12 • INDUSTRYNEWS
PROUD SPONSORS
OF THIS PAGE
Reducing costs through
lasting solutions
Jeremy Cassady, Managing Director of Securikey
»»AT A TIME WHEN BUSINESSES ARE
trying to maintain staffing costs and
support reductions in budgets, as well
as looking for new and innovative
ways of trimming operations
and maintenance costs, one of
the frequently asked questions
is - “How can business security
purchases be future-proofed?”
BUY CHEAP, BUY TWICE
Controlling the cost of
equipment repairs begins with
the purchase of the product
itself.
The most important first step is to
purchase high quality products from a
reputable supplier. Although items with
moving parts such as hinges and padlocks
can be bought extremely inexpensively
these days, the cheaper versions can be
prone to jamming and sticking as well as
being less effective with a shorter life. A
robust padlock like the five star reviewed
Master Lock Excell, on the other hand, will
quickly pay for itself several times over in
terms of efficiency and life span, with just
a simple cleaning and lubrication regime
to keep it operating like new.
When making a purchase, first check
that it comes with a guarantee and then,
how long the guarantee is valid in relation
to how long you expect to keep the item.
Different suppliers will offer different
guarantee terms and some not at all.
Some suppliers, like Securikey, offer
an after-fire replacement guarantee on
some of their fire-proof safes as well as
the option to extend the guarantee on all
purchases by simply registering it on their
website, so it’s worth checking this before
purchase to avoid untimely repair bills.
CREATE A COST SAVING CULTURE
Rather than making isolated purchases,
look at the overall needs of your business.
Short-term purchases without long-term
plans can be costly and may not yield the
best results.
Once a purchase has been made,
it should be added to the business’s
Preventative Maintenance plan to ensure
maximum efficiency and longevity.
Preventative Maintenance is the term
used to describe the planned cleaning,
lubrication and replacement of equipment
and parts in order to catch small problems
before they become big ones.
‘short-term purchases
without long-term
plans can be costly’
Likened to the service schedule for a
car, Preventative Maintenance is designed
to minimise breakdowns and excessive
depreciation, thus ensuring that the
business runs efficiently and smoothly
with the minimum of problems. The
Preventative Maintenance schedules
recommended for most work places are a
sensible mix of appropriate investments
and good house-keeping.
A good habit to get into is to conduct
a walk-through of the work place at the
beginning of each season in order to spot
LOCKSMITHJOURNAL.CO.UK | JUL/AUG 2016
Sponsored by ASSA ABLOY
any current or potential problems – as
well as major appliances and equipment,
areas to inspect for repair/replacement
are doors (sticking locks), cabinets
(hinges and locks) and padlocks.
Conduct an audit of what is
needed and consult staff about
vulnerable areas and any areas
where short cuts have been
taken either procedurally or
physically.
Finally, although it may sound
like stating the obvious, after
making the purchase, make
sure that relevant staff know
how to use / install it. A surprising
amount of damage occurs simply from
equipment being installed or handled
incorrectly. If the product purchased
does not come with assembling /
maintenance instructions then check to
see if these are available on the supplier’s
website – a reputable supplier like
Securikey will often have both text and
video instructions available to ensure
that the customer receives the optimum
performance from their purchase.
By researching, planning purchases,
forming relationships with suppliers
and implementing a simple but effective
maintenanc e regime, the business can
ensure that its equipment works just as
hard as its valued staff.
A supplier whose products and service
fulfil the business’s needs, is worth
supporting through reviews, social media
and loyalty schemes – Respected and
established companies such as Securikey
welcome feedback from their customers
and, in fact, consider this vital in order to
be able to keep on improving on quality
and service and, keeping in touch means
that your business will the first to hear of
discounts and special offers.
For more information, contact
Securikey on 01252 311888 or
[email protected] or go to
securikey.co.uk