Identify Suspicious Behavior
Although the modern world is generally considered as an era of peace, criminal activities continue. Individuals on the street suffer from muggings, whereas cities still suffer from bomb threats and attacks. In other words, your building is at risk almost every day—even if it doesn’t seem like it.
For this reason, it’s important to have a reception staff that remains alert at all times, to ensure that your security levels remain topnotch. They need to be aware of their surroundings, ensuring that all suspicious activities and behaviors are dealt with accordingly. This simple practice plays a crucial role in keeping your business spaces safer, especially for your employees and clients.
To help build a good reception team, here are some tips you must take into consideration:
Tip #1: Identify the biggest security risks for your building
The first step to making your office more secure is to identify the risks that are common in your line of business. Security risks vary from business to business, and a full risk assessment can help you identify what you will likely need to deal with.
After identifying the common security risks, then you can better help your front desk staff to prevent these threats and prepare in case of an emergency or breach in the security.
Tip #2: Make sure your staff properly identifies suspicious behaviors
Security threats can happen at any time, making them difficult to prepare for. Oftentimes, however, people show signs of criminal activity and acts of violence before they commit the acts, and knowing what signs to look out for can help in preventing situations from escalating. Receptionists must remain vigilant and look out for suspicious or threatening behavior, especially ones that warrant the help of law enforcement.
There are many indicators of impending criminal or violent activities that receptionists should be wary of. Some criminals may display nervous or fidgety behaviors before committing crimes, including nervously adjusting clothing and bags, repeatedly looking back, and excessive sweating. Some may also stand too long in one place, take photos of the facility, or look out for various aspects about the infrastructure.
Receptionists should also be wary of people leaving packages unattended, breaking out into a sudden run, or dressing inappropriately, such as wearing excessive clothing in the heat in an attempt to conceal something. Trying to sneak into the facility unnoticed is also an obvious red flag that one should not take lightly.
Tip #3: Ensure that your staff notes every detail about the suspicious activity
Suspicious behaviors are only just that—suspicious behavior. It can be difficult to make out of something that doesn’t exist, so it’s important to have your staff ready to take note of all the details they’ve observed. This is particularly important when law enforcement arrives, or even for record-keeping.
Details such as the physical appearance, time, and location of the behavior are paramount to future investigations. While in some cases these behaviors end up being innocuous, you will have trained your reception desk to do what they should be doing—and keep people safe!
Keep Everyone Extra Safe—Enlist The Help Of Security Services
While the majority of suspicious persons and activities turn out to be false alarms, it always pays to be prepared and ready. Having your reception staff ready to act can help save many lives, especially when real criminals turn up on your premises. They need to remain observant but at the same time, invest in better and safer measures—for the good of everyone.
If you’re on the hunt for security services in Alexandria, VA, Silbar Security has you covered. We offer you trained professionals dedicated to keeping your establishments safe, whether it be a shopping center, hotel, or other entertainment spaces. When it comes to public safety, we make sure to deliver. Contact us today to learn more.
