Hiring the right security guard services for your company can be one of the best decisions that you make for your company. Certified security guard services can provide peace of mind by securing your assets, protecting customers, employees, and inventory, and freeing you to focus on other aspects of your business.
However, hiring the wrong security services team will wind up costing you lots of money and additional frustration. You must ensure that the security services you hire are capable, highly skilled, and willing to cater to your company’s needs.
Thoroughly vetting any security company that you are looking to hire and understanding what they will do to address your security concerns is vital. Before you sign a contract, you’ll need to ask some tough questions to avoid these 8 common mistakes that businesses often encounter when hiring security guards. You’ll be thankful that you took the time initially to discover if your new security company will be a good fit for you.
Mistake #1: Hiring security guards who don’t offer a tailored solution for your business.
You’re looking to hire security professionals who know their business, but be wary when they think they know more about yours than you do. Too often, security teams will try to do things their own way at the expense of your business. Security is not a one-size-fits-all solution, and you should run away from any company that tells you otherwise. Ensure that your security firm addresses your unique concerns while they formulate a plan to secure your business.
Mistake #2: Hiring a security team that doesn’t focus on prevention.
Prevention is critical to effective security. Ideally, your firm will assess your location and suggest relevant techniques to prevent crime. If your security guards only focus on aggressive security, you’re missing out on some additional peace of mind and opening yourself up to potential lawsuits when incidents do occur, too.
Mistake #3: Hiring a security company that doesn’t offer uniform options to suit your business.
Did you know that security companies offer different uniforms depending on where their guards will be deployed? Check that your security guards will be uniformed in a way that keeps your business in mind. Find out if your security guards will dress the part and blend into your establishment. That might mean police-style uniforms, polos, suits, and ties, or a personal security guard in plain clothes, depending on the security task.
Mistake #4: Hiring a security company without checking its reviews.
You’ll want to look into a security company’s reputation before you consider hiring them. The best places to start your search are with established firms familiar with operating security services in your area. Run a quick Google search and read any customer reviews to get an idea of the quality of their work. You should also look up their rating on the Better Business Bureau. Take a glance at their Facebook or Twitter pages, if they have one, to see how pleased others have been with their experiences, too.
Mistake #5: Hiring a security company without checking their license.
Ask about the local licensing and insurance coverage that a security company has in place. Armed guards, for example, must be certified to carry weapons. You want to verify that your security guards are legally licensed to offer protection services for your business. Then, ask about the insurance coverages that they have in place so that you’ll be well protected if anything ever does happen. Standard industry minimums should include liability coverage of at least $1 million for every incident, $3 million in aggregate, and $2 million umbrella coverage.
Mistake #6: Hiring the lowest bidder.
Choosing your new security provider based on the lowest price is often a big mistake. Good security isn’t usually cheap. Though you might save money in the short run by hiring the most affordable security firm, scrimping on experienced security guards may cost you more by providing inadequate protection and chipping away at your peace of mind. If your new security guards won’t do the best job of securing your business, then how much are you saving by going with the cheapest bid?
Mistake #7: Hiring a security team without a backup unit.
Hopefully, the security company you choose is highly effective and great at everything they’re supposed to do to protect your site. But what happens if one of your guards misses a shift or doesn’t mesh with your environment? What plan does your security service have in place to make sure that you are always protected? Find out if the company you’re hiring has enough staff to provide a reliable backup team so that you’re never scrambling for security.
Mistake #8: Hiring security without keeping your goals in mind.
Be clear about what types of protection you need when you begin the process of hiring new security guards. An excellent security team will address your business’ needs first to get the protection you require. A focus on securing inventory in a warehouse looks different from securing private data at a tech company. Don’t blindly follow good reviews and settle for a security company that provides ill-fitted solutions. If you’re not sure that a company can adequately protect your business, look for one that will do a good job of achieving your objectives.
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Paying a security team to protect you or your business means that you could ultimately be putting your life in their hands, so choose wisely. Now that you know the mistakes that people often make when choosing a new security team, be sure to ask lots of questions. Move forward with the hiring process only after you’ve received satisfactory answers to all of these concerns.
Those answers will help you understand the quality of the services that you’ll expect to receive and figure out if you’ll employ the right firm for the job. Spending time and effort on the initial hiring process will save you considerable time and money further down the line.
