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Security: Build it in, Add it on
By Jimmy Sisk
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| Vacuum damage. |
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| Vendor damage. |
Security is important to all business owners. However, car washes, by design, have their own set of security challenges. As crime rates continue to increase, owners must look at all aspects of security at their places of business. This is not a simple task as both the inside and outside need protection. If you are beginning a new car wash project, your security planning should start with site selection. If you have an existing facility, there are many changes you can make which will improve security. These changes not only help you protect your property, they improve your bottom line.
SITE SELECTION
Site selection starts by working with your distributor, manufacturer, or realtor to find a viable location. The next step I recommend is to take your wife, daughter, significant other, or all of them to the proposed location. Ask if they would come to the location after dark. If the answer is no, then move to another site. It’s that simple! If the site poses a risk up front, then you will never maximize your potential revenue at the site. No one demographic can rule a site in or out. As an example, very rural sites have been turned down in quiet low-crime areas simply because there was no one around and prospective operators felt if something bad happened nobody would ever know a crime was taking place.
Another consideration for the site is the layout of the building. Buildings that are perpendicular to the street or have poor visibility due to the presence of other buildings make a poor site from a security standpoint. Make sure that you discuss these issues with your site planner prior to purchase. With the extreme impervious restrictions and setback requirements these days, a site that looks adequate in size might be too crowded. Safety, though, is the paramount issue and should be at the top of your list when deciding on a site.
LIGHTING
Lighting...hmmm? You’d think that by now most owners would have gotten the message that more lighting is a good thing. Drive by any convenience store that has been built in the last 10 years and at night the place is as bright as daylight. This is the biggest no-brainer in the history of building. The more light the better. The more lights, the more secure the customer feels, the less likely Joe Criminal is going to try to cut open a meter box, and the better your surveillance system will work. I could go on and on about the advantages of proper lighting but you get the picture.
Fluorescent lights don’t have sufficient brightness or coverage. Wall- or ceiling-mounted metal-halides are superior. The 450-watt models are typically installed in a staggered method by placing two in each bay, one about two to three feet inside the bay on the left or right wall on the entrance side. Then, the other light is mounted on the opposite wall at the other end of the bay. This allows light to fill the bay as well as light the aprons on the entrance and exit side of the bay. For perimeter lighting, there are several choices. Check with your local electrical utility for options that they may have available. Many times, they can provide the lights, power, and the maintenance for the lights for one flat monthly fee. When you consider that the bulbs could cost $25 to $100 each, and that they may be mounted as high as 30 feet off the ground, it is definitely worth considering. You can always get a quote from your electrician, but often times I find that electricians know very little about which light to choose or its proper placement. If this is a new project, your architect will specify which light, how many, and their placement. However, on an existing site that you are updating, find a lighting store in your area and do some homework. The folks that sell only lights will be much better at guiding you to the proper light for your application.
ALARM SYSTEMS AND VIDEO SURVEILLANCE
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| An example of how a video surveillance system allows you to keep an eye on many places at once. |
Alarm Systems
Alarm systems are great in theory. However, unless this is a new project, I find that installation can sometimes be a factor in whether you are able to monitor all the areas susceptible to theft. In a perfect installation, your alarm should be connected to all coin box doors, vault doors, vacuum doors (money and equipment), auto cashier(s), and the usual equipment room door and motion sensors. Anywhere you have money, you should be monitoring with an alarm. Unfortunately, most existing washes would only be able to monitor a few of these areas, as installation would be extremely difficult. So, when looking for an alarm system, make sure you discuss the limitations that your site has and weigh price versus effectiveness with those limitations in mind.
Most major national alarm companies that advertise on television can provide commercial systems. Get quotes from several companies — my experience is they can vary widely. Also, make sure that you understand what your monthly monitoring fee includes. Many companies offer free labor for repairs with their monthly monitoring contract. You buy the part(s) after the warranty expires and they make the repair free. Ask many questions and don’t be afraid to negotiate prices. Most companies won’t discount their monthly monitoring fee but they will negotiate the price of the equipment and installation.
Video Surveillance
I guess the first thing about video surveillance you should know is you get what you pay for. If you buy the system from your favorite discount store because a four-camera system was $399.00, expect a system that won’t provide you with adequate video. Many variables play a role in deciding which system you buy. First, decide on what you want out of the video system. A few decisions that should be considered are budget, number of cameras, remote viewing, playback capabilities, and days of video to retain.
