5 Critical Considerations for Customer Retention

Would you continue to trust a business to store your valuables if it kept getting broken into?

As a leader in perimeter security solutions, we know a thing or two about delivering peace of mind to customers who store their valued assets at a third-party site. From construction and building supplies to truck fleets or personal effects in self-storage facilities—whenever customers store their property at your site, they expect you to keep it secure and safe.

When you fail to do that, they move on.

It’s this basic.

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It all boils down in the customer’s mind to five critical considerations: 

1. Property—is my stuff safe in your yard?

If a customer has to ask that question, or even wonder about the possibility, that’s a problem. Should a break-in occur—that’s a bigger problem. What do you say to a customer who’s now missing valuable products—“We couldn’t afford more security?” 

What you cannot afford are the ramifications of inadequate site security, the biggest one being loss of customer trust, which is priceless. It can be virtually impossible to restore lost trust after a customer experiences property theft on your watch. 

Thieves were overrunning an Intermodal Cartage Company’s storage lot with no resistance. The yard was positioned next to a rail yard, and these professional thieves had their pick of more than 6,000 containers. They took regular advantage.

Transport Security Inc, a leader in cargo security solutions, cites, “Losing an existing customer because product they desired has been stolen in-transit or in-storage can be even more damaging to a retail operation.” (Than the loss of the merchandise itself.)

Which is easier… explaining to management that your site needs more security, or informing customers that their property was stolen because you didn’t take steps that would have stopped theft before it occurred?

At-risk properties need security that eliminates customer doubt and criminal activity.

2. Production—dude, where’s my delivery?

Property theft has a ripple effect that disrupts delivery schedules, services, and supply chains—even when customers’ property isn’t stolen.  

Not long ago, a reputable beer manufacturer had inferior site security and, as a result, experienced nightly break-ins. Amazingly, the thieves weren’t stealing beer. They took truck batteries—a hot commodity on the black market. This created a disruption of service for their retailers when beer deliveries weren’t arriving on time, and it created a hassle for consumers when store shelves sat empty—The Ripple Effect. The beer manufacturer’s reputation was at risk.

Many consider this type of productivity loss as significant as actual property loss—a key reason for decision makers to ramp-up their perimeter security before it’s too late.

3. People—how safe are my employees here?

Properties lacking in strong security (barriers, alarms, lights, and video surveillance) are likely to experience break-ins even during business hours, putting your staff and site visitors in danger. Employees who do not feel safe at work will be less effective at work. If they feel at risk on the job, they may inform management—or even resign—if safety conditions remain unstable.

This domino effect negatively impacts employees, your customers, and ultimately, you.

Consider this scenario:

At a metal-management company in Sacramento, California, thieves broke into the property during business hours, while employees were in the yard. Theft occurred nightly. More than property loss was at risk, and on-premises safety and security was suffering. So was employee morale and productivity. 

These stories are all too common. But when thieves encounter a site with proper perimeter security, they quickly move on to more vulnerable targets. Make sure you’re not one of those targets.

4. Profit—will insufficient security negatively impact my bottom line?

Yes. Criminal activity will not abate anytime soon. It targets specific verticals. It spikes during natural disasters and holidays, and chances of a second property theft increase after the first. Consider the property loss—especially in cases where the stolen property belongs to your customer—and time spent in repairs, preparing insurance claims, making police reports—you get the idea.

It takes nearly 40 employee-hours to resolve the effects of a break-in, which is time and attention you are not devoting to your business. Your customers care about anything that interferes with their earning power, and, instead of the criminals, they will move on if you fail to improve your perimeter security.

This trucking company was a prime target for theft. In fact, the surrounding area remains a high-crime zone. After losing five commercial toolboxes valued at $40,000, along with tires—and other valuable assets—it hired a security guard. More protection was required when the company bought the lot across the street, and it sought additional deterrence.

The trucking company’s general manager says: “If a customer knows that we’ve got an electric fence and his truck is on our yard, he feels a whole lot more confident in leaving it with us.”

It’s better to invest in preparation than to react after loss of profits.

5. Reputation—will customers stay if we don’t address our security issues? And will they tell others?Testimonial Icon

We saved the most important consideration for last. Your reputation is key to attracting and retaining customers. Key to maintaining trust. Key for employee morale. Once damaged, reputation restoration is time-consuming, costly, and tedious. You could lose customers for life and never earn the consideration of prospective customers.

“[Company name]? I hear it has a lot of issues with theft.” 

The companies featured in these true scenarios resolved all their security issues with the same positive outcome. They acted to bolster their site security and eliminated the criminal element once and for all.

With the help of The Electric Guard Dog™ fence from AMAROK™, these potential cautionary tales are now successful case studies. Installation took a matter of weeks, at no upfront cost, with all service and maintenance included in the affordable monthly fee. Ultimately, these businesses preserved Property, Production, People, Profit, and Reputation for themselves and their customers.

Hear what our customers are saying about AMAROK!

If you have not yet experienced theft or vandalism at your property, consider yourself fortunate. But why risk the possibility any longer? Now is the time to strengthen your perimeter security and ensure that you retain your customers! Avoid becoming another cautionary tale. 


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The Ultimate Perimeter Solution
AMAROK is the ultimate perimeter security solution because it deters thieves, so there is no need to deal with the aftermath of a crime. AMAROK deters criminals in three ways: a shock deterrent, physical deterrent, and alarm deterrent. Installing The Electric Guard Dog system is an effective way to prevent cargo theft at your business.

About AMAROK
AMAROK is a full-perimeter security company based in Columbia, South Carolina, that provides commercial security services throughout the United States and Canada. Specializing in electric fencing and perimeter security systems for commercial properties, AMAROK also provides supplemental surveillance solutions, including cameras, lights, and alarms. Together, these business security services form the ultimate crime prevention solution for any business.CONTACT AMAROK >