Over the last few years during the good times, many companies especially in the UK have used surplus funds to beef up their security systems. As a result they have seen losses reduced and enjoy the benefits of cameras and access control for management tools. Things though have changed over the last couple of years and especially after the events over last weekend when the bomb was discovered on the freight airliner . Cut backs have meant that new spending on security has reduced or stopped and ongoing maintenance has been neglected. It is only now that some are beginning to regret this lack of investment and are starting to realize the true value of having security in the first place. Global forwarding springs to mind!
The trouble is that with CCTV and access control systems we have no way of actually measuring their effectiveness, it is only when they are removed or left to go into decline that the real cost effectiveness is suddenly obvious. Imagine the disruption to a business if a break in does occur worse still a plane is bought down over the skies of the UK . It is not just the damage that is obvious i.e. the smashed up doors or the stolen lorry, the total disruption to air travel!!! but when your business is totally bought to a halt or a vital piece of kit goes missing for your most important customer then the embarrassment of telling them your security system did not work becomes apparent. To lose an important client because they have had to go elsewhere creates far more problems and costs more than if the security system had been maintained and upgraded in the first place. So next time you think about cutting back on security think about the cost savings that CCTV and access control really bring to your business. Dont they say spend a little now and you will save a lot later?