Your Guide To Cellular Alarm Monitoring

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Have you ever wondered what really makes your security system tick? It all has to do with cellular alarm monitoring! This technology helps ensure your devices and security system stay connected to our central monitoring stations. With cellular alarm monitoring, the help you need is always nearby in the event of an emergency. Learn more about how it all works right here.

What is Cellular Alarm Monitoring?

Cellular alarm monitoring service is the new standard in home security monitoring. Operating on a dedicated cellular channel, the system sends a wireless signal via a secure, encrypted transmission to our central monitoring stations in case of an emergency. Additionally, cellular monitoring uses its own dedicated network to send and receive signals, so you do not need a cell phone to upgrade to cellular monitoring.

Are Landlines Obsolete?

Almost 25% of Americans now live in homes without a landline. And that figure doubles among young adults aged 25-29. While there is no hard cut-off date for landline termination, most will likely be retired in favor of more reliable, cost-effective, and flexible cellular communication.

What are the Benefits of Cellular Alarm Monitoring?

Cellular monitoring systems are easy to install without the need for drilling or rewiring in your home or business. As more people switched to cell phones as their primary source of communication, Cellular Monitoring became more relevant to the point where it’s now the standard for home security solutions.

Plus, with cellular alarm monitoring, you stay connected no matter what. Since it transmits on a separate, secure wireless network, your system remains in constant communication with the central station. Even when:

  • Power outages cut lines due to extreme weather
  • You change telephone service providers
  • Burglars cut your lines prior to an attempted break-in

Make the Most of Cellular Alarm Monitoring with Smart Home Upgrades

Like an amazing universal remote control, Smart Home automation from Boyd & Associates gives you the power to control not only your security system but all exterior door locks, interior and exterior lighting, as well as temperature control, from anywhere!

Upgrade today and turn your phone into a remote control for your home. With cellular monitoring and a smartphone, tablet, or computer with an internet connection, you have access to many additional features, such as:

  • Remote Arm & Disarm
  • Remote Lock & Unlock
  • Climate Control
  • Lighting Control
  • Live Streaming Video Surveillance
  • Real-Time Alerts

For More Security Tips and Solutions, Stick with Boyd & Associates

And if you’re looking for more ways to keep yourself and your family safe, check out our home security and automation services at Boyd & Associates. We offer a wide range of home security options to protect you and your family. If you’re ready to discuss our custom solutions, contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can help you prepare for what’s next.

Is Carbon Monoxide Monitoring Right for Your Home?

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According to a study conducted by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NBCI), the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention reported over 15,000 carbon monoxide-related emergency department visits. While it is certainly a good idea to have smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your home, their presence alone is not enough. Without service to monitor any issues, you’re still leaving your loved ones and pets at risk. Here is what you need to know about carbon monoxide monitoring for your home.

Carbon Monoxide is an Invisible Menace

Carbon Monoxide is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless poison gas that can be fatal when inhaled, often dubbed as a “silent killer”.

CO comes from many everyday household items, such as stoves, furnaces, heaters, fireplaces, and generators. While these items can provide comfort, they can also endanger you if not adequately covered.

The right carbon monoxide monitoring plan saves lives. Our systems allow you to correct a carbon monoxide problem immediately when it happens. In most cases, this is long before any health effects start to set in, allowing you to pinpoint the issue before it becomes truly hazardous.

Why Should You Get Carbon Monoxide Monitoring?

Lower levels of CO exposure (around 1,000 PPM) can leave you unconscious after one hour, but the highest levels of PPM exposure (10,000+ PPM) will kill you within minutes. Therefore, it’s important to receive a fast and immediate notification to help save lives.

The biggest benefit to having a monitored carbon monoxide alarm in your home is that it acts as an early warning system. As levels of carbon monoxide start to build up in the air, the system notifies you instantly when there is danger. Our support and monitoring team will also get in touch with you to discuss the situation and check to make sure you’re okay.

