5 Safety tips for POS Business owners

As a PayCentre Agent, you are in the business of transacting and handling a lot of cash. This can sometimes make you a target of some criminal activities such as theft, scams or robbery. It is always our prayers and wishes that all our agents stay safe and do not ever get attacked but we can’t deny the current security situation of our country or the need for POS business owners to do the most they can to protect themselves, their businesses and staff.  

Below are five tips that can help you stay safe as a POS business owner: 

1. Always be alert  

Criminals have different methods of operations and may not be as easy to recognize we think, sometimes, they are or can behave like the everyday people you are familiar with; customers, family, or friends.  

Be sensitive to your environment and always be alert, know if there are curfews in place or when someone is scoping out your location. Trust your instinct too, if something does not feel right or you don’t feel safe, call for help or leave the place. 

2. Create a restricted area 

You can create an area where your customers do not go beyond and you can easily and comfortably attend to them. Not every part in your shop should be accessible to customers, visitors and in some cases friends.  

Signs like ‘out of bounds’, ‘don’t go beyond this point’ should be used to keep boundaries. If you have a space for only one table and chair, make sure all activity begins and ends in front of you. 

3. Avoid carrying large amounts of cash on you or in your location 

We understand the inconveniences that come with going to the bank and making deposits but for your safety and that of your business, you should always deposit large amounts of money in the bank or spread them out in other facilities such as savings boxes, a savings collector (alajo) or safes rather than have such amount on you or in your location. 

4. Never leave your devices unsupervised while you are away 

If you must be at a place where you don’t need your phone or pin pad device, make sure you keep them in the care of a trusted staff or out of reach if you have none. 

5. Don’t stay out too late. 

It is very okay to make some more money but it’s safer for you and your business to be at the shop when the majority of your customers expect you and stay away when you’re least expected. If you have pending transactions, you can take your devices with you and work from home. Your devices are so portable, you can work from anywhere. 

What to do after a theft or robbery case 

1. Call or visit the nearest police station immediately to report the case and make sure to narrate as much details of the incidence as you can, and follow up on the investigation. 

2. In the case of stolen devices, do well to notify us by placing a call to our support line 017006213, sending an email to hello@paycentreafrica.com or send us a message on Facebook/Instagram at PayCentreAfrica. 

3. Go to your PayCentre application and make a claim on your Insurance with us. Are you yet to subscribe to a paid insurance plan? Read more about all the PayCentre Insurance plans here. 

Did you find this post useful? Kindly share with other PayCentre agents that you know. 

For more information, follow us @paycentreafrica on Facebook and Instagram. You can also reach our support team for help via 017006213 or send a message to @eslhelpdesk on Facebook and Instagram.