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One of the most important, but often overlooked aspects of small business is loss prevention. Many times, small business owners do not feel that they will become a victim of vandalism, theft, or embezzlement. These are, however, very important issues for small business owners to consider. A recent study estimates that billions of dollars are lost each year by small businesses for these crimes. If you are a business owner, and are considering installing a security system, then check out our top four tips for business owners below.

1. Choose a reputable security company: many security companies advertise themselves on the basis of cost effectiveness. This is of course very important, but what is more vital is to make sure that you are getting your money's worth. Ask your small business insurance agency to suggest a security firm, and you will be assured of making the best choice.

2. Don't go it on your own : businesspeople often try to cut corners cost-wise by installing their own security system. Many times, they will use inexpensive webcams, or integrated solutions off the shelf, and are disappointed when they do not receive the video quality they were expecting. It's also true that self-security solutions can be very time and labor intensive. Don't do it yourself : you'll save a lot of time and effort by trusting a specialized security company to do the security for you -- it may cost a little more up front, but the results will speak for themselves.

3. Location is key: in loss prevention, it is important to ensure that every single location in your business is covered by security cameras. Some business owners might try to keep down costs by using a small number of security cameras. Instead, you should always remember that thieves will take advantage of this situation in order to rob you blind; if you only have one or two cameras, criminals will simply target all of your camera-free areas.

4. Monitor your employees and customers: small business owners often aren't aware that loss prevention efforts need to be targeted toward both employees and customers. The small business owner that only trains security cameras on his or her merchandise can be stolen blind by a crooked employee. Likewise, if you are only monitoring employees, a single break-in can bankrupt you.

We hope that these suggestions will help you decide on a comprehensive solution. We know that the most important goal for a small business owner is to manage costs. But don't forget that the key to staying on top of loss prevention is implementing strong security. A little investment in security will pay dividends by saving thousands and thousands of dollars in shrinkage.