How Carbon Monoxide Monitoring Improves Emergency Response Times

The national response time in the United States is 15 minutes, 19.2 seconds, but having a security system can lessen that to up to four minutes. If the monitoring team notices levels that are abnormally high and they are not able to get in touch with you, they will dispatch emergency services to arrive at your home in minutes. In some situations, this can mean the difference between life and death.

Having a carbon monoxide detector in your home is not enough. Full-range monitoring is what makes your system a true protection mechanism for the overall safety of your family and the protection of your property.

Ready to learn more about carbon monoxide alarm monitoring? Contact our team at Boyd & Associates today to schedule a no-obligation consultation.

Home Security System Test: Why it’s Important and How to Test

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How realistic would it be to expect a car that sat idle for three years to start up and operate perfectly? Or how about a home that sat vacant for five years? Would you expect the air conditioner to work? And it’s exactly why conducting a home security system test is so important.

Just like with any piece of mechanical equipment, periodic testing of your home security system is essential for optimal performance. In the event of an emergency, there are no second chances. Your security system and home fire alarm system must work flawlessly when needed.

How to Test Your Home Security System

Testing your home security service helps to ensure that your home security system will work properly. It identifies problem areas that may require attention from your home security company. You want to test alarm signals as they appear on your home security alarm system control panel and at the alarm monitoring center to ensure proper communication between both.

Procedures for testing your wireless home security system may vary by manufacturer. Consult your owner’s manual for more details. However, the general steps laid out here should work well for most systems. Be sure to keep your account number and unique personal identification password or code handy when speaking to your home security monitoring service.

You Should Conduct a Home Security System Test Each Month – Here’s How:

Call your home security monitoring service and request to put your system in ‘Test’ mode. This is an important step so when you send in a signal from your security system, they do not contact the emergency services.

Arm your security system. Once the system is fully armed, open a few doors or windows that are connected to the security system. Once the siren has sounded, wait for 45 seconds, then promptly disarm the system.

Call your home security monitoring service back to confirm they received the signal from your security system. Then, confirm you are ready to take your system off ‘Test’ mode.

Test All Sensors and Motion Detectors

Testing the signal between your panel and monitoring station is important, but it’s just one piece of the protection puzzle. Double checking that all of your installed sensors and motion detectors are also properly functioning ensures that your panel has something to communicate if and when the time comes. Here’s what to do:

  • First, verify that your system is in “Ready” mode and not armed. Disarm the system to avoid the deployment of emergency services.
  • Open each door and window where sensors are installed, doing so one at a time.
  • Check your panel. It should display the door or window that you are testing.
  • Close the door or window. Your panel should change back to “Ready” mode.
  • Repeat this process for each of your motion detectors.

Test Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Detectors

Testing your CO and smoke detectors regularly are other important pillars to your home and family’s safety. Test smoke and CO detectors monthly, and as a general rule, swap for fresh batteries annually. You don’t want to be at risk of a house fire or carbon monoxide poisoning. Here’s how to conduct a CO and smoke detector test:

Remember, when testing either detector, it should make a noise after pressing the “test” button.

If no noise occurs when pressing the test button, start by changing the batteries in the device.

If this doesn’t work, make sure to contact your home security system provider.

As an additional in-home test, you may consider canned smoke. Available to order online or from your local hardware store, canned smoke simulates real smoke interacting with your detectors in a safe way. It allows for a more hands-on test than simply pressing the “test” button.

For More Security and Tips and Solutions, Stick with Boyd & Associates

Preventative maintenance is the name of the game for making sure your home or business stays safe. After all, if the security system in place doesn’t function properly, how can you expect it to provide protection? Boyd & Associates recommends testing your system every 30 days.

And if you’re looking for more ways to keep yourself and your family safe, check out our home security and automation services at Boyd & Associates. We offer a wide range of home security options to protect you and your family. If you’re ready to discuss our custom solutions, contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can help you prepare for what’s next.

How to Protect Your Business on Black Friday

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With Black Friday fast approaching, businesses and shoppers are looking to score on holiday deals. Since there’s going to be larger foot traffic than usual, you must take the proper precautions to ensure the safety of your customers, employees, and business.

