Cash in any form is the lifeblood of a business; without it there is essentially no commerce. The sight of cash being handed over in exchange for goods and services makes every owner and manager smile, as this is the infusion necessary for paying employees and paying for the supplies that keep the business running.
As attractive and necessary as cash is to owners and managers, unfortunately it is also attractive to robbers. Every day, somewhere, people are plotting how to relieve businesses of their cash.
The constant worry about the possibility of being robbed can daunt some business owners and make them wonder why they opened a business. To some it may seem that they are powerless to stop the scourge of crime, yet there are measures that can be implemented to minimise the risk of robbery. Many of these measures are simple procedural approaches that do not cost the business owner any significant sum to implement.
Do not expose the cash
The easy visibility of large amounts of cash makes that business an attractive target to robbers. A cashier should never have their cash drawer open. A cashier should only open their cash drawer when a customer has paid for a purchase.
Counting and storing cash
Towards the end of every business day every cashier is required to count and balance their cash. Cashiers should never count cash in the view of the public but should do so in a secure room behind a locked office door.Also, a cash register should never be used for overnight storage of cash as it is not designed to withstand a burglary attempt. Any cash being stored in a business should be kept in a safe and this safe should be anchored to the floor.
Owners and managers should set drawer limits for cashiers that dictate how much cash the cashier is authorised to keep in their drawer. Once the cash reaches the limit during the day, the excess cash should be moved from the cash register and placed in the safe.The safe should be kept in a separate area to the cash register, so that there is a delay in the bandits getting to the cash.
In acquiring a safe, the business owner should opt for models that have two locks to enable dual custody and a key and combination locking mechanism should be preferred.
Area layout
The layout of a business place can also contribute to reducing the risk of robbery. The premises should be kept clean and well-lit, so that there is good visibility. By enhancing visibility it makes it difficult to commit a robbery without others noticing. There should be no posters or signs that block the area around the register from view.
Training for staff
It is important that staff are trained in the company's policies that are designed to secure its cash operations.Staff should be taught to give a friendly greeting to everyone who enters the store; they should not only act friendly but briefly look directly into the person's eyes and ask the customer if they would like any help. These actions signal to the person entering that I have seen you and robbers do not like to be seen because they can be identified afterwards.
Staff should also be taught to be aware of cars parked across the street or off to one side of the parking lot.They should know to look for anyone who may be watching the store or loitering in or around it. They should also know that if they are concerned about a person or vehicle, they should not hesitate to contact their supervisor or the appropriate authorities. All staff should know the location of phones or available help outside the premises and emergency numbers should be kept near to the phones.
Go cashless
As a final point on securing the cash side of the business, owners should encourage cashless purchases in the form of credit and debit cards. These forms of payment eliminate the amount of cash on the premises and so eliminate risk.
The Caribbean Institute for Security and Public Safety offers a wide variety of training and professional development courses for organisations and individuals at its scheduled classes as well as customised in-house training. Contact us at: 223-6999, info@caribbeansecurityinstitute.com or www.caribbeansecurityinstitute.com
Brian Ramsey
Chairman, CISPS