Businesses hire security services for a range of reasons. Sometimes, it’s just a deterrent to shoplifting. Other times, businesses may do it as a way to keep insurance rates down.
In the case of bigger companies, the security is often there to protect executives from potential kidnappings.
Whatever your reason for enlisting professional security services, you still want the best security services you can find. That means you must look for certain things during the vetting process.
Not sure what you should look for or ask about? Keep reading for five essentials to keep in mind.
1. License and Insurance Information
Most cities or states regulate private security and armed private security in particular. That means that the security firms you look at should have license information displayed on their website or readily available on request.
Follow up on that license information to make sure it’s good. Since security may end up in physical altercations, the firm also needs current liability insurance. Ask for their information as well.
2. What Kind of Training Do You Use?
One of the best pieces of security services advice you can get is to ask about their training. Good private security firms give their employees a lot of training. It should go well beyond things like firearm training or hand-to-hand combat.
It should also include things like de-escalation and threat assessment. A good security firm will walk you through their training process.
3. Services Offered
When considering security firms, you should also consider their service offerings. You should also consider your future needs. Let’s say you only want something like video surveillance right now.
If you think you’ll want on-premises security down the road, you’ll want to pick a company like SMART Security Pros that offers both.
4. Location
Are you thinking of getting security guards for multiple locations? In major urban centers, that can mean an incredibly long commute for the guards if the company operates on and hires from the far side of the city.
You’ll want a company that is either centrally located or operates in multiple locations that are a reasonable distance from your locations.
5. Experience
Experience isn’t just a matter of experience as security, but also experience in your industry. You want a company that understands the security weak spots in your industry and has solutions in place for those weaknesses. Letting a company learn on your business is a recipe for problems.
Hiring Security Services and You
Hiring security services isn’t just picking a name off of the Internet. You need a company that matches up on several specific factors.
Do they provide the kind of security you need now and will likely want down the road? Are they experienced in your industry? Are their employees properly trained?
Just as importantly, can they check the administrative boxes with licensing and insurance. You want the company that can provide a solid yes to all of those kinds of questions.
Looking for more tips on running a safer business? Check some more of the posts in our business section.
