Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Is your bank inviting robberies?
I was reading an online article recently that indicated some banks have changed the typical floorplan of a branch. Now they have comfortable chairs and meeting areas with a selection of coffees, teas, magazines and toys for the kids to play with. This doesn't sound too bad. But the article noted that while this may be "customer-centric," some believe the departure from the traditional floorplan may be leading to the increase in banks being robbed. New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said recently "the word on the street is that it's much easier now to rob banks than it has been in the past... banks simply don't look like banks anymore." In New York robberies were up 57 percent in 2008. And 2009 is promising to be a record year, based on early statistics for this year.
Police Commissioner Kelly said that security measures such as "bandit barriers," plastic bullet-proof windows between the teller and the customer, and better camera placement would help.
With the suffering economy many in the industry believe robberies will increase. The cost of dealing with this increase is partially absorbed by the taxpayer and for this reason, many believe banks need to do more, and need to do away with the friendly environments.
No bank is looking to be robbed. But there is often more the banks can do. In this suffering economy, banks must continue to be proactive and not set the security budget aside until things improve. Programs such as SafeCatch may help, as will the improved use of technology. Often dollars spent now will more than pay for themselves as some items are replaced and not repaired. Computers are one example, new digital video systems are another that demonstrate efficiencies over old technology.
I was reading an online article recently that indicated some banks have changed the typical floorplan of a branch. Now they have comfortable chairs and meeting areas with a selection of coffees, teas, magazines and toys for the kids to play with. This doesn't sound too bad. But the article noted that while this may be "customer-centric," some believe the departure from the traditional floorplan may be leading to the increase in banks being robbed. New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said recently "the word on the street is that it's much easier now to rob banks than it has been in the past... banks simply don't look like banks anymore." In New York robberies were up 57 percent in 2008. And 2009 is promising to be a record year, based on early statistics for this year.
Police Commissioner Kelly said that security measures such as "bandit barriers," plastic bullet-proof windows between the teller and the customer, and better camera placement would help.
With the suffering economy many in the industry believe robberies will increase. The cost of dealing with this increase is partially absorbed by the taxpayer and for this reason, many believe banks need to do more, and need to do away with the friendly environments.
No bank is looking to be robbed. But there is often more the banks can do. In this suffering economy, banks must continue to be proactive and not set the security budget aside until things improve. Programs such as SafeCatch may help, as will the improved use of technology. Often dollars spent now will more than pay for themselves as some items are replaced and not repaired. Computers are one example, new digital video systems are another that demonstrate efficiencies over old technology.
