Most business owners don’t give a second thought to the impact that loitering can have on their business, but they should. Loitering simply means people hanging around outside or inside a business, without buying anything. Often, people loitering, can be intimidating to others, and they may intend on engaging in criminal activity.
But even if they are not actually committing any crimes, those who loiter, can do a lot of damage to your business in ways that you may not have realized. Here’s why loitering is such a big problem, and what you can do about it.
How Does Loitering Hurt Businesses?
Firstly, loitering can put off potential customers and cause a lot of lost sales. When customers see a group of intimidating people lurking around the area, they may not feel safe, so they won’t want to come inside and shop.
Loitering also affects the way that people perceive your company. If you have a serious problem with loitering, it makes you appear unprofessional, especially if you are not doing anything to deal with it. On the other hand, companies that are too aggressive in the way they deal with loitering, can come under fire from the local authorities and from the public. This is true of businesses that try to force homeless people out of the area, for example.
It’s not just customers that can feel intimidated either, it’s also your staff. They may be worried about walking to and from their car – they mightbe scared of any potentially dangerous situations posed by loiterers. And when they’re concerned about their safety, employees cannot focus on their work properly. In some cases, if the problem gets out of hand, good employees may leave the business altogether.
Ultimately, all of these issues caused by loitering, cost a lot of money for your business, so you need to do something to tackle it…
How Can You Stop Loitering?
There are a few simple steps you can take, to stop loitering. Firstly, improve security deterrents around your premises. Companies like Mosquito Loitering Solutions, offer devices that use high-frequency noise to disperse groups of young people, without affecting older people. This is an excellent way to deal with loitering – simply by making it too uncomfortable for youngsters to hang around, especially at night.
During the day, simple deterrents like CCTV, work wonders for stopping loiterers, as they are shy in front of surveillance. If you are particularly concerned, you could even hire a security guard.
If you are unable to deal with the problem by using deterrents, don’t approach any loiterers directly, because this could put you and your employees in danger. Instead, call the police and explain the situation, so they can deal with it safely. If it becomes a persistent problem, they may be able to put measures in place, like adding extra patrols in the area, so your business is more protected.
Loitering can cause a lot of damage to your business, so it’s best not to ignore it. Take action now to protect your business.
