The gaps to look for in your dealership security systems
Running a dealership essentially involves managing and protecting a diverse array of highly valuable yet highly vulnerable assets, all while trying to sell those assets and get them off your hands as quickly as possible.
Whether you’ve just opened a new branch or have been going for decades, it’s easy for gaps to emerge in your security system, gaps that can often be very difficult to spot.
From loose asset mapping to data security, these are a few important areas to return to and potentially revamp.
Loose asset mapping processes
One of the most common gaps in dealership security is an overly lax approach to asset mapping.
Given that pretty much all of the assets in a dealership are literally designed to be moved, at quite rapid speeds, it’s essential to have some kind of easily interpretable system to map, monitor, and track each of those assets.
You need to make sure that this system is integrated into your employees' workflows in a convenient manner, so that the system will actually be kept up to date and be able to remain effective.
Antiquated key management systems
Some dealerships are still using the same key management systems that have been around for hundreds, potentially thousands of years.
Unfortunately, hanging the keys to a £70,000+ car on a wooden peg on the wall just isn’t quite sufficient from a security perspective nowadays.
If that kind of approach to key management sounds familiar to you, it’s time to update. Use a smart asset management locker from a company like KEYper Systems instead - it’ll dramatically increase key accountability and control, all while reducing the administrative burden.
Perimeter security
One of the simplest and most practically effective ways of keeping your dealership secure is to create a strong physical perimeter. It doesn’t take much to make sure that most cars are unable to be driven off the lot, but you do have to be diligent in your approach.
A combination of fences, walls, bollards, lights, and cameras can make it very difficult for anyone to steal a car from the dealership, let alone to do so without anyone noticing.
Data weaknesses
While cars are tangible assets, the way that they’re controlled nowadays has become increasingly integrated with digital technologies. As a result, you need to make sure that you take digital security in your dealership incredibly seriously.
What's more, you will also likely have extensive data pertaining to your clients, and you have a legal duty under GDPR to protect that information. Data leaks in the context of car dealerships are surprisingly common, and can have disastrous effects on the brands that are involved.
Identifying and plugging gaps in dealership security systems can be tricky, but it helps a lot if you know what you’re actually looking for. By working with external security contractors, you can gain access to expertise and an external perspective, both of which can be critically important in improving your approach.
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