Although online shopping has grown significantly in recent years, there are still tons of people who head out to retail stores in person, especially where there are amazing deals. Along with physical security, business owners also have to keep the health and safety of their employees and customers in mind. Here’s how to ensure a safe Black Friday in 2021.

Establish Health and Safety Protocols

Black Friday is going to be a long and tough day for your employees. There’s going to be a lot of people moving in and out of your store throughout the day. You want your employees to feel safe and supported.

With COVID-19 still circulating, you want to establish a set of health and safety protocols for your store. Although there aren’t currently any mandates in most parts of the country, consider implementing procedures your employees feel comfortable with, such as supply enough hand sanitizer for employees and customers, requiring masks in the store, etc. Here are the CDC recommendations for businesses for further details.

Prepare and Educate Your Employees

In addition to safety tips, you want to prepare your employees on how to handle Black Friday. This is especially important for new hires who haven’t worked one before.

The best way to prepare your team is to hire early. When employees are comfortable with the job, they are better equipped to handle face-paced and high-stress situations. Since Black Friday is only a few weeks away, you want to start the onboarding process now if you haven’t done so already.

Another key tip is to establish clear expectations for the day. If you own or operate a store with multiple departments, then you want to assign team members to their respective departments days in advance. So, when Black Friday finally arrives, they know exactly where they need to be and their respective role for the day.

And lastly, be prepared to step in and help on the floor. It can get chaotic during Black Friday. However, when employees see their managers or even the owner on the floor helping customers, that sets a great example for the entire team.

Have a Security System Covering Your Store

Keeping track of all the people in your store during Black Friday is a near-impossible task. Fortunately, one of the best ways for businesses to deter criminal activity is with a surveillance system. Security cameras not only deter crime but can also help with investigations in the case a burglary occurs. For placement, you want to have security cameras covering your main points of entry, as well as the products you have on the floor.

If you’re not sure the best way to set your security cameras or monitor your system, consider partnering with a security provider. At Boyd & Associates, we service small to medium-sized and even large businesses. We can keep your business protected this Black Friday and the other 364 days in the year. Contact us today to learn more about our commercial security solutions.

Small Business Security Systems – Protection for the Little Guy

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Here at Boyd & Associates, we love small businesses. They’re the backbone of our economies, our cities, and our country! For that reason, we wanted to talk about how security systems can help out. Despite what you may think, small business security systems feature the same power and features as their big business counterparts – often they’re just less complex.

Small Business Security Systems

Intrusion Protection for Small Business

Intruders are just as much a problem for small businesses as they are for others. And the solutions are the same as well!  An intrusion alarm allows us to monitor your property when you aren’t there, keeping your property, people, and product safe and secure. Detection devices in our complete commercial business security systems include:

  • Door contacts
  • Motion sensors
  • Photoelectric beams (often used for large spaces like storage yards or warehouses)
  • Glass break detectors
  • Panic buttons

Video Surveillance for Small Business

Video surveillance is a powerful tool for businesses of any size. A well-designed video surveillance system is comprised of HD-quality IP cameras covering every angle of your business. These not only provide higher security over the business but are powerful tools for increasing the productivity and efficiency of employees, processes, and customer service. And it provides business owners with protection in case of insurance claims for injury etc. It’s a boost no matter the size of your business!

Features of our video surveillance security systems for businesses include:

  • Scalable solutions – start while your business is small, it can grow with you!
  • Sophisticated software, but simple to use
  • Long-range video detection
  • Wireless video detection systems options
  • Remote access from anywhere using a smart device
  • Digital Recording

Access Control for Small Businesses

Access control might be the place where businesses can practice a bit more discretion – but there are still benefits! Access control is crucial for the physical security of the building and allows for more fine-tuning of the control to who gets in and when. A simple key and lock don’t provide the fine-tuning that a real access control system does – such as who can access the building, what days and time, and more. Typically, small businesses don’t have as many different roles within the business structure or areas in their business space so they don’t need as robust an access control system – but even a simple one can do wonders.

