What are the must-haves for dealership security systems?
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As any dealership owner will quickly confirm, taking care of security in these kinds of settings can be pretty tricky. When you combine the management of high-value, vulnerable assets with a lot of footfall throughout the day, you end up needing a range of advanced security systems to keep things stable.
Luckily, there are a lot of suitable security systems about, many of them integrating modern technologies in creative ways. From a good old-fashioned perimeter to the importance of training, here are a few must-haves to keep in mind.
A secure perimeter
The most basic thing you’ll need to do is create a strong perimeter. This can take multiple forms - roller shutters around the showroom itself, and then heavy-duty bollards that block cars from leaving the broader premises should they get moving.
This is the most heavy-duty part of the security system you’ll need to take care of. Essentially, you need to make it physically impossible for cars to get out of your dealership without permission, or at the very least, extremely inconvenient.
Key management systems
Another key aspect that needs to be taken care of is key management. It’s not enough to just have all the keys hanging from wooden pegs; you need some kind of modern, digital system from a supplier like KEYper Systems that provides other kinds of functionality as well.
These systems can lock each key, and automatically log who takes keys out and exactly when they do so. This makes it much easier to track lost or stolen keys, and encourages more care on behalf of staff as a result.
Cybersecurity
All of these systems will be reliant to a surprising degree on some kind of digital framework. Unfortunately, all digital systems are vulnerable to hacking, which means that you have to take cybersecurity systems seriously in turn.
Some basic things you can do include having separate guest and staff wifi systems, regular audits, and of course, ongoing support from a cybersecurity specialist. Just because these vulnerabilities are less visible doesn’t mean they aren’t just as, if not even more important than, physical security.
Training
None of these systems will function effectively if your employees don’t know how to use them. As a result, you’ll need to provide ongoing, relevant forms of training, updating it as new solutions and systems are implemented.
This security training can be company-wide, but it will also need to be integrated into your onboarding process. Don’t just provide the training for the sake of it - provide hands-on sections, and real-life applications and examples so that the more theoretical, abstract side becomes relevant to the tasks at hand.
Security for dealerships is reasonably complex to take care of, but it’s by no means impossible. By using the latest technologies, taking both physical and digital aspects of security seriously, and providing effective training to employees on these systems, dealership owners can substantially improve the safety of their assets, while also improving overall operational efficiency.