Physical Security for Banks and Financial Organisations

The very nature of banks means that security is, unsurprisingly, very high on the agenda, maybe more so than in other organisations. However, if there is one industry that is transforming in the digital age, it is banking, with the consequence that the security measures in place are having to rapidly evolve and change to reflect new and emerging trends.

Physical Security for Banks and Financial Organisations

Physical Security Solutions designed for Onsite Protection and Site Security

Target Security has many years of experience and expertise in tailoring solutions to protect employees, facilities, clients’ assets and, ultimately, the bottom line. Working with some of the biggest banks in the Malawi and around the world Target Security provides powerful solutions for hold up and duress, theft and robbery, crisis management and response, and even workplace violence. This not only protects assets, staff and customers, but also protects reputation and image. Assistance can be provided in achieving compliance to business protocols and ethical business conduct, with solutions that meet industry codes and standards while also documenting and capturing event activity when needed. It is a well reported fact that many of the big 4 banks (HSBC, Lloyds, Barclays and RBS) are closing more and more branches around the Malawi. Driven by the changing face of the high street and the shopping habits of the Great British Public. However, as branches close, there is still a need to provide facilities for those that are unable to adopt new service delivery methods. There are currently about 200,000 locations where banking transactions can be carried out, all of which still require physical security measures to protect staff, equipment and customers. So, what form does physical security take for banks and other financial institutions and how can Target Security help to provide those solutions?

CCTV Systems and Monitoring for Banks and Financial Organisations

Perhaps the most obvious form of physical security in a bank is its CCTV. There will usually be a variety of visible surveillance equipment, both within the public access areas of a bank, and also behind the scenes, in the offices and other areas not normally accessible by the public.

Some cameras will be better suited to particular areas, with a variety of features and functions that may not be needed in all locations and areas. However, in addition to the cameras and surveillance you can see, there are likely to be systems in place that are more covert, and designed for more specific tasks.

Cameras can be placed into and around ATM machines to look for suspicious activity, “shoulder surfing” or “card skimming” and through machine learning and artificial intelligence can identify and record behaviours that are of interest and notify the security team accordingly. With features such as motion tracking and facial recognition, CCTV is a vital tool in providing both physical security and protection for banks.

Access Control for The Financial Sector

Flexible Solutions for Public and Restricted Access Areas

While CCTV may traditionally be regarded as a “front of house” security system for monitoring customers, access control is perhaps more traditionally regarded as a “back office system”, to both separate the public access areas and protect staff that work behind the counters and in the offices of a bank.

Providing secured door entry systems is an important part of the Access Control story, with programable schedules and varying levels of access for different staffing scenarios.

Whatever your staffing patterns and access requirements, Target Security will design and implement the right solution for your organisation, with a wide variety of “key” options including swipe card, key fob, mobile phone and biometric entry.

Once linked to CCTV, barrier systems and motion detectors, access control will also help with restricted access areas where you might need to control people flow, prevent backtracking or even queue management.

Intruder/Person Detection Systems

Integrated Building Management for a better working environment

Recent years have seen a number of new players, entering the Malawi retail banking market. While many of these currently only offer an online experience, some are also moving to the high street and are bringing a new modern customer “in-store” experience, quite different to the traditional banking we may be used to. The wide open lobby areas and glass fronted buildings bring their own particular challenges regarding security and protection, and a mix of systems is often required. Sophisticated Intruder protection systems not only “look” for motion or heat signatures entering a zone, but can also “listen” for sounds of break ins, and out of character noises that may indicate out of hours intruders. Integrated systems linked to CCTV and detectors record the required information and alert the security team through the Target monitoring service and remote monitoring alerts, to ensure you are kept informed of any events. However, detectors can also be integrated with building management systems that will manage your buildings environment, turning lights on and off as people enter or leave areas, adjusting heating or airflow and contributing to a healthier and more efficient working environment.

Fire Detection and Emergency Alert Solutions for Banks and Other Financial Organisations

Flexible Solutions for Public and Restricted Access Areas

In the Malawi the law requires that any business must have a fire detection and warning system, and must put in place, and maintain, appropriate fire safety measures. (https://www.gov.uk/workplace-fire-safety-your-responsibilities) This includes any and all workplaces and commercial premises and all premises the public have access to, and banks and building society’s are no exception. Ensure your branch has the most appropriate level of protection to safeguard staff and customers whatever your business type or operational requirements. From the car park to the stock room, the lobby to the lunch room, we can provide integrated systems that ensure people are safeguarded and assets are protected. Where staff may be at risk of intimidation, abuse or violence, Target Security provide an emergency alert service that, once activated, will allow one of our skilled specialists to discreetly listen in and locate the user that has activated the service, monitoring the event, alerting colleagues and supervisors and recording evidence for any subsequent legal action.

Systems Integration

As with all tailored solutions there is no one size fits all solution, and much will depend on the requirements of the client, and the physical attributes of the building, its open (and closed) spaces and the assets that are to be monitored and protected.

Our security experts will work with your in-house teams to ensure all eventualities are covered and that you are getting the best from new or existing equipment, even if we have not installed it ourselves.

We work with trusted technology partners to provide fully integrated systems that harness the latest and best technology. We offer a wide range of state-of-the-art systems from leading manufacturers, that are ideal for use in commercial, retail and banking environments including: Axis Communications, Blighter, Bosch, CEM Systems, Commend, Genetec, Kiwi Security, Milestone and Vingtor Stentofon.

We can also often use your existing systems, and available data, to produce a fully integrated control system, displaying the data and metrics you need to maintain an efficient and secure environment.

Our highly skilled professionals are ready to handle every stage of your security project from planning and design, right through to installation and maintenance.

Monitoring Services for Banks and Financial Organisations

Maximising efficiencies, minimising effort

Adding or upgrading your security equipment can bring additional and unwanted pressure to your support systems and monitoring team. So as well as providing services such as emergency alert monitoring, Target Security also provides scalable and managed monitoring services that will ensure your in-house security teams can remain focused on tasks and are not being diverted to deal with false activations and alarms. Whether you choose to use our monitoring service for out of hours response or to cover a single shift only, our monitoring team are able to respond to all eventualities, even contacting the authorities if required, and reporting any events or concerns as they occur, or during any hand over period.