Three key points to ensure full security in hotels

Discover how to improve and enhance hotel security services in London and throughout the UK with just three simple but essential steps.

Whether your hotel guests are planning a lengthy stay or simply attending a meeting on your premises, they certainly won’t be anticipating any security issues. After all, hotels are expected to provide a relaxing and pampering experience, so anything that disrupts a visit to your hotel puts your entire business at risk. Aside from the fact that a bad experience on a review site has far-reaching implications, hotels are legally responsible for the safety of everyone on their premises. So pay close attention to the following three points to make sure your business is providing a complete security package.

1. Make staff training a priority

It’s not just the top hotels in London that need to invest in staff training. Every hotel, no matter where in the UK it’s situated, needs to pay close attention to the calibre of staff being recruited. But that’s just the beginning. Once they’re in place regular training sessions need to be put in place, covering all aspects of security services throughout the hotel.

Don’t assume that staff will automatically recognise potential security risks. Specific training is required to address potential issues, with all employees fully up to speed with emergency procedures. Clear systems need to be in place for fire or other incidents which may impact on safety within the premises. It’s worth liaising with local police and fire officers to establish clear action plans to cover all eventualities.

Consider investing in specialist training covering security issues. You’ll find security services in London and throughout the UK who can provide bespoke training packages for your staff. You’ll hope that the training will never have to be put to practical use of course, but you and your employees will feel more secure for knowing what to do if the worst happens.

2. Install appropriate technology

Installing CCTV systems throughout the hotel is an important aspect of hotel security. But in order to be effective, security monitors need to be watched, so staff need to understand what they should be looking out for. These days it’s possible to source options that don’t necessarily require constant monitoring in all areas, notifying personnel when unauthorised access to specific areas occurs.

But it’s not just the hotel guests and staff that you need to be concerned with. Customer data is also at risk from hackers, who could easily uncover guests’ names, addresses and financial details from your servers. This means you need to have appropriate data security systems in place, with regular software updates to keep guest data completely safe and out of the hands of criminals.

3. Consider hiring specialist security staff

It’s possible to train up your own employees to act as security staff. But if they move on to other jobs you’ll have to go to the time and expense of training up new employees, which isn’t always the most cost-effective option. Bringing in contracted specialist security personnel is worth considering, as it gives you the services of experienced, fully trained security staff who are always up-to-date with their skillset. And because they know their roles inside out, they provide you with an incredibly efficient service exactly as and when you need it. Better still, it frees up your employees to concentrate on their daily tasks, knowing that they and the hotel guests are safe and protected at all times.

Should you head straight for the top security services in London?

It’s fair to say that London is where you’ll find most of the top security firms offering a specialist service to the hotel industry. But most of them don’t restrict themselves to offering security services in London at the expense of the rest of the country. Whichever specialist firm you choose, make sure it’s one with several years of experience in the industry, with a proven history of offering a high-quality service.

Remember that your guests and your employees are the bedrock of your business. Without them your hotel couldn’t function, so make their safety your top priority. Carry out security risk assessments and act on your finding immediately to ensure the smooth running and continued success of your hotel.

Five effective retail risk management strategies

From luxury retail security in London to making the most of an independent retail outlet, here are five crucial retail risk management strategies.

Luxury retail security may have the most rigorous requirements, but every retail business needs to consider ways of managing risk. Whether you manage a high street store in London or the smallest of retail premises in an out-of-the-way village, retail risk management should be a major cause for concern. So we’ve put together five key strategies to help you manage those risks.

1. Customer slips, trips and falls

We live in a culture that seeks financial redress for every accident, so minimising the risk of trips, slips and falls is absolutely essential. Snow and ice are a particular hazard, but slippery floors, wet patches and uneven flooring are issues that can occur at any time of the year. But it’s not enough to simply have safety policies in place. Every member of staff needs to undergo appropriate training so they know what to do to spot and eliminate risks as they arise.

1. Theft

Several million pounds worth of stock leaves retail premises every year without having been paid for. Spotting suspicious behaviour in potential shoplifters is an art in itself, with specific requirements in some markets (see below for more details). Limit potential for theft by installing CCTV equipment and / or security tags on higher-value goods that sound an alarm when they leave the store. And once again, staff training goes a long way towards helping retail shrinkage, so schedule in regular sessions to keep their skills up to date.

