Thankfully armed robbery is not an everyday occurrence but is is on the increase. As recession bites people are getting more desperate and can see no other option but theft. These type of criminals are classified as amateur but it does not make them any less dangerous. In fact the opposite is the case. Because they are nervous and in most cases full of alcohol or drugs they tend to be unpredictable, which is not a good thing.The other type of armed robber is the career criminal who operates as part of an organised gang. Usually they are highly efficient and know exactly what they are looking for. The danger in such situations is that the staff on duty under estimate the level of intent and ruthlessness and get injured trying to “tackle” the robbers.

You cannot influence the type of criminal that targets your business and staff but one thing you can do is be proactive. Assume that you are a target and put plans in place to deal with the situation when it arises. A well thought out plan, communicated to staff could save lives. The following are some of the preventative measures you can take.

SHOP APPEARANCE AND LAYOUT

Criminals will always target the most vulnerable. If obstacles are placed in their way they will tend to move onto an easier victim. Having a well light shop front with clear views outwards and inwards is a first step. If your retail premises has the appearance of a well kept and managed business you are immediately setting a deterrent. Something as simple as keeping hedges trimmed could save you the trauma of a robbery.

CASH MANAGEMENT

Most retail businesses deal with large volumes of cash, although the increasing use of credit cards, including pre paid options is reducing the volume slightly. Make sure that cash points are clearly visible and if possible positioned so people outside the shop can also see them. Only keep a minimum amount of cash in the tills and and if appropriate place signs near the cash point that large amounts of cash are not kept. If you do use warning signs make sure they are true. You cannot stop staff commenting to friends and family so do not put up warning signs if they are not true.

If you do take a large volume of cash throughout the day then make sure you have a system for moving money from the tills to a safe. It is not good to have a till packed with cash. The system you use for removing cash will vary from business to business. For example, a lunch time cafe in a business district will be at a reduced risk of violent robbery because of the heavy footfall whereas an antique shop in a quiet rural setting maybe more vulnerable. Security plans need to match the type of business you run.

In a lot of cases cash is taken directly to the bank once a day. If you do operate such a system then make sure you do not follow a regular routine. Vary your time of departure and route everyday. Some retail businesses experience spikes of business over a couple of hours and this pattern is normally repeated on a daily basis. If that is the case then varying the time of lodgement can be almost impossible.

One way of overcoming this is to have a secure safe on the premises. By having this facility you can ensure any cash not lodged is secure and can be taken to the bank at a time of your choosing. Any safe you purchase should ideally require two people or two keys to open.

FIREARMS

Nearly all security experts recommend that you do not keep firearms on your premises. You do not want your staff engaging with an criminals and there is also the risk that the firearm itself could be stolen.

CCTV SYSTEMS

CCTV systems and spy cameras should only be deployed as part of an overall security plan. They are not a solution in themselves. If you do use security cameras then make sure they are regularly checked to ensure they are working and that the staff are aware that they are monitored. If you use spy cameras then you must ensure they are fully operational.

TRAINING

Making staff aware of the possibility of violent assaults and robbery is very important and to back up this information they should be given proper training and a thorough briefing on how to react. In larger companies the subject of shop security and personal safety should be included in any induction programme. For smaller companies compiling a written security policy may seem totally unnecessary and expensive. This drawback can be overcome by working with other retailers in the area and sharing the cost of employing a security adviser and / or HR company to compile the training material. Although tedious, focused training sessions could save lives.

SUMMARY

Violent crime is a reality unfortunately and there is no point assuming you will not be affected. By been prepared and taking proactive steps you can protect yourself, your business and staff from been victims. That thought alone should act as a motivation to put proper security systems in place.

The fact of the matter is that everybody is right. Having your own product is great but it isn’t absolutely necessary. Those who have their own product can build a website around that product and add affiliate links to it. Those who don’t have their own products can still create a great website and be an affiliate marketer. Producers of products love affiliate marketers and products are not the least bit hard to find.The thing that both those who do and those who don’t have their own product have in common is that they both must be passionate about the products they sell. You will never be successful in selling something that you aren’t interested in yourself. It takes drive and ambition to succeed at any endeavor and affiliate marketing isn’t any different. You must be passionate about a product or an idea in order to keep your drive and ambition alive and well for the long haul.