The one problem I find when selling a system is the unrealistic expectations most customers have. Many owners think that if you put up a camera and someone damages equipment or property within sight of the camera then we have them caught. This is the effect that CSI and some of the other TV shows have on the public’s understanding of how these systems work.
Installing a quality video surveillance system requires a lot of pre-planning and typically more money than most people realize. There are many reputable companies in the video surveillance industry that sell their products via catalogs and the Internet. They represent good products and provide plenty of phone help with installation. However, I feel that to get the best possible images, you should let a professional determine your needs and at least provide installation of the system. This does not mean you cannot buy the equipment from whomever you want. Just don’t complain when you are not able to catch the criminals who break into your coin meter vaults.
LOCKS
Locks are critical in the car wash industry. You can buy a cheap lock that can be picked or cut, or you can buy a good quality lock with a restricted key code, with great protection against picking or cutting. Brands like Medeco, LAI, and ABUS provide you with very high quality for not much more than those cheap locks from the hardware store. Make sure that you protect your keys and only give employees those that are necessary. We prefer to store some of the less secure keys on site in the changer or in a safe. This way the keys are always where you need them and no one has to worry about losing them. This also works well when you have employees that need access to certain equipment and you worry about them not keeping up with the keys or getting them back if they quit or you fire them. It’s easy to change the lock on the door but much more costly to replace or rekey all the locks on site.
Multi-site owners, I know you hate having a pocket full of keys. However, resist the temptation to key all your sites alike. If your keys are lost or stolen, and the person that finds them knows what they are for, you may lose at lot more than you think. In addition, all locks at all sites would need to be replaced or rekeyed. Bottom line is quality locks provide more than just security; they are a deterrent to most criminals. Tip: Make sure you save the metal key tag or id number that is provided with your locks. This will allow you to have a replacement key made in the event you lose one.
PAYMENT METHODS
Payment methods have evolved a lot in the last five years with more and more bill and credit/debit card acceptance located in the bays. While a cashless system would be the ideal option in terms of security, we have a long way to go before it’s viable. Tokens provide a real means of security since the criminal would only be able to get cash from breaking into the changer or auto cashier. However, sites that force their customers to use only tokens in the bays often have disgruntled customers. Yes, I know what you token operators are saying right now. You will never go back to quarters and so what if customers get more tokens than they will use today and that it will make them come back to your location. Your operation has not had any break-in’s since you converted to tokens...The list goes on and on.
If you use tokens, consider these suggestions: mix tokens and quarters together in your changer so that it would deter a thief from breaking into your equipment as there may be more tokens than quarters in the vaults. Allow customers to use their quarters in your bays if they want to and vend only tokens from your changer. Add credit card acceptance to further reduce the amount of money at your site. We have many sites with credit card acceptance in the self-service bays and most of the data show usage of cards in our area to be approximately 15 percent of total sales. With credit/debit card usage forecasted to increase dramatically in the years to come, this form of payment should be an upgrade for your site that you purchase soon.
BUILDING DESIGN
When designing your car wash, take the aspects already discussed and try to implement them from the start. Make sure that you plan for the alarm and video system even if your budget does not allow you to include them now. Install conduit to areas where you may want to add these types of systems to facilitate easy installation later. Make sure that the equipment room door, coin vault and bay meters, and bill changers are placed in the most secure location. Never have any access points (doors or money access) on the rear side of the building. Doors should have panoramic peepholes that allow you to see a much wider view of what is outside the door.
While some operators would not agree, I recommend installing a safe in the floor in your equipment room in an inconspicuous location. This way you have a secure place to store items such as keys or extra quarters. Windows are typically not installed in the equipment room — they would be a potential point of entry. I have seen criminals enter a wash from a hole as small as the wall or ceiling vent, so make sure you secure all potential entry locations with additional reinforcements. With proper planning and research, you can protect yourself, your customers, and your investment from the bad guys.
Jimmy Sisk is vice president of Car Wash Concepts Inc. in Thomasville, NC, a manufacturer and distributor of Car Wash equipment since 1969, specializing in turn key projects in the Southeastern United States To contact Jimmy, e-mail jimmysisk@carwashconcepts.com or call (800) 733-9760.
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