For businesses, ensuring the safety of their physical & digital assets, employees, and customers remains a top priority. A professional security guard service provides more than just a deterrent. It ensures prompt, effective problem resolution so your business runs smoothly despite challenges and risks.
Choosing a security guard company is a complex but important decision, one that requires a thorough analysis of your business’s security needs and goals to find a provider with the right capabilities. This article covers everything you need to know about professional security services, ensuring you make an informed choice for your business’s long-term safety and continuity.
What are the Different Types of Security Guard Services?
A security company usually offers a diverse range of services tailored to various business risks and environments. Understanding the types of guards can help you make the right choice
Armed Security Guards: Preferred by high-risk businesses (like banks, high-value retail, or jewelry stores) with high potential for violent crimes or significant monetary loss. The presence of armed, trained, and licensed guards can help prevent crimes.
Unarmed Security Guards: Best for general surveillance, monitoring, access control, and customer assistance. Corporate offices and general retail businesses hire them. Their primary role is to observe, report, and de-escalate incidents.
Event Security Guards: These guards specialize in crowd management, event access control, monitoring irregularities, and responding to emergencies for events such as concerts, conferences, and launches. Their job is to maintain order and ensure everyone’s safety.
Off-duty Police Officers: Favored for their superior training, authority, understanding of the law, and experience in high-risk situations, police officers carry more power than regular guards and act as a deterrent for crime.
Mobile Patrols: These guards are responsible for patrolling by foot or in marked vehicles across a specific area, such as a locality, business park, warehouse complex, or building, maintaining a deterrent presence, and preventing crimes.
Evaluating Your Business’ Security Needs & Risks
Before hiring a security guard, it’s important to conduct a comprehensive risk assessment. This involves identifying your critical assets (data, inventory, cash, personnel) and the potential threats or risks to them. Based on this, you can determine your risk profile:
- High Risk: Businesses in high-crime industries or areas, such as banks or jewelry stores, or corporate or government buildings with classified information.
- Medium Risk: Businesses with moderate risk to inventory or people, located in average-crime areas or industries such as office buildings, clothing retail, and schools.
- Low Risk: Businesses with low threats, safe locations, or minimal assets on-site.
If you’re unsure of your risk profile, a professional security provider like Reliable Security Staffing can conduct a risk assessment to identify vulnerabilities in your workplace.
Factors to Consider When Hiring Business Security Guards
Choosing a guard service that fits your specific business needs requires an understanding of your security goals and the ideal provider persona. Here are a few things you need to consider when hiring office security guards.
Business Type and Location: The crime rate in your area, proximity to major roads, and the region type (industrial, urban, suburban) will determine the type and level of security required. A busy mall with high foot traffic has different security needs than a warehouse or factory.
Business Size and Scale: A large facility, such as a business park, will require multiple stationary or patrolling guards, whereas a small retail store or office might manage with only one unarmed guard during the operation hours daily. The provider should be able to scale their services to meet your evolving needs.
Budget: While you should never prioritize money over safety, your budget is still a crucial factor in determining the level of security you can get. Mobile patrols are generally less expensive than full-time on-site guards. Try to find a solution that fits both your budget and requirements without compromise.
Security Goals: What is your main reason for hiring business security? Are you seeking loss prevention (retail), access control (corporate), or personal or event safety? Understanding your primary goals can help you find the best security guard service that meets your expectations.
Qualities to Look for in a Security Guard Service
The quality of the security company or guards directly impacts the level of safety. It’s important to do your research and vet every potential partner. Here’s what you should look for in a security guard.
Industry-Specific Experience: A company with experience in a wider range of security challenges and scenarios, particularly in your industry, can be expected to meet regulations and best practices.
Positive Reputation and Reviews: Check testimonials and clients’ reviews to analyze a company’s market presence and image. A proven history of quality, consistency, and client satisfaction signifies trustworthiness.
Vetted & Trained Guards: Guards must be expertly trained, licensed, insured, and thoroughly background-checked. The benefit of hiring from a reputable agency like Reliable Security Staffing is that you can always trust guards to be professional and vetted.
Multiple Services: Find a security company that can offer everything from professional guards and mobile patrols to alarm systems and CCTV monitoring, and has the ability to adapt to your changing needs.
Flexibility: This is crucial for businesses with changing security needs. The provider should be able to adjust services, staffing, security levels, and schedules quickly and efficiently, offering seamless solutions without disruption.
Quick Response Time: In an emergency, every minute counts. Inquire about the guards’ training in emergency response and the company’s dispatch and communication protocols. They should be able to report and handle situations promptly.
Communication Skills: Guards in a public space or retail store are more than just security. They are also expected to help or guide visitors and effectively communicate during an incident. Ensure they interact politely with the public and can provide clear, concise, and professional incident reporting.
Customer Service: Lastly, providing a dedicated account manager and multiple support channels demonstrates the security company’s commitment to partnership.
Why Trust Reliable Security Staffing for Your Business’s Security Needs
Choosing the right security partner for your business is crucial to ensure comprehensive protection for your staff and business assets. At Reliable Security Staffing, our security guard services are built on a foundation of trust, transparency, and proven expertise. We don’t just provide guards; we send highly trained security professionals who deter crime and handle incidents promptly and effectively.
With over 10 years of industry experience, we offer customized security plans and staff to manage diverse business risks, evidenced by our 100+ satisfied clients. Our 150+ vetted officers are trained in advanced conflict de-escalation and first responder duties, ensuring optimal protection, quality, and peace of mind.
Ready for us to conduct a complimentary security risk assessment for your business? We can help you identify vulnerabilities and find your perfect security plan.