1. Cyber crime

If your business involves storing customer data in a digital format then it’s open to a potential attack by cyber-criminals. And it’s not just your customers’ data, including credit card and bank details, that they’re after. Your website could be the subject of a Denial of Service attack, making you instantly inaccessible to an online audience and damaging your brand credibility at the very least. It’s well worth asking for professional help to make sure your business is fully compliant with all current data protection requirements. Failure to comply could cost you a hefty fine and even the closure of your business, so it’s not worth taking chances with.

1. Managing forced closures

If 2020 has taught the retail sector anything, it’s how fragile the markets can become with very little warning. Nobody could have predicted Covid-19, but the most successful retailers used forced closures as an opportunity to innovate and diversify. An online presence has proved to be essential for any business wanting to thrive and grow in the current climate, so if you don’t already have one, now is definitely the time to create or commission one.

5. Keeping up with the competition

You started your business because you’re good at what you do, and you spotted a gap in the market. But what worked for you back then won’t necessarily keep working for you now. And as we’ve seen from the preceding point, unexpected closures in 2020 left thousands of retailers on their knees, while others managed to survive and even thrive. So keep an eye on your competitors and note any changes they’re making and the results they’re seeing from those changes. It’s a great way of keeping an eye on your target audience too, noting changes in their buying habits or other important trends.

Managing luxury retail security in London

There’s an emphasis on luxury retail security in London simply because so many tourists flock there. But any shopping destination offering luxury goods requires some sort of visible security presence. Most companies specialising in luxury retail security in London will also supply highly-trained security personnel throughout the UK, and even further afield if necessary.

The key takeaway is never to think that your retail risk management strategy is complete. This is an aspect of your business that needs to undergo regular reviews in order to provide the level of security that you require. Failure to keep your strategy completely up-to-date could negatively impact your business, so don’t leave anything to chance. Make a point of overhauling your strategies at least every six months, making any necessary changes to keep them up to speed and fit for purpose.

Can you lose weight by subscribing to freshly cooked diet meals?

The Lions Prep can offer a diet plan delivered to your door.

The world of weight loss is a complicated place. Endless advice is available about different possible diets, making it hard to decide – what is the best option for you. This is especially true if you have limited time and resources to research your options, let alone prepare carefully balanced dinners. If you order meals from The Lions Prep, we will do the hard work and you can experience the benefits.

Losing weight

It seems every year there is a new fad diet that purports to offer a magical weight loss solution, but overall qualified nutritionists are fairly consistent in their advice. You need to eat a balanced diet with carbohydrates, protein, fruit and vegetables. You also need to control your portions so you do not eat too much of anything.

This means weight loss can involve a series of complicated calculations around factors such as calories to ensure you are eating the right combination of nutrients. If you order a weight loss plan from The Lions Prep, you can leave these calculations to a professional and have your diet plan delivered to your door. Alongside exercise and a healthy lifestyle, this should help you lose weight without additional stress.

Our meals

When you order meals from The Lions Prep, you can choose whether you just want to eat healthily, or whether you want a specific weight loss plan. When you choose the weight loss option, you can continue to fill in relevant information including your preferred protein (such as meat or fish) and any allergies.

Our expert nutritionists will then provide a menu for all your possible meals for the week, which you can edit depending on how it meets your own personal preferences. Nutritionist designed weight loss plans come with their (low) calorie counts clearly displayed and will have the appropriate balance of different food groups.

Delivery

Now you have your preferred meal plan set up and our nutritionist has tailored it to your specific weight loss needs, all you need to decide is when and where you want your meals delivered. You don't have to do any of the preparing or cooking yourself. You don't even need to worry about washing up afterwards!

You choose which days you want your meals delivered and how many meals you want a week, and our expert chefs will ensure they are prepared to the highest quality. All the normal stresses of trying to manage a specific weight loss diet are alleviated as everything you need will be provided.

The Lions Prep is not just a convenient service that allows you to avoid cooking. It enables you to specifically tailor your diet so that every meal is oriented towards your weight loss goal. You can have high-quality food freshly prepared by our expert chef delivered straight to your door, and you can do so whilst losing weight.

