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[show]Black Friday is shortly on the approach, with Christmas followed just behind. Many look forward to both events, finding bargains, preparing gifts, and embracing the festivities, but this increase of in-person shopping only means one thing for retail parking lots: RISKS, and lots of them.
Parking lots become a hotspot for crime, particularly during the Holidays, as shoppers flock to malls during one of the busiest times of the year, but how can you ensure safety this Holiday season for both you and your customers?
What Security Risks Exist Within Retail Parking Lots
Generally, the Retail industry, including major retailers, often provides that low risk, high reward opportunity to thieves and this only heightens over Black Friday and the Holiday season.
Theft is often the most common risk to both shoppers and stores as criminals seek the chance to target lone shoppers and crowded stores, meaning much crime filters out onto the parking lots of malls.
Additionally, parking lots are notorious for car accidents, with the chance of these types of incidents increasing by 30% during the holiday season. You may not believe these incidents will impact you, but legal payments, increased insurance premiums, and insurance pay-outs all could fall on your doorstep if they occur within your parking lot.
Although Retail theft and parking lot accidents are two of the main risks to expect, other common parking lot risks do still exist. Graffiti, illegal dumping, encampments, violence, and drug-related crime can also occur, especially during the night when retail parking lots become quiet or over the Holiday closure period with them.
How to Respond to the Risks in Retail Parking Lots
With such vast risks within retail parking lots, responding to them in the correct manner is key in preventing and protecting them from happening at yours.
Therefore, utilizing our 20 years of knowledge in surveillance solutions and supporting parking lots with this, we understand the common pain points and how to respond to these. Below are our 7 top tips on how to secure your Retail parking lot from any risks during the Holiday season and beyond:
Place Clear Signage in Your Parking Lot For Drivers
Retail parking lots become busy over Black Friday and the Holiday season, and without clear signage, there is an accident waiting to happen (more than one most likely).
Those responsible for Retail parking lots also have responsibilities to those who use it, therefore if an accident takes place, you could be held liable for this and face financial implications for it.
Signage helps clarify entrances, speeds, and exits whilst supporting congestion by guiding customers down a particular route to prevent driving risks that could lead to car accidents.
To support this, review your parking lot to find out if there is any signage missing, broken, or unclear that needs to be resolved, or if you have not currently got a plan in place to support congestion and minimize the chance of accidents, seek guidance to organize this.
Increase Security Guards at Your Shopping Mall During the Holidays
Most shopping malls have security guards to provide surveillance on any potential retail crime, such as theft or violence against shoppers and employees.
However, as they become busier over the festive period, the number of shoppers security guards need to manage increases, in turn increasing the security risk posed to shopping malls and their associated parking lots.
Therefore, to support the increase in shoppers, you may need to increase the number of security guards present to have some centered around the shopping mall itself and some around the parking lot for it.
Keep Your Parking Lot Free of Debris
Throughout Winter, weather can be unpredictable, as the likelihood of heavy wind, rain, and storms increases the chances of unexpected debris landing onto parking lots.
Debris can be dangerous to drivers and cause car accidents. Due to the duty of care you hold, you need to ensure this does not occur in your parking lot otherwise you could be left with the consequences.
Keep alert with the weather and be prepared for potential debris based on this. By doing so, you can organize managing any debris appropriately in advance to avoid minimal shoppers and employees being impacted by this.
Where possible also, on days where bad weather is present ensure you have individuals who can check and remove any debris such as, branches, bins, or rubbish from your parking lot, if safe to do so.
Secure the Perimeter of Your Parking Lot
Parking lots often cover large spaces and due to the difficulty of managing the security of larger perimeters, thieves and criminals utilize this to their advantage.
Although many will believe those Black Friday bargains and Christmas presents will be the target for thieves, catalytic converter thefts have been sweeping the US and somewhere like a retail parking lot provides plenty of opportunities for these. Hence why securing your perimeter to be key in deterring crime and preventing it from taking place.
Mobile Surveillance solutions such as the LotGuard PRO Surveillance Trailers are able to fulfil both requirements.
Standing at 20ft tall and offering live monitoring services, they are designed to deter and prevent crime by creating a surveillance solution that has a bold presence and is obvious with its intentions.
Add Strong Light Sources Throughout Your Parking Lot
Parking lot security and safety can help improve Retail customer experience, and part of supporting this is through providing a parking lot that keeps their safety central.
Around Black Friday and the Holidays, shoppers could be leaving stores with multiple bags and high-value assets and this can place them at risk. With darker evenings, where parking lots have no lighting or poor availability of it, this places shoppers and employees at higher risks of thieves.
Placing strong light sources around all areas of your parking lot can boost retail safety and that of those using it as it allows for individuals to see their surroundings and for witnesses to make anyone at risk aware of this.
It helps improve pedestrian safety with preventing any slips, trips, and falls also.
Utilize Surveillance Trailers Within Your Parking Lot
As previously stated, Retail parking lots often cover large areas and this can increase the risk of retail theft and crime in general.
Relying solely on security guards can be difficult as days grow shorter and darkness falls upon us quicker during the Winter period, leading to human errors such as misidentification, which can be costly to security.
Our Surveillance Trailers relieve the risk of human errors to offer a fully-managed Mobile Surveillance system that can provide extended coverage, live monitoring, crime deterrence, and real-time audio alarms.
This removes the burden from you and places the responsibility into our hands, which with over 20 years of expertise in surveillance solutions, we understand the expectations required and how to support this.
Upgrade Your Retail Security with Remote Monitoring
There are multiple benefits to remote monitoring, particularly Retail parking lots.
As much as opening hours can create risks for shoppers and employees, the risks to the shopping mall do not stop following the closure. It is actually the opposite.
Retail parking lots are included in this as they can be utilized to support retail theft or face risks such as graffiti, encampments, or drug-related crime due to the vast amount of space and guaranteed quietness.
Our Surveillance Trailers can be placed in your Retail parking lot and provide remote monitoring day to night, with PTZ controls, infrared monitoring, zoom capabilities, and AI video analytics that ensure threats are identified quickly.
Alongside this are monitoring centers to support in adding that human touch through live alert messages and in contacting law enforcement.
Prepare, Prevent, and Protect Your Retail Parking Lot
By following the three Ps (Prepare, Prevent, Protect) this Black Friday and throughout the Holiday season, your Retail parking lot should be equipped to reduce risks and respond appropriately to any that may arise.
Having a surveillance solution such as a LotGuard PRO Solar Surveillance Trailer will provide preventative support and main security presence 24/7 that other security solutions cannot offer, meaning you can stay protected day and night.
To find out how we can support your Retail parking lot with this, speak with one of our LotGuard experts who can explain this further and support you in any inquiries.
Daniel del Soldato
Marketing Director
Daniel has been at WCCTV for over 10 years and has accumulated a vast wealth of knowledge of mobile surveillance products and the way they operate. In his spare time, Daniel likes to listen to music, watch football, and spend quality time with his family.