Video Verification for Small Businesses

Standard, bare minimum small business security systems can have false alarms frequently. Because of this, many jurisdictions require some sort of verification before there’s a response from emergency services. Using monitoring and video verification services for your small business means that any alarm is verified and ensures a priority response from police, so your alarms don’t go unnoticed.

Business Security Systems for California Businesses – Large or Small

When you’re searching for the best in small business security systems in the Southern California area, Boyd & Associates is here to help. These are just four of the big picture services we offer our clients to keep their businesses running smoothly and operating safely. We also provide automation and fire safety services – because running a small business is difficult enough, you should be able to rely on your security team!

Our easy-to-use security systems use advanced tech to deliver a higher level of protection – for your customers, your employees, your property, your business. Give us a call today if you want to take advantage of a fully automated security system you can control with the tap of a finger from an online portal or app on your smartphone.

 

What Does the End of 3G Mean for Your Security System?

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Carriers like AT&T and Verizon have announced their sunsetting 3G wireless networks at the beginning of 2022 and the end of 2022, respectively.

Just like 2G, the 3G network has become outdated as more wireless customers demand greater bandwidth and faster speeds. Shutting down the older network will drastically increase data capacity and speed on 4G, 5G and LTE networks.

If you are like most Americans, your cell phone no longer runs on a 3G network anyway. And many carriers are no longer activating devices on the 3G network.

But what about your security system?

What is 3G and What is the Difference Between 3G, 4G and 5G?

Before we get into how the 3G sunset could affect your security system, here’s a quick rundown of the different networks available.

The “G” stands for generation. The newer the network, the more capacity for more devices to connect to that network. Introduced in 1998, 3G and is now considered a slower network compared to the current standard 4G. As more people get access to mobile devices and the Internet of Things (IoT) expands, as many as 24 billion devices are expected to need cellular network support by 2024. That’s where 5G comes in, offering peak capacity and latency.

Do Security Systems Run on 3G Networks?

Yes, some security systems run on cellular networks. 3G networks were the standard communication technology used in security panels starting in 2016.

When landlines became obsolete, there was a shift to wireless security systems that use cellular technology to relay messages. These systems were more reliable, convenient, and accessible than their landline counterparts.

Cellular security systems also do not have onsite wires, which can be tampered with by a burglar to render your security system useless.

What Does a 3G Sunset Mean for My Home Security System?

If your alarm system was installed with a 3G-compatible communicator, it will no longer work properly once carriers begin to sunset 3G networks—regardless of who your security provider is.

Although wireless carriers have published specific dates for 3G termination, this does not guarantee 3G services will be fully available until the sunset. It is common practice for carriers to reduce coverage during transition periods.

That is why it’s imperative to take action as soon as possible to avoid service disruptions.

What Can I Do to Limit Disruption to My Home Security System?

The cellular communicator on your security system will need to be replaced to operate on the new networks.

Your security provider should proactively reach out to ensure there is no lapse in service for your system. If you do not hear from them or you want to get the ball rolling on updating your system, contact your provider and ask the following questions:

  • Will the 3G sunset impact my security system?
  • When are cellular carrier changes expected to roll out in my area?
  • What is your company’s timeline and plans for customer updates?
  • Can I update my system in advance, or do I need to wait for a tiered rollout?
  • Will I be charged a service fee to upgrade my system? If so, how much?
  • Do I need to purchase new equipment, or will it be provided free of charge?
  • How can I schedule a service call to update my system, if needed?

Your home security provider should be willing and able to answer all of your questions about the impact on your system and should have a plan in place to prevent disruption.

If you want more information about how Boyd & Associates is handling the 3G sunset, just reach out. We are happy to work with you on getting your system updated.

Is It Time To Manage Your Company Security System With A Mobile App?

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Managing your office and employees’ security is good business. 

Your alarm system can do more than just keep your office secure. You can turn your lights on and off, set your thermostat, lock your doors, view cameras, and receive notifications, all from the Virtual Keypad™ app.

