ADT security and fire detection solutions offer business owners peace of mind

Having to rebuild your business after theft or fire damage doesn’t just affect your bottom line,it can also harm your hard-earned reputation, which is even harder to recover.

While all business owners hope they’ll never wake up to the bad news of a break-in or fire, few are aware of the consequences it can have on their life’s work and livelihoods. According to Community Central, eight out of 10 businesses affected by a major event never reopen, or close within 18 months.

And that is why the cost of crime or fire can spell disaster for independent businesses. The majority of break-ins and fires happen after hours when businesses are empty, with 67% of fires happening when the premises are unoccupied.

That’s not all, without adequate security protection the chances of having to deal with crime are high:

• The Federation of Small Businesses reports that 64% of its members were victims of crime in a period of just 12 months.

• The cost of crime to each independent business was as much as £13,500, which for many businesses is enough to push them into bankruptcy.

• Due to the nature of their business, the retail and hospitality sectors were found to suffer the highest levels of crime – with retail industry crime at a 10-year high.

These alarming figures should make every hard-working business owner reassess what they currently do to minimise the risks of falling victim to robbery, vandalism, or fire.

So what measures should you – the business owner, take to protect your business from crime and fire?

It is important that you review your security and fire systems regularly, as your business changes and evolves. The security and fire detection needs of your business today might be very different to even five years ago, as the business grows in staff , turnover and visibility. It is therefore vital you review your security and fire solutions regularly and ensure that the risks to your business are always at a minimum.

Phil Morgan, of ADT, said: “We know that commercial crime and fire poses a real and growing threat for independent businesses and it isn’t something that should be ignored. Businesses will be taking actions to protect themselves and their livelihoods but not all business owners have given it such serious consideration.”

You can further step up the crime and fire prevention and protection with a monitored system that helps to deter intruders and detect fire earlier – before greater damage is done. Monitored systems provide round the clock protection – whether you are at work, at a business meeting or at home - and faster response to your emergencies, be it a break-in or fire. Market leader ADT offers a bespoke solution and business expertise, allowing independent businesses to tailor their security and fire detection solutions to the size and type of their business.

• With 150 years’ experience in the security and fire sector, ADT boasts advanced monitored security and fire detection systems, along with 24/7 monitoring and service support, 365 days a year.

• This means that 80% of ADT monitored systems are responded to within 30 seconds, helping to minimise the risks of crime or fire.

• ADT systems are supported by 1400 professionally-trained engineers and 24/7 service. The average time it takes to resolve a system issue using ADT’s unique remote diagnostics solution is just 17 minutes.

Phil Morgan continues: “When it comes to the cost of crime, it can be a barrier for growth and in the worst cases, can put an independent business owner out of business. Our cost effective security and fire solutions range from intruder and fire detection, to CCTV, electronic access control and retail tagging. We take the time to understand your business before recommending the best solution to protect it.”