BACKGROUND CHECKS:
How They Can Help Better Protect Your Small Business Against Crime
If you run a small business, you've got a lot of worries. Besides all the normal concerns like competition and pricing and location and customer service... now security has become increasingly important. You face the threat of theft, fraud, embezzlement, scams... the list seems almost endless.
When you're in business, you can run up against...
- Suppliers who provide shoddy goods that you don't discover until after you've paid for them - Customers whose orders you promptly fill but who wiggle out of paying- Employees who rob you of everything from supplies and equipment to cash and services.
The Federation of Small Business - a British business group reported that over half (58%) of all small businesses in the UK suffered at least one crime during a recent two year period. They concluded:
"Crime, and the fear of crime, can directly impact on day to day business activities. It can damage a business image, resulting in the loss of existing customers and deterioration in the quality and range of services offered by the business, which will limit turnover (profits) andrestrict business development."
When you run a small business, it's up to you to look out for your company. But how?
Background Search Services on the Web Provide an Economical Answer. Many of the problems that small businesses face in trying to deter crime can be helped with information available on the Internet. You can use 21st Century technology to get the better of the crooks and thieves and scam artists.
But if you're not familiar with whats available, you may not realize all the important things you can find out with a good background checking service.
It used to be expensive to check into someone's background to see if they were hiding anything. You had to hire a private detective or pay big bucks to an investigative agency. Not today - not with Internet databases so readily available to us. Some of the services are free. However, a business will benefit most from the more in-depth background checking services.
These higher quality services usually charge a fee to subscribe, but it's smaller than you'd expect - especially considering the volumes and usefulness of the information they provide. A year of service is often less than what you'd pay to bring in lunch for a staff meeting. Plus, the paid services are kept more up-to-date and are typically faster and easier to use.
Sometimes referred to as Internet Detective sites, or Personal Search sites, the website based services give you the low-down on all kinds of formerly-hidden information.
Here are the types of things you can and should be looking into for the protection of your business...
- Criminal Background Checks
- Background Check for Employment (Pre-Employment Screening)
- Background Check Existing Employees - Make it a Condition of Employment
- Background Check Each Company or Individual You Do Business With
- Check Credit and determine if Social Security Numbers provided are valid
Running a small business is more of a challenge today than ever before. Use online database search services to help you protect your business and keep you, your customers and your employees more secure.