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How To Secure Your Home Office For The Holidays
By Mark Landsbaum
‘Tis the season to get ripped off, if you’re not careful.
Home offices
are notoriously security challenged. There are no armed, uniformed guards. No
sign-in, sign-out routines or employee passes. Barred windows are
atypical.
Yet, your home-based business has much – perhaps everything –
to lose. During the holidays, increased visitors and disrupted schedules only
heighten the vulnerability.
Burglars have more incentive during the
holidays, with folks out of the house shopping and gifts stacked in closets.
Holiday parties attract strangers. Children have the run of the place, with
their friends.
What’s a beleaguered home office worker to do? What
precautions can you take? The answer is, do what you should do all year round,
except more so. Follow these guidelines:
DON’T -
Don’t signal that you’re thief-friendly. If you
close your home business, don’t pepper the Internet with e-mails announcing
it.
-
Don’t change your voice mail message to, “We won’t
be here for a week, come on in!” Try a message such as, “The holidays are
extremely busy, and it may be a few days before we can return your call…” The
larceny-minded won’t risk busting in if they think someone is home. Burglars
prefer easy pickings, not guessing games.
-
Don’t flaunt goodies that tempt thievery. When
holiday parties are in progress, close off the office portion of your home to
conceal tech equipment.
-
Don’t heap up holiday packages under the tree.
-
Don’t leave garage doors or fence gates
unlocked.
DO
-
Stop mail and newspaper delivery if you’ll be away
for a while.
-
Use steel cable systems that anchor computers and
equipment. They’re inexpensive and effective. They can’t be removed without
damaging equipment.
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Consider using an electronic home security system
that monitors doors and windows. Some connect to a private security company’s
computers and even local police.
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The poor man’s option – don’t spread this around –
is faux decals printed up cheaply for windows announcing, “This house is
protected by such and such security system.”
-
Mount dummy cameras above entry points, visible
from the ground, to give the effect of video surveillance. The suspicion that
they’re under surveillance can be all that’s required to deter burglars.
-
Use automatic timers to turn on lights and radios
to give the appearance that someone is present in your home and your home
office.
-
Ask delivery services not to leave packages on the
stoop, or open an account with private services such as Mail Boxes Etc.
-
Close and lock windows. For a dollar or two, you
can get steel window-locking mechanisms. Finally, holiday season or not, a big
dog is always effective.
LEARN MORE
Find out how to protect your home office all year
long with the free online Success Skills Seminar “Make Your Home Office Secure.”
It’s online now at www.EntrepreneurialConnection.com. You’ll learn about:
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Conducting a security audit
-
Securing your premises
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Installing alarm systems
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Securing your data
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Insuring your home business