent theft and other property crime.

This is one of the biggest benefits of commercial security systems. Plus, there are a lot of options when it comes to access control, including biometric access control and a variety of systems; many of which can easily integrate with other security products and systems to create a comprehensive security solution for your building.

3. Install Video Surveillance

Video surveillance offers several benefits and is an essential part of any comprehensive security solution. Often, the presence of cameras alone can deter crime and improve commercial building security. This additional security for the building itself and everyone inside it is one of the reasons why property managers need commercial building security solutions.

In addition, video surveillance provides 24/7 real-time monitoring for your property. Not only does it help protect the building and everyone in it, but it also provides high-quality, clear video evidence should something occur. Plus, there are several common types of video surveillance cameras, so you can get the coverage you need for every corner of your facility.

On top of that, many video surveillance systems integrate with other security systems you may have in place. Seamless integration is essential for comprehensive security and allows for enhanced alerts and remote monitoring through intelligent video analytics capabilities, such as detecting and tracking movement and heat signals, counting objects, detecting tampering, and more.

4. Make Sure Security Extends to the Surrounding Area

It’s important to ensure your commercial building is secure, and it’s just as important to make sure that security extends to other parts of your property as well. Ignoring this and not having enough security is one of the common security mistakes businesses make.

If you have a parking lot, a parking garage, or a separate parking area, you want to make sure you have video surveillance, fencing, and other security measures in place there as well. These are some of the best places to install security cameras in your business for perimeter protection.

5. Reinforce the Boundaries of Your Commercial Property

Scalability and comprehensiveness are qualities of good security systems, and your security should include the entire premises. One of the ways to improve commercial building security is to reinforce the boundaries of your entire commercial property. What you can do may be limited by the location of your property, local building codes, etc., but there are options available.

Walls, chain link fences, security gates, and more can provide physical boundaries and perimeter protection for your commercial property. Physical boundaries like this offer extra security and protection, especially when paired with access control options.

If you cannot install a physical boundary for some reason and unauthorized entry is not permitted, you can post signage to indicate that and also ensure you have monitoring in place for all areas of your property. Signs may not create a physical boundary like a wall does, but they can still be a deterrent.

6. Improve Lighting Inside and Around Your Building

Making sure your building has adequate lighting inside and out is important for safety in general. It is also one of the ways to improve commercial building security and to improve security at outdoor shopping centers. Brightly lit areas make it harder for suspicious activity to occur simply because it’s hard to hide and makes those areas less desirable targets.

If there are areas that do not need to be well-lit at all times, you can opt for lighting connected with motion detectors. This helps keep things more energy-efficient while still providing the security benefits that come with good lighting.

7. Secure the Doors and Windows

Doors and windows are some of the most vulnerable parts of a building. Access control solutions can help you secure and control who is able to enter the building, and should also include physically reinforcing these areas. Efficiently protecting these areas is one of the reasons to consider a wireless alarm system for your business or facility.

Heavy-duty window and door locks are a good start to making sure your building is secure. This also gives you the opportunity to upgrade or replace any locks that are outdated, cheaply made, or damaged. On top of that, you can reinforce doors to make forced entry as difficult as possible.

8. Keep up With Maintenance and Regularly Assess Your Current Security

Once you have security measures in place, it’s essential to keep up with regular maintenance on them. Physical boundaries only work if they are maintained and in good shape. Security technology needs to be maintained and updated regularly to continue performing as intended. Reporting is one of the things to look for in incident management software, and it’s something that can help you review, analyze, assess, etc. your facility’s security and processes.

A good systems integrator will offer maintenance and support plans to help you keep your security tech up to date, which is one of the benefits of using a full-service security systems integrator. Even with an integrator helping you with maintenance, it’s still important for you to regularly review and assess your current security system and needs. These are essential parts of managing and maintaining security systems.

Security risks and needs will change and evolve over time, and there will be security features you didn’t know your business needed. You don’t want to end up with critical vulnerabilities because new needs or risks were left unaddressed.

These are just a few ways to improve commercial building security. The right mix of security products will vary from building to building, which makes choosing the right security systems integrator even more important.

If you’re looking to update or improve your commercial building’s security, contact NEPPS for a free site assessment!