If you are a business owner, and you are not sure if you should buy a business safe, then the simplest way of deciding is to look at some of the benefits that having a safe can bring.
Having a safe for your business premises is an extra layer of security, and is a place to securely store cash, receipts, invoices, keys, and any other valuable or important items pertaining to your business.
Let’s first ask a few simple questions to see if your business would benefit from having a safe, and then let’s have a look at some of the benefits that come with having a business safe on the premises, whether you own a butchers shop, a card shop, restaurant or even a gym.
Below, you’ll find a handy table of contents, allowing you to select what you want to read by clicking the link, which will then take you to the relevant place on this page.
Table of Contents
Do I Need A Business Safe?
The first question is the easiest question;
- Does your business accept cash as a payment method for goods or services you are selling?
If the answer is yes, then having a business safe is absolutely recommended.
- The second question is; do you keep cash on the premises overnight?
If the answer is yes, then you should have a safe for your business.
- Does your business use laptops, or other small expensive equipment?
If the answer is yes, then a business safe is recommended.
- Does your business hold important documents?
If yes, then you should have a business safe that is fire rated.
There’s lots of different businesses out there, that perhaps I haven’t even thought of. And it would be impossible to list them all here anyway, so it’s time to ask yourself some questions about you and your business. The main question you need to ask yourself is:
If I lost x, y and z to theft, would it drastically impact on the businesses ability to function, and would it impact on my livelihood?
If the answer is yes, then it’s time to invest in a safe.
Key Takeaways:
A business safe is recommended for business purposes if….
- You accept cash from customers.
- You keep cash on premises overnight.
- You have laptops and other small equipment of great value.
- You have important documents that need to be kept safe.
- You have items that if stolen, would severely impact upon your business.
Benefits Of Having A Business Safe
Here are 4 benefits of having a safe for your business.
Extra Security
You already have a premises that is highly secure, with doors, locks, padlocks, and perhaps shutters, alarms, CCTV and all the other things that go hand in hand with having a physical business premises.
Having a safe is that last line of defence. Having a safe is peace of mind.
Of course, having a physical premises also comes with the added risks of customers within the premises. There is always a risk of a customer accessing areas they shouldn’t, or attempting to steal.
So having a safe, where cash is transferred into that safe during business hours, minimises risk and gives you and your business an extra layer of security and protection.
Minimise Access To Only Senior Employees
You trust your staff and have hand picked them yourself, however there may be an unfortunate time where a member of staff has less than desired intentions.
To minimise the risk, a business safe can be used to constantly transfer cash from a till – reducing the amount of cash available in that till at any one time.
I started out in retail when I was 16, and even back then, this was the strategy. Anything over £100 in cash was taken out of the till and stored in the safe. It minimised the risk of staff or even customers being able to steal a large amount at any given time.
Of course, only senior employees who are trusted the most should have access to the safe.
Clean Environment
Having a safe also comes with a benefit that isn’t often thought of.
A safe, as well as being a security feature, is a neutral place to store anything, meaning it is protected from elements such as light, smells, odours, smoke, dust and water.
If your business has documents that are needed to be kept safe, then a safe is a perfect way to store these documents.
Insurance Purposes
Some safes are insurance approved, meaning that an insurer will see the fact you have a safe in your business as a positive. Some insurance providers will actually reduce your insurance premiums if you purchase a safe that is rated to an international standard.
It is always prudent to check this with your particular insurance provider, as soom providers have lists or certain minimum specifications of the safe you need to have to qualify.
Key Takeaways
If you own a business, and you haven’t got a business safe, it’s definitely worth asking yourself if it would be worth the investment. Just like a home safe, a safe can house a multitude of things, which can be stored safely and securely.
If you’ve got cash on the premises, it’s an absolute no brainer.
Having a safe gives you ultimate peace of mind, it’s an extra layer of security and it could mean the difference between having cash or essential equipment stolen and impacting upon the businesses ability to generate revenue.
Stay Safe. Stay Secure.