Choose your level of protection with options to arm All, Perimeter or Area, you can have the peace of mind that your investments are well protected. Set alerts you want to receive Choose to receive notifications in cases of Alarms, Trouble, and Arms/Disarms. Manage system schedules Schedule Arming/Disarming, your Favorites, Doors, Z-Wave devices, and other outputs. Control multiple devices with one tap With the Favorites settings you can group your most-used devices and turn them on or off with a single tap.

Multiple system control Manage multiple locations seamlessly from the same app.

Give us a call today to learn more.

How to Effectively Place Motion Sensors in Your Home

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Outside of the physical structures of your home, motion sensors are often the first line of defense for your security system. But how does a motion sensor work? Basically, motion sensors trigger alarms and direct the home security feed to wherever the alarm was triggered. This is usually based on motion or intrusion (hence the name!)

Taking the time to plan out motion sensor placement for your home is so important. If your motion sensors are not in locations where they work the most effectively, your entire system may be flawed. Check out these helpful tips for motion sensor placements:

The most effective motion sensor placements

Motion sensors work to detect movement in an area where there should not be. When thinking of the best placements for your motion sensors, consider important access points and any potential vulnerabilities in your home or business that an intruder might exploit.

Corner spaces

Put a motion sensor in the corner of each room, aimed toward the doorway. That way, if the door opens or someone passes through, the sensor will detect the motion and set off the alarm.

Near valuables

What exactly are you looking to protect with your motion sensors and security system? Place motion sensors directly at your most valuable items. Or, in the case of a small business, consider where you keep or display any important products or business profits. No one will be able to get close to them without you knowing.

Second floor bedrooms

Even if you feel as though a burglar could not enter the house through the second floor, it is a good idea to keep a motion sensor near the bedrooms in your home. As a rule of thumb, all entry points should be accounted for. This way you will be alerted if anyone approaches while you’re asleep.

Basements

It never hurts to be extra careful. Especially if there are any access points or vulnerabilities from the basement. Having several sensors down in that area is a great idea. If you have lots of clutter, make sure they are placed in an area where they won’t be blocked. Also consider installing one near the staircase leading upstairs to the main levels of your home or business.

Ceilings

When an intruder enters the home, they may already be looking for motion detectors. A great place they would not immediately look is the ceiling. Sensors work on any angle, so this is a great way to keep a thief from easily avoiding detectors. And these days, sensors are made to fit discreetly wherever you place them. So, they won’t be an eyesore in your home either.

Within decorations

A great way to hide motion sensors is by making them part of your household decor. Hide them amongst photos and knickknacks so they are not easily spotted by intruders. Plus, they won’t detract from your home’s look and feel.

The least effective motion sensor placements

Motion sensors are designed to detect motion, that means any kind of motion. Placing your motion sensors in certain areas can not only detract from the functionality of your system, but it can also cause false alarm triggers. Avoid placing motion sensors in the following locations:

Near windows

This is a bad location for a few reasons. The first is that heat activated motion sensors can be confused by direct sunlight, which most windows receive a lot of! The second is that the sensor works best when a burglar walks parallel to them rather than straight ahead. Finally, you would not want a false alarm trigger from every single passerby, or even just an innocent visit from the neighborhood cat.

Near heat sources

A heat source could potentially create a false alarm, so it is a good idea to keep motion sensors away from hot air vents and radiators. Any change in infrared heat could trigger the alarm. Plus, extended exposure to high temperatures could potentially damage your equipment as well.

For more security tips and solutions, stick with Boyd & Associates

Ensure that your security system is working to its full potential by strategically installing the motion sensors that are included with it.

And, if you are looking for more ways to keep yourself and your family safe, check out our home security and automation services at Boyd & Associates. We offer a wide range of home security options to protect you and your family. If you are ready to discuss our custom solutions, contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can help you prepare for what is next.

Small Business Security Tips: Why You Need A Security System

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Small business owners might not always think about security on a daily basis. When you’re too busy worried about the day-to-day operations of owning a business – from managing employees, keeping financial records, to the actual customer transactions of providing products or services, it can be easy to forget that entire operations often hinge on proper security. But, maybe now more than ever, small business security is an essential aspect of any entrepreneurial venture.