Why Image Backup Services are Essential?

System upgrades may require the use of image backup services and this is particularly useful if an upgrade fails or if you need to keep complicated configuration settings.

Specialist backup services

A system image backup is not something you will require everyday and it should not be part of your daily or weekly backup. However, there are times when knowing that this is a possibility, is useful. Companies that offer image backups are essentially offering you a backup of your whole system. This can either be done at network level or on an individual PC. The image backup services team will take a complete backup of everything on the particular PC, including the operating system. Let’s say for example, you are running a Windows, Linux or Mac Operating System, these all have image backup technology within them, and it’s good to know what the possibilities are.

System image backups explained

When we talk about a system image, we are essentially just referring to one particular file or a set of files which hold specific information on a computer’s hard drive, or section of the hard drive. It is more specifically, a picture of everything on your hard drive at any given moment, an exact copy so to speak.

Some operating systems come with their own system image functionality and Windows is a classic example of this.

Why do I need a system image file?

The most obvious use for system image file is if you wish to upgrade your computer’s hard drive. There are occasions when keeping your machine and simply upgrading the hardware makes sense. As technology moves on, we want to take advantage of it, but if we like the machine we have, why change it completely? In this instance, you may wish to upgrade an existing hard drive to a newer faster SSD (solid state drive) but want to keep all other components.

Network upgrades

Image files are particularly useful for system administrators who may be looking to upgrade hardware or software over a number of machines and then the image of one already working machine can be copied across the whole network. This removes the need for upgrading each PC separately.

Creating and restoring a system image

Windows has system image creation file technology embedded within it which can usually be accessed via the Control Panel>System and Security>File History, and System Image Backup. Here you are presented with the option to create and restore the image as required.

Do I need to know anything more?

Venturing deeper into this subject is probably more than is required at this stage and if you work for a large organisation, the technical department will take care of this for you. If you use a third party storage backup company, they will also answer any questions you may have. If you are simply curious about the possibilities on your home computer, then have a look in the Windows control panel settings or even within the integrated Windows help to find out more.

Why Image Backup Services are Essential?

System upgrades may require the use of image backup services and this is particularly useful if an upgrade fails or if you need to keep complicated configuration settings.

Specialist backup services

A system image backup is not something you will require everyday and it should not be part of your daily or weekly backup. However, there are times when knowing that this is a possibility, is useful. Companies that offer image backups are essentially offering you a backup of your whole system. This can either be done at network level or on an individual PC. The image backup services team will take a complete backup of everything on the particular PC, including the operating system. Let’s say for example, you are running a Windows, Linux or Mac Operating System, these all have image backup technology within them, and it’s good to know what the possibilities are.

System image backups explained

When we talk about a system image, we are essentially just referring to one particular file or a set of files which hold specific information on a computer’s hard drive, or section of the hard drive. It is more specifically, a picture of everything on your hard drive at any given moment, an exact copy so to speak.

Some operating systems come with their own system image functionality and Windows is a classic example of this.

Why do I need a system image file?

The most obvious use for system image file is if you wish to upgrade your computer’s hard drive. There are occasions when keeping your machine and simply upgrading the hardware makes sense. As technology moves on, we want to take advantage of it, but if we like the machine we have, why change it completely? In this instance, you may wish to upgrade an existing hard drive to a newer faster SSD (solid state drive) but want to keep all other components.

Network upgrades

Image files are particularly useful for system administrators who may be looking to upgrade hardware or software over a number of machines and then the image of one already working machine can be copied across the whole network. This removes the need for upgrading each PC separately.

Creating and restoring a system image

Windows has system image creation file technology embedded within it which can usually be accessed via the Control Panel>System and Security>File History, and System Image Backup. Here you are presented with the option to create and restore the image as required.

Do I need to know anything more?

Venturing deeper into this subject is probably more than is required at this stage and if you work for a large organisation, the technical department will take care of this for you. If you use a third party storage backup company, they will also answer any questions you may have. If you are simply curious about the possibilities on your home computer, then have a look in the Windows control panel settings or even within the integrated Windows help to find out more.

Why Image Backup Services are Essential?