Finding a great corporate security company isn’t always easy. As a regular business, you’re not an expert, so you don’t always know what you should be looking for.
Fortunately, this post is here to help. It lists some of the qualities that great agencies possess. But first, why invest in corporate office security in the first place?
Why Is An Office Security Service So Important?
Office security is critical for two main reasons:
- It protects your office from sabotage from both within the company and by competitors
- It protects your employees and buildings against theft, vandalism and assault
According to government statistics, 38 per cent of business premises were the victims of crime between April 2020 and March 2021 with 28 per cent of premises suffering incidents once a week or more. Therefore, the risk is substantial.
How To Choose A Great Corporate Security Company
Here’s what you should do if you are looking for a corporate security company in London:
Check The History Of The Company
The reputation of security companies often precedes them. If they do a great job, their clients will spread the word. They’ll also have a good reputation in the community.
Avoid choosing a firm with little to no experience. While there is a chance that they could provide a great service, the likelihood is low.
Seek Guarding Companies With The Right Insurance And Licences
Any corporate security agency you choose should also have the right insurance and licences.
In terms of insurance, corporate business security firms need:
- Public liability insurance to cover them in the case of property damage, bodily injury or legal defence costs
- Employer’s liability cover to protect them in the event that an employee gets injured on the job
- Business and office equipment insurance to cover damage to things like phones or two-way radios
- Personal accident insurance just in case someone is accidentally injured on the job
- Legal expense insurance to cover additional legal costs firms might incur in the normal course of their operations
In terms of licensing, you will need to check that the company has an SIA licence for corporate business security. (The SIA provides licences for many different types of security services, so you’ll want to make sure that your firm has the right one). Agency staff should also have their own individual SIA licences. (More on that below).
Choose A Firm With Experienced Guards
Requirements for becoming a corporate security guard are minimal. Applicants need to:
- Be over 18 years of age
- Prove that they can work in the UK
- Submit to a criminal background check
- Submit to a mental health check
- Have passed an SIA course
Because of this, corporate guards often lack real-world experience or the skills necessary to deliver meaningful protection to your corporate property.
Therefore, ask your chosen security agency if:
- They have minimum experience criteria before allowing guards to join their teams (say, two years of previous work experience on corporate properties)
- They regularly take part in refresher training
- They have experience in former careers that require decisive action in real-time (such as the military or police)
Look For A Firm With Proven Success
Next, you’ll want to look for firms with a proven track record of success. You can do this by:
- Asking them for a list of former clients you can call as references
- Checking the reviews of their services online
- Reading testimonials
- Looking for any industry awards or ISO certifications they have
Ideally, companies should provide links to all of these on their websites. If they don’t, phone them and ask where you can find the relevant information.
Find Firms That Specialise In Your Business Area
Corporate premises vary wildly from each other. Some firms operate workshops while others run retail spaces, high-rise offices, warehouses, petrol stations, oil refineries or golf courses. Because of the sheer diversity of premises, firms should seek corporate security services that specialise in their particular niche.
Additionally, you should explore the security agency’s style: that is, how they furnish you with security services. Jewellery stores, for instance, need high-profile (perhaps armed) security guards who can deter gangs seeking high-value targets. By contrast, law firms or city centre offices may want a more discreet service where guards blend into the background.
In many cases, security needs to be covert to avoid damaging the customer experience. Plain-clothed guards might be necessary for some situations, such as amusement parks.
Look For Agencies That Thoroughly Screen Their Security Guards
You should also choose security agencies that thoroughly screen their guards before hiring them. That’s because staff have a tremendous ethical responsibility. They need to be honourable, trustworthy people.
Effective guard screening processes should consist of multiple procedures designed to establish the character of the applicant. For instance, guards should not have a criminal record. They should also be able to provide references from non-relatives and former employers attesting to their good character.
Hiring managers should also probe into their personal lives. For instance, guards with stable family lives and finances are more likely to work in the corporate interest.
Guards should also submit to personality tests to ensure that they have suitable psychological traits for the job. Highly neurotic guards or those low in conscientiousness are not suitable for the role, even if they do not have a criminal record. Quality security firms will tell you exactly how they screen their personnel and the criteria they use to employ them.
Seek Companies That Regularly Train Their Employees
Lastly, firms should seek corporate security agencies that regularly train their employees. Updating their skills lets them adapt to new threats as their careers develop.
The best firms spend around 10 to 20 per cent of employee time in training. Guards should be able to respond to emergency situations, terrorism and major incidents as well as smaller, petty issues, such as vandalism or theft.
If you need help with corporate security, get in touch with Lodge Service Corporate Security