Thanks to relay car theft, it’s never been easier for thieves to steal vehicles. A process which exploits keyless systems, it’s removed a lot of the effort and risk from the thieving process. As a result, around 16,000 vehicle theft claims were made in the first quarter of this year, the highest figure on record.

For businesses, the chance of vehicle theft is even higher. The more vehicles you have, the higher the chance of one getting stolen. Whether they’re with employees at their homes or kept on site, you can’t keep your eye on all vehicles at all times. If stolen, they will throw a spanner in your business operations.

Reduced productivity

Just one stolen vehicle could affect your business’s productivity. If it’s taken from an employee’s home, they might be unable to come into work that day. Or if it’s stolen on-site, that’s one driver out of action until you find a replacement.

Both of these scenarios will eat into your productivity. You can’t perform optimally if you’re missing a resource, whether that’s a person, vehicle, or both. Getting a temporary hire vehicle could take days, while a proper replacement could take weeks. All this lost time adds up and will take its toll.

While you could have hundreds of cars in your fleet, you might only have a couple of vans suitable for certain jobs. One of these going missing would be even more of a hassle.

Costs

Even if you have the best insurance cover, you’re still looking at some extra costs.

Your insurance company’s payout won’t necessarily cover the entire replacement cost. If this is the case, the business must make up the difference. You also might need to replace the vehicle while waiting for your claim. Some claims take up to a month, so if you need a quick fix, the costs to hire or buy a replacement will fall on you, at least initially. Similarly, if an employee is without a car, you’ll have to pay for their travel expenses while the claim is being handled.

After making a claim, you can expect your insurance premiums to increase, even if you’re not at fault. As well as this, because of recent spikes in car theft, insurance premiums are set to increase by up to £75 a year anyway. So even if your business manages to steer clear of vehicle theft, you might still face some of the consequences.

And finally, if for whatever reason your claim is denied, you’ll find yourself completely out of pocket. For even the most successful of businesses, this isn’t an ideal scenario.

Extra losses

Depending on the nature of your business, company vehicles could house valuable equipment. If a company laptop is stolen alongside an employee’s vehicle, it’s an extra expense you’d rather not pay. Similarly, if a van is stolen with hundreds of pounds of equipment, the loss is even greater.

Vehicle theft can be so much more than just losing a vehicle. You’re also looking at decreased productivity for up to a month, extra costs to replace the vehicle, as well as any stolen equipment or personal items.

If your company fleet includes keyless vehicles, you’re at an increased risk of vehicle theft. Rather than crossing your fingers and hoping you’re one of the lucky ones, why not take back some of the control? You can protect your keyless fobs using Keyless Protector. It cuts off the signal altogether, making it impossible for thieves to intercept and exploit it.

Keyless Protector is an easy and inexpensive solution to protect your vehicle from theft. Whether your business has five or five hundred vehicles, one going missing could have a big impact. There’s no reason your company has to suffer the inconvenience and financial burden of relay car theft. If you have any questions or are interested in a device, get in touch with us today.