Whether you are marketing your own product or a product produced by others your success is directly related to how effective your marketing techniques are, how focused you are, how well you manage your time, and how much you believe in the product.

http://www.startebaybusiness.com/entrepreneurship/business-entrepreneur-ideas.html

]]> http://www.startebaybusiness.com/enterpreneurship/silhouette-pens.html/feed 0 http://www.startebaybusiness.com/entrepreneurship/business-entrepreneur-ideas.html http://www.startebaybusiness.com/entrepreneurship/business-entrepreneur-ideas.html#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:51:58 +0000 admin http://www.decanterman.net/?p=76 Finding ideas for a new business involves identifying something someone wants, or better still something someone needs. Any salesperson will tell you that needs-based selling is much easier to achieve. The cliche is that the top salespeople can sell ice to Eskimos. That is most assuredly not needs-based selling.

If a business entrepreneur cannot identify a need in their audience, the next best thing is to find an idea that taps into a passion – a want. When people are passionate about a subject, their rational mind is relegated to the back seat and their heart takes over. Often, wanting something defies logic. All luxury goods in the world defy any rational reason for their existence, but companies make millions from selling them.Combining a needed product with desired qualities is a sure-fire way to make money. Everyone in the developed world wears shoes, therefore you’d class them as necessities, but it is the fashion industry that has turned shoes into must-have items.

Thus you have this third hybrid group of products:the must-haves. Not simply needed, not only desired. Must-have products are a marketing dream, and this should be the pinnacle for any business entrepreneur.

The must-have entrepreneurial idea

So where exactly would you look for the next big must-have? One area that is arousing increasing interest and is set to continue in that trend is the whole eco-friendly and sustainability business. As the earth’s natural resources are plundered to death and we all belatedly wake up to the realization that we need to reverse the damage we have done to the planet, ideas and products designed towards this end are becoming ever more popular. These might not create the products we usually think of when we imagine a must-have item – which in truth are usually quite dispensable luxury goods – but as we are forced to readjust our priorities, eco-friendly products and services may well come to define the ultimate in must-have, and business entrepreneurs who can tap into this vein will, and already do, make serious profits.

Another evergreen area for entrepreneurial business ideas is the personal health and fitness industry. Anyone reading about the shocking and worsening obesity statistics in the developed world might think that people no longer care about their health and well-being, but the inevitable by-product of this is a massive backlash in the form of a parallel quest for increased fitness in the non-obese, and a desire to shed the weight in those who are obese.

The bottom line is to find something that a person can feel truly passionate about. Both the longevity of the planet and our own personal longevity are ideal candidates for the genesis of some great entrepreneurial ideas.

Being an entrepreneur can be overwhelming at times, but personal branding can make a huge difference. Putting your name on free giveaways will help to get your name more known, things like silhouette pens are great and useful to give out to your leads.

Beware of Dishonest Credit Counseling and Credit Consolidation Service

The fact shows that about 60% of debtors is singing out from the credit counseling program. It happens because the debtors are not ready for payment commitment. We have to remember that the major purpose of the debt counseling and consolidation program is to pay the debt off and the professionals are not magicians that can free us from debt in a single snap.

Since many people gave up their credit counseling and credit consolidation services programs, then it brings an idea to the irresponsible people to make dishonest credit counseling and consolidation services. It means we have to be very careful when we are choosing the service. We should be very critical on the choosing. It is highly recommended to choose a company with excellent reputation with proven service.

The dishonest credit counseling and credit consolidation service is often giving hidden charge, so the amount of money we should pay per month can be extremely high. From the normal $10 to $140, we can pay about $300. Therefore, be very critical and smart when we are choosing the service because not only will it deal with the amount of money we should spend, but also with our future financial life. If we want to learn a lot before we choose a debt program and service, we can check CreditConsolidationServices.com.