Back to Basics

Safety is of obvious importance in any retail sector, but when it comes to the quick-service industry, experts say the need to implement protections against violence and theft—both internal and external—is particularly significant.

“Criminals may look at many [quick-service] restaurants and customers as easy targets,” says Philip Farina, CEO for Farina and Associates Ltd., a firm that provides security and risk-management services to clients across the hospitality spectrum. “Security may be limited at these properties, and it’s falling way behind the ball when compared to other industries.”

Farina says operators often neglect to implement some of the most basic security measures for their locations. For starters, he says, there should be employee background investigations and pre-employment screenings for all existing and future staff.

Owners and operators should also be constantly developing or revising emergency evacuation and disaster plans that address fires, bomb threats, robberies, active shooters, and natural disasters for all facilities. Finally, security training and evacuation drills for the staff should be consistently reinforced.

Richard Sem, president and security consultant for Sem Security Management, says it’s also crucial that employees are trained to properly handle hostile situations.

“This is often just glanced over in the training process, but employees need to know how to protect themselves and their customers,” he says. “They need to know how to function in their jobs as safely and securely as possible and how to recognize potential warning signs of robbery or violence.”

When it comes to assessing the total security of a restaurant location, Sem says merchants should break the analysis down into two rings of protection. The inner ring concerns the security of the store’s interior. This means installing surveillance cameras, alarm systems, and even having a well-concealed panic button for security alerts during store hours.

The outer ring involves making sure parking lots are well lit, security cameras are installed and visible, and employees are aware that they should never open a door without knowing who is on the other side.

“If any security measure should be carved in stone in this business I think it should be that,” Sem says. “That’s where employees are particularly vulnerable. Every door should have a peephole or window or a camera with a monitor inside, and back doors or delivery doors should always be locked—even during business hours.”

All About the Benjamins

Phil Pitt, director of marketing for Sargent and Greenleaf, a Stanley Security Solutions company that specializes in locking systems for safes and vaults, says another frequently neglected concern for quick-service merchants is the way cash is handled.

“When you look at a typical store or company in the retail business, they often make a big investment in the back-end systems,” Pitt says. “What we’ve noticed, however, is that they neglect to invest heavily in the front end when it comes to protecting the cash that is taken at the till.”

Pitt says merchants need to precisely monitor the transfer of cash from the point of sale to deposits into the safe, to withdraw, and ultimately to the bank. Moreover, employees need to be aware that cash handling is being meticulously tracked and monitored in real time to discourage potentially errant employees from committing internal theft.

“The issue of missing deposits is a significant problem in this industry. They can account for between 0.5 percent to almost 2 percent of annual sales,” Pitt says. “And that’s on a store-by-store basis. If you spread that out over hundreds, maybe even thousands of outlets, it really adds up as a significant concern.”

Credit Card Security

An increase in electronic payment transactions over the last decade means that merchants must also be concerned with the security of their customers’ credit card information and the daily transmission of that data.

Robert Kantor, director of information security and compliance for ParTech, says this means quick-service owners must make sure their firewalls are up to date and being managed properly. He also says strict adherence to Payment Card Industry (PCI) standards is critical, especially when it comes to employees understanding the importance of credit card safety.

“In the end, it still comes down to people,” Kantor says. “That’s the weakest link in the quick-service market. Most merchants have employee handbooks, but they should expand them to incorporate the PCI guidelines as well, and they should be put in language that makes sense to the employees.”

Constant Surveillance

Experts agree that the installation of video- monitoring and surveillance systems is always a good idea. Not only can they provide crucial evidence should a security breach occur, but more importantly, surveillance cameras and off-site monitoring are significant deterrents to would-be criminals.

“About 80 percent of the calls we get are on preventative situations where something is not happening yet but the employees are getting a little uncomfortable,” says Kelby Hagar, CEO of Westec, a video-surveillance company. “And we rarely see big losses because we’re not giving the thief enough time to act.”

But Tim Dimoff, who focuses on workplace security as founder and president of SACS Consulting, cautions merchants not to rely too heavily on technology when it comes to protecting their stores.

“Everybody thinks it’s the high-tech devices that save the day,” Dimoff says. “That can help, but a lot of times it comes down to a sense of security and simple procedures that can alleviate a lot of problems.”

These simple procedures, according to Dimoff, include using transparent bags instead of black ones for trash, allowing only a small amount of cash at the register at a time, and not allowing the back doors to be propped open.

Finally, Dimoff says owners and managers should encourage a positive working environment that maintains a high level of employee morale.

“The culture you develop within your workplace will result in a different attitude toward crime,” he says.

“You can improve your methods and security technology, but the other piece is creating a positive work environment. When you have people who are pleased with how things are run, you make your restaurant that much more secure.”