Protect Your Employees and Your Customers: How to Increase Convenience Store Security

A majority of convenience store customers prefer to use cash for their transactions, which is why it’s no surprise that convenience stores often carry more cash on a daily basis than many other types of retailers. Unfortunately, this presents a risk to both the store’s employees and customers. That’s why it’s crucial that convenience store owners place an emphasis on protecting the people in their store.

This typically involves developing and maintaining a security plan, utilizing an effective cash management system, and ensuring that all your business partners are supportive and trustworthy.

Develop and Maintain a Security Plan

As a small retail business owner, it’s crucial to develop and maintain a comprehensive security plan. Consistent training is an extremely important factor in reducing the risk of robbery for both employees and customers. This includes training on how to identify and report suspicious activity, and when to contact emergency services versus a non-emergency police line. 

Employees should also be fully trained on how to cooperate with a robber in order to keep themselves and their customers safe by complying with the robber’s demands.

Beyond robberies, it’s also important to develop and maintain plans for other emergencies such as fires, floods, and medical emergencies.

Use Cash Automation to Your Advantage

As a store with high volumes of cash, one of the most effective things you can do to keep your employees safe is to reduce the amount of cash in the register. A cash automation solution is a perfect way to do this.

Cash automation refers to technology that counts, dispenses, and manages cash to improve accuracy and store it safely. Whether your store uses a smart safe or a cash recycler, a cash automation system helps to eliminate the need for high-risk runs to the bank, and keeps cash secured outside of the register.

Many smart safes require unique PIN numbers for each individual employee, which also helps to avoid internal cash loss. When employees deposit cash into a smart safe, the cash is secured and store management can see a complete history of date, time, and personnel associated with each deposit. 

Additionally, cash automation solutions like smart safes can be connected to your security alarm to alert emergency services in the event of an attempted robbery. This way, your employees don’t have to risk calling emergency services themselves.

Implement Age Verification

It’s a given that your employees will need to verify the age of someone who is purchasing alcohol or tobacco products, but this isn’t the only event in which age verification can protect your store.

If your convenience store or small retail business offers walk-in financial services, it’s especially important that your financial service provider includes age verification. This is key for legal compliance, and helps businesses like yours sell age-restricted goods and services while keeping minors safe.

At Fidelity Express, we offer a convenient Age Verification app along with all of our PayHereNetwork products. When your customer purchases age-restricted products such as tobacco or alcohol, use our Age Verification app to show  your clerk the customer’s age and record their  date of birth for your records.

Use a Fraud Prevention Method

Unfortunately, not everyone who uses money services is doing so out of convenience or necessity. If you offer walk-in financial services, it’s imperative that you choose a provider that offers fraud prevention. Not only will this protect your customers and help you earn their loyalty, but it will also protect yourself and your employees. We offer a complete guide to fraud prevention on our website including common fraud scams and resources to help in the event of fraudulent activity. Fidelity Express is here to help you stay safe.

Choose Partners You Can Trust

From your product suppliers to your walk-in financial providers, it’s important to partner with companies you trust. Building relationships with your business partners can help things run more smoothly altogether.

We have been trusted by small retail stores like yours for over 30 years. We do everything we can to ensure your store runs smoothly, from age verification to fraud prevention. With Fidelity Express, you can keep your cash safe and your customers coming back.