But it can be overwhelming knowing exactly where to start. Which is why we’ve compiled some quick-hitting tips to small business security. It’s time to start operating your business with complete peace of mind.

BASIC SECURITY TIPS

There are a few basic security measures any business owner should take on their own. Most are probably fairly obvious, but it never hurts to run through the basics!

KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

Any business should understand the community they are becoming a part of. And that starts with taking stock of the physical places your business is existing. What are the crime statistics like in the area? Are you located in a region that could be affected by natural disasters? Are there any safety or security concerns with the business structure itself that could pose risks?

Don’t forget – your business space should have a smoke alarm and CO detector in every room!

LOCKS AND LIGHTS

This is another pretty simple, obvious point, but the end of every business day should come with security checks. Is your workspace clean and organized? Are products and any cash from transactions locked away in a safe, secure location?

Always be sure to lock every entry point. Shutting off lights is a great way to let people know your business is closed. But it can also be an indication for burglars, especially if there are dark areas to hide. Keep lighting balanced to save on energy, but also ward off intruders.

HAVE A BASIC CYBERSECURITY PLAN

These days it’s not enough to just have physical security in place. As more and more businesses operate online, the greater the risk for cyberattacks like malware, phishing, hacks and scams. Get ahead with a basic cybersecurity plan to protect your business:

  • Use firewalls and antivirus software
  • Make sure your Wi-Fi network is secure
  • Rotate passwords quarterly
  • Protect payment processors
  • Back up any business data to a secure cloud network

Secondly, remember to educate yourself – every business is going to have unique risks inherent to individual business structure and industry that must be considered.

While these basic measures are a good start, overall they limit security options for small businesses. It is important to understand when it’s the right time to upgrade to a full small business security system.

FEATURES OF A SECURITY SYSTEM

Small business security systems come with many of the same perks and advantages that are present in home security systems. And in most cases, security solutions can be customized to fit the unique needs of any business in any industry.

INTRUSION MONITORING

Just like your home security, you can (and should!) install sensors on all doors and windows. This will allow you to know when people are coming and going on a daily basis during normal operation hours. Additionally, with 24 hour monitoring, you can trust that when you arm your system that first responders will quickly dispatch in the event of an intrusion.

OPEN/CLOSE REPORTING

Business sizes vary, and maybe you can’t always be onsite. With open/close reporting, you can keep an eye on your business operations from afar. Know which employees open and close, track shifts, and keep detailed daily log records.

VIDEO SECURITY

Security cameras are a popular small business security measure. And they can be taken to the next level. While there is certainly a market for business owners to purchase and install video systems themselves, they lack the nuance and technical advancement of a system installed by a professional company.

And with Video Verification, in the event of an alarm, live operators will monitor your surveillance footage and can notify police the moment any suspicious activity is verified, increasing first responder intel, and expediting response times. Plus, real-time analytics help provide advanced metrics, secure video data via Cloud storage, and allow you to view footage with searchable timelines.

SMART BUSINESS AUTOMATION

Just like Smart Home Automation solutions, adding automation to your business can take those basic security measures to new heights. Plus it’ll add major improvements to how an installed system functions.

Smart business automation allows you to access your business security through any computer, smartphone or tablet. That means you can remotely arm your system and monitor those daily security reports from your couch at the end of a long day. Plus you can pull up your surveillance feeds at a moment’s notice to check in.

AUTOMATION SAVES TIME AND MONEY

As a business owner, every penny counts. And smart business automation can help you save more money in the long run on your energy bills. Smart thermostats and lights allow you to set schedules and routines, and change on the fly based on real-time analytics.

And with automated lights and locks, you will never second guess whether you closed up shop or not. Want to make sure the back door is locked? Worried about your front light being left on? Not a problem. You can remotely arm your system, check locks, and even turn lights on and off, long after you have left your business.

