A high-value Client benefit of the 1-Call service offering is maintaining the “someone’s home” look of our Clients’ home while they are away.
This is achieved, among other activities, by promptly collecting Australia Post, junk mail and local papers, and moving council bins in and out on the right days. We keep things looking “normal” by not wearing corporate uniforms, or driving sign-written vehicles, when we make our service calls.
Crime statistics for break-in rates of temporarily vacant homes prove this concern warrants its high priority.
Against this background therefore, it is alarming to note the increasing incidence of family members broadcasting their holiday travel plans, before and during their time away, via various social media networks.
It may seem harmless for the teenagers to post their holiday photos, and the next steps on the family’s itinerary, to their “Friends” on Facebook. But when that news is forwarded to friends of friends of friends, the possibility of your being the absent hosts for a great “open house” party this weekend , becomes very real.
And this problem is not restricted to younger family members.
Wanting to impress all your LinkedIn connections by posting to your profile your travel plans to that prestigious offshore conference, may attract the attention of the criminal element who also do their “targetted prospecting” via social media.
Every keystroke which is intended for any online activity must be subjected to the question “ Do I want everyone in the world to be able to see this — permanently?”
So the strong message is this – to protect your family home and possessions, all family members must accept that any social media activity relating to your time away from home, if they must do it, cannot start until after the trip is over and normal security exists within the home.
And even then, don’t tell the world that you can’t wait to do it all again at the same time next year.