Owning a business demands humongous responsibilities and owning a restaurant is not a different story. Despite the tremendous growth in the restaurant industry, the competition in this sector is not just restricted to culinary skills. Safety of your restaurant and the ambiance plays a key role in driving the business. Imagine a situation when a client at your restaurant gets assaulted or robbed. That sends a negative impression of your restaurant and one such incident can bring down your reputation and sales.
Door and Window Protection
Windows make a place well-lit and windows decor adds to the ambiance. However, these are also the vulnerable points of robbery. Smash and grab style thefts are quite common. To prevent the incidence of such loots, one can put foldable bars over these windows which can fold up during the opening hours and can be pulled down at the end of the day. A more technologically sound option is to use a transparent layer of security film. Although crimes due to the shooting are not that common, one can install bulletproof windows to prevent them. Smart locks that can only be unlocked using your smartphone or finger scan can bolster your security system. Investing in door and window protection technologies strengthens the security of the restaurant.
Technological Surveillance
Planting 360 degrees surveillance camera can prevent internal thefts. Sometimes, customers complain about missing items while dining out at restaurants. Monitoring the captured movements of people can help one find the culprit.
Further, in large hotels and restaurants cleaning staff and maintenance unit people very often have to work in isolation. This makes them vulnerable to workplace harassments and sexual assaults, either from their colleagues, visitors or even the employers. Installing wireless panic button at the workplace can boost employee morale and loyalty. The panic button activates emergency services and notifies others when pressed. Apart from this, they can be particularly useful in case of accidents. For example, in case of a fire break out in the kitchen, the cook can press the button to call for aid. Thus, technological surveillance can be reassuring for the restaurant owners.
Safety Measures in Cash Storage
Using digital payment systems reduces the instances of money laundering. However, one should be careful enough not to expose the pin. Also, you should fortify the privacy of the customers when they use the POS machine. One should run audits of the restaurant annually. Limiting the access of the people to cash drawer is an important step to prevent theft. One can install a smart lock system that uses biometric scan for access.
Find Location Vulnerabilities
The location of the restaurant affects the business as well as the security. One must choose a well-lit location to start a food and hospitality business. The crime rate in the area is another factor. Further, one should be observant in case of a large gathering or meeting in the restaurant. If you are skeptical of the motives of the gathering, you should ask your staffs to be alert.
Hire Efficient Staffs
The owner of the restaurant should be meticulous enough to hire workers. They should hire people who have no criminal records. Further, the employees should not be drug and alcohol addicts. As an employer, one should carefully examine the etiquettes and lifestyle of the employee. You should consider training your security guards and other staffs to deal with emergencies and use technologies like the wireless panic button. Rewarding employees to win their loyalty like bonuses for the best employee of the month would keep your staffs motivated.
Be it embezzlement of raw materials in the inventory by your own employee or an assault on your guest, as a restaurant owner, you should be wary of the worst scenario. Once you are confident with your security system, you can focus on expanding your restaurant chain. So, follow these steps for your peace of mind and a great customer reputation.
