Posted on February 3, 2021 at 4:41 PM

4 Ways Contractors Can Keep Their Business Safe

If you are working as a contractor, two vital things to your business are customers and tools. Without either one, you can’t operate.

Thieves operate in both the physical and the digital realms, and if they succeed, it could damage your business. Luckily, there are some simple steps that you can take to keep yourself safe.

Protect your digital information

As more of our business goes online, we are granted the opportunity to connect with customers we might never have found otherwise. Unfortunately, this free exchange of information also comes with a downside. Whenever you are sending information online, there is a possibility that a hacker could be trying to steal it.

If a hacker manages to compromise your security and gets hold of sensitive business and customer data, this can be a huge threat to your business.

To keep your business safe from Cyberattacks, you should speak to a Cybersecurity professional who will be able to advise you on the best ways to keep your data safe. Often this can be as simple as secure cloud storage or the use of a VPN. These simple and cost-effective measures are easy to put in place and can keep you safe.

Insure Your Tools and Equipment

The theft of power tools is on the rise in the US. Power tools are highly valuable, highly portable, and often left unattended in places where they can easily be accessed like a trailer or a van, making them the perfect target for a crafty thief.

Every contractor is at risk of having their tools stolen while they are on-site, and if that happens, you won’t be able to do your job. The easiest first step to take is to get comprehensive insurance cover. The business equipment insurance offered by Next Insurance covers the theft of tools from job sites or trailers, and it will even cover things like accidental damage, so you won’t have to worry so much about lending your tools out.

Make your tools look less attractive

Once you are insured in case of tool theft, it makes sense to try and prevent the tools from getting stolen in the first place!

Two good tips for preventing tool theft are:

1. Remove the batteries and chargers from any power tools. This is a reasonably easy thing to do and makes the tools completely useless if they are stolen. Thieves know this and are likely to leave tools with no batteries alone.
2. Give your tools and ‘ugly’ makeover. Experienced tool thieves know what expensive brand name tools look like, so make sure your tools don’t fit their expectations. You can use spray paint to make your tools look completely different.

Use tech to keep your tools safe

There are also some tech-savvy ways to prevent your tools from being stolen. For example, you could invest in tools that come with an app that allows you to lock them down. This means that even if your tools are stolen, you can use the app on your phone to prevent them from working.

It’s also possible to get tools that have GPS tracking fitted, meaning that you’ll be able to send the police straight to their location.