When you leave your premises at the end of the working day, you leave it vulnerable to a whole host of risks. Crime, such as burglary or vandalism could leave a lasting mark on your building, and result in the loss of tens of thousands of pounds worth of expensive equipment. More serious offences like arson could have a devastating impact, razing your structure to the ground in extreme, worst-case scenarios.
Alternatively, natural disasters or freak accidents could cause irreparable damage to your premises. A pipe could burst, for example, flooding the entire building, or gale force winds could rip off your building’s roof.
While little can be done to prevent these risk factors, getting advance warning and acting quickly makes all the difference. Thieves can be stopped in their tracks and their stolen equipment recovered, while measures can be taken to protect people and property in the event of an unforeseen disaster.
The point is, being able to access your premises in the event of an emergency is crucial. This is exactly what keyholding & alarm response services aim to address, acting as a simple but effective way of safeguarding your premises, without having to worry about responding to emergency situations yourself.
In our latest article, we’ll explore how Keyholding & Alarm Response services actually work, and why they are so important.
Keyholding is when an external company holds a copy of your keys, usually in an off-site location, which can then be brought on-site by a security officer and used to unlock your premises in the event of an emergency or security threat. As a result, the officer will have full access to the site and be able to take appropriate action to resolve all threats.
Of course, entrusting an employee with your keys may seem like a tempting alternative, but this presents a variety of security risks, such as your keys being stolen, misplaced, or destroyed. According to the Office for National Statistics, as many as 6% of burglars gain access with a key, so preventing your keys falling into the wrong hands is an ever-present concern.
Additionally, you and your employees won’t be available round the clock, and will rarely respond quickly, due to other commitments or simply because it’s the middle of the night. This is where keyholding comes in – not only does it ensure your keys remain with a trained and trusted security professional, avoiding headaches from lost or stolen keys, but it also relieves you and your employees from the responsibility of dealing with any security threats that may arise.
Dedicated keyholding services will provide 24/7 coverage, ensuring a security officer is always available to attend your premises. This gives you a highly convenient contingency plan, especially for nights or on public holidays, but also specialist support when you need it the most.
Often used in tandem with keyholding, alarm response services will automatically dispatch a security officer once an alarm is set off. This ensures a rapid response to your site by a trained professional who will proceed to investigate the disturbance, put a stop to any criminal activity, and co-ordinate with the emergency services when required.
When you have an alarm installed on your site, the alarm company will choose a designated ARC (Alarm Receiving Centre), whose purpose it is to monitor the alarm and notify the appropriate contact should the alarm be triggered. Instead of contacting you in this scenario, the ARC will automatically notify your chosen alarm response service, who will immediately dispatch an officer to the site. This avoids having to organise a response yourself, which could arrive too late, or accrue a substantial bill for little more than a false alarm.
With over 275,919 burglaries in England and Wales every year, and the average cost of crime reaching more than £14,000 for small businesses, it’s vital to respond before the worst damage is done. This is especially true as police will often not respond to alarms, and even if they do, they require multiple device activations to dispatch.
On the contrary, responding security officers will secure your property as soon as possible, and possess the technical knowledge and experience to deal with a whole host of situations, from trespassers to more serious incidents. They will contact emergency services on your behalf, ensure the premises is safe, and deactivate any ringing alarms before handing over to you.
One of the simplest ways to protect your business, keyholding & alarm response services are nevertheless an essential component to your site’s security. Research shows that burglars are 50% less likely to target your premises if they realise it’s protected by an alarm, and faster response times lead to a higher probability of catching the offender in question.
Furthermore, with police failing to investigate over two-thirds of burglaries, and suspects being charged in less than 10% of cases, it is clear that the emergency services cannot be relied upon to adequately protect your property. Specialised security officers will respond faster, investigate more thoroughly, and take the extra step to secure your property, which can make a huge difference when it comes to shielding your business from petty crime and damage.
With thousands of security companies operating in the UK, the market is overflowing with security solutions, and it can be difficult to know which firm will work the best for you. Churchill Support Services are one of the few companies to be accredited with ACS status from the SIA (Security Industry Authority). This means we undergo regular quality assurance checks, which certifies us as one of the most skilled security operators in the UK.
Among these industry-leading companies, Churchill are immensely proud to have ranked #1 for three years running, scoring 144 points out of a possible 145, in a process designed to test the quality and effectiveness of our security services. This underlines Churchill as the leading security service provider in the UK, and reflects our unparalleled commitment to protecting the property and premises of our clients.
We understand that, like us, many people are extremely passionate about their business, and will want to go home knowing the protection of their property is our priority. With an average response time of 30 minutes, we aim to respond as soon as possible to alarms and lock/unlock requests, and ensure your premises and passion remain unharmed.
Entrust Churchill with your Keyholding & Alarm Response, and enjoy peace of mind knowing your property is safe under our watchful eye.
For enquiries into our services, contact our team of professionals on 0800 239 1900.