 

BOYD & ASSOCIATES UNDERSTANDS YOUR BUSINESS SECURITY NEEDS

 While most fundamental security needs are pretty standard across the board, at the end of the day, every business is unique. The security needs of a small neighborhood coffee shop might vary greatly from that of an auto-body repair business. There are no one-size-fits-all solutions for business security.

At Boyd & Associates, we understand that every business is different. Which is why we offer custom security solutions for your business. That way, you choose the combination of services that best suits the needs of your business.

If you’re looking for more ways to keep yourself and your family safe, check out our home security and automation services at Boyd & Associates. We offer a wide range of home security options to protect you and your family. If you’re ready to discuss our custom solutions, contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can help you prepare for what’s next.

 

 

 

 

Small Business Security Checklist

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Most small businesses work with a tight budget and profit margin. This makes it even more important for small businesses to protect their company. Here is a quick checklist to make sure your small business is protected and to help prevent unnecessary losses.

PHYSICAL SECURITY

It is not always obvious what you can do to improve building security. That is why a building security checklist should be part of every small business, to make sure your store is protected from all angles.

Here are a few things you should consider as part of your security checklist. Depending on your store’s location and layout, you should add more to this list:

EXTERIOR DOORS AND WINDOWS

  • Exterior doors are locked and are made of solid hardwood or metal.
  • All entry points have a sturdy deadbolt lock and the keys to the lock are with a trusted manager or employee, not stored under a doormat or in a mailbox.
  • Consider using keyless entry. Not only is it a secure way to keep your business safe it also helps you identify who is opening or closing the store.
  • If there is any glass close to or near your doors, it is reinforced so it cannot be shattered.
  • Every window that can be opened has a lock or is securely pinned.

OUTDOOR SECURITY

  • Shrubs or bushes near your business are trimmed so there is no place for someone to hide.
  • Back or side entrances are well lit with bright working lights. Floodlights are used appropriately to ensure effective illumination around your building.
  • Outdoor lights are enabled using a timer or a motion sensor, no matter if the business is open or not.
  • The building or office number is clearly displayed and viewable from the street so first responders can easily locate your company if anything does happen.

INTERIOR SECURITY

  • Exit signs are properly lit.
  • Fire extinguishers are inspected and charged.
  • Emergency exits are accessible and not blocked.

SECURITY MONITORING

  • Surveillance cameras are operating properly and there are no dead zones (areas that are not being recorded) in your store.
  • Footage is recorded and stored properly offsite and archived at least once a month.

CYBER SECURITY

Your physical security checklist keeps your office or storefront safe, but if you are like most companies, the most valuable things you have are stored on your computers and shared networks. Customer’s personal information, billing details, and private information are just as important to protect as your physical store, and they deserve their own cyber security checklist:

MULTI-LEVEL SECURITY

  • A firewall is installed on your network.
  • Antivirus software is set up on all devices connected to the network and a password is required for access.

NETWORK OPERATIONS

  • All firewalls, virus protection, or other forms of computer security software are updated at least once a week.
  • Operating system updates are installed as soon as they are available.
  • Key programs and applications, like web browsers or content management systems, are updated weekly.
  • A record including users and their network permissions is updated at least once a month.
  • Use separate guest and corporate networks.

MOBILE DEVICES

  • Identify all devices that touch your network, and who the owners of those devices are.
  • Clarify security elements with devices that have access to your network.

PASSWORDS

  • Change passwords at least once a month and never reuse them.
  • Require passwords to be strong with a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols, rather than weak passwords that are easily guessable or short.
  • Implement multi-factor authentication to allow extra account protection.
  • Require password changes when data breaches occur.
  • Require different passwords for every account and program, even if used by the same employee.

BOYD & ASSOCIATES HELPS SMALL BUSINESSES

Small business security does not need to be complicated. At Boyd & Associates, we offer automation options to make securing your business a breeze. We even offer services such as video verification with live operators standing by to notify police the moment any suspicious activity occurs and, smart business automation that sends notifications right to your phone.

Tackling small business security by yourself should not have to feel overwhelming. Secure your business with Boyd & Associates and find out how we can help your business be safe from both physical and cyber threats.