One single instance of theft can break a landscaping business. Criminals often target landscaping equipment and supplies bringing work to a standstill. This prevents the landscaping business from delivering its services to customers.
When theft like this happens to a landscaping business, they lose money each day they go without equipment and are unable to service customers and complete work. They lose customers as they’re not able to quickly replace the stolen equipment as the supply chain backlog has rendered many things hard to get It’s an unnecessary risk not worth taking.
Essential landscaping equipment is high-priced equipment that allows the business to tackle big jobs quickly and efficiently. Unfortunately, much of the equipment is easy to carry or designed to be pushed or wheeled, making landscaping businesses more susceptible to theft.
The Need for Landscaping Business Security
Unfortunately, stolen landscaping business equipment occurs all too often and shows up in the news. A Portland, Texas, landscaping business’s story appeared on KRIS 6 news. The business chose to reach out and share its story because they wanted security footage and any other information to help them learn about the theft that happened on — of all days — Christmas. The landscaping business lost 90% of its lawn equipment valued at $17,000.
With that much equipment taken, the business became paralyzed. Their employees could not work. Because of the high cost of the equipment, the landscaping business sought used or refurbished lawn equipment. They didn’t have the budget to buy new equipment.
FOX19 NOW in Ohio told the story of how a landscaping company saw its business come to a standstill because crooks stole thousands of dollars of equipment. The owner received a phone notification that intruders were at his business. The video showed a couple of people walking away from the hoop house with a couple hundred thousand dollars of his equipment.
The thieves took chainsaws, the main bucket truck, and dingo. While they left some equipment behind, it was not usable without the stuff they stole. This happened during a very busy time for the landscaping business. As a result, the landscaping business had eight or nine people out of work with bills to pay. Unfortunately, the video footage quality was not good enough to identify the thieves.
Theft does not just happen at night when no one is working. WKRN told the story of a woman stealing a big landscaping truck, two mowers, weed eaters, and backpack blowers during the day. The cost of the stolen items added up to $120,000.
Data shows equipment theft is very common. The last National Equipment Register equipment theft report reveals the average cost of equipment theft is $400 million per year. This only factors in the price of the stolen equipment. It does not include in the theft of tools or damages to the site during the theft.
Additionally, the rising costs of materials will make replacing stolen equipment harder because it will be more expensive.
4 Tips to Secure Your Landscaping Business
It is possible to help prevent this from happening to your landscaping business and avoid the downtime that could bankrupt the business. You can secure your landscaping business with the following tips.
1. Secure the Equipment Storage Area
Searching the news for landscaping business theft, a pattern emerges. Many of the thefts take place at night while the equipment sits in storage. It’s critical to park equipment in a place that’s out of sight, such as an enclosed garage that can be locked.
Keep keys in a separate location that’s not close by. In the WKRN news story, the woman was able to find a key to the truck in a separate building. The best way to secure it depends on various factors such as location and structure type. There’s a security technology that will work well here. More on that shortly.
2. Add GPS Technology to Secure Equipment
Organized crime gangs may use GPS jammers to turn off the GPS. However, not all of them do this. That’s why it’s still worth adding covert GPS trackers on all of your large equipment including lawn equipment, trailers, and vehicles. Besides, the GPS will help you stay on top of all of your assets and their locations creating additional efficiency in the business’ day to day operations.
While you’re adding GPS trackers, engrave identifying information on all equipment. Don’t use labels because crooks can remove them.
3. Install Remote Video Surveillance
Your equipment needs secured at night while it’s not in use as well as during business hours while it’s on the move. With remote video surveillance, you have a variety of options. A mobile surveillance system may be worth exploring. ECAM has developed a video surveillance technology that can help secure your mobile businesses.
Mobile surveillance security cameras can be mounted on almost any flat surface or pole. The nice thing is that you can deploy the system quickly. If you work in any rural areas or places with a poor-quality network, mobile video surveillance can handle these challenges.
Solar mobile surveillance technology is environmentally friendly as it does not use diesel generators. These power supply systems consume a lot of power and have low energy conversion efficiency.
You also want to have video surveillance securing the area where you store your landscaping business equipment overnight. One thing to consider is to ensure the security cameras can clearly see and make out identifying information regardless of if it’s dark or light.
Unlike traditional security systems, video surveillance with remote monitoring with video analytics and trained human monitoring operators takes a proactive approach to security helping deter equipment theft. Video analytics and the monitoring operator watch for suspicious activity in real-time.
The operator is not located on your site. So, when there is a potential problem, the operator could issue an audio warning to the intruders over on-site speakers. If a suspect does not leave after the verbal warning, the operator will call the police and provide updates assisting them while following the suspect.
Remote video surveillance also retains the recordings. When someone reports a problem or tries to make a liability claim, trained analysts quickly search through hours of footage to locate the incident and provide you the proof you need to protect your business.
In addition to deterring crime, video surveillance results in a fast ROI helping your business in other ways. It finds and report safety hazards and look for more efficient ways of doing business.
4. Use an Asset Management Tracking System
While you’re engraving your equipment and adding GPS trackers, capture this information in a centralized location. A good place for that is an asset management tracking system. Not only can you include this information in the system but also photos and other information about the equipment. It may be able to help you stay on top of maintenance and servicing. This will extend the life of the equipment.
If anything is stolen, the asset management system will have the information you need to make a report for law enforcement, the National Insurance Crime Bureau, and any other people or organization who need the details.
Why Choose Stealth to Secure Your Landscape Business?
You’ll have access to a variety of security options and a team of security experts when you work with ECAM. Our security specialists will review your landscaping business to design a customized security solution to help prevent business equipment theft.
Here are some benefits of ECAM’s remote video surveillance:
- Maximized security: The combination of high-definition security cameras, trained monitoring operators, video analytics, monitoring, and audio speakers optimize security to help deter crime.
- Faster response times: Trained monitoring operators can spot suspicious activity before and as it happens. They contact law enforcement and provide real-time updates. Stealth has relationships with police departments around North America. When they get a call from Stealth, they know there’s a problem and respond quickly.
- Liability protection: Provides proof of incidents for insurance claims and lawsuits.
- 24/7 monitoring: Operators watch the equipment and vehicles when you’re not there. During non-monitoring hours, our cameras will continue to record. This footage can be used as evidence in criminal and liability cases.
Video surveillance systems save on costs in that they help reduce theft and cut risk. There are many advantages when you choose ECAM’s security services. Stealth has offices across North America including the U.S. and Canada. This allows the company to build and grow relationships with many community members. Stealth clients benefit from these partnerships because the police typically respond faster knowing Stealth is a reliable source, especially with video verification.
Security requirements vary by industry. What your landscaping business needs for security is different from a plumbing business and a construction site. In choosing Stealth, you’ll also have access to extensive site coverage, round-the-clock protection, and proactive response. Some of our clients report their operating income has increased.
You will get a customized solution that helps to maximize your security while keeping costs as low as possible. A security architect will ask questions to understand your requirements and budget. Then, they can create a security system that provides you with what you need without needless extras.
As you interview security companies, ask to see their client videos. Here’s a list of best questions to ask a security company to help you in your efforts. To find out more about remote video surveillance for landscaping businesses and how this proactive security solution can help deter crime and save on costs, contact us today.
