As a business owner, the security of your assets and your business, as well as that of your family, is crucial. With a wide range of security companies to choose from, it is essential to hire one that meets your security requirements. Contract security offers great benefits to both business owners and homeowners. But there are those who think that hiring security services is like giving the keys and the alarm codes of your building to a complete stranger. However, that doesn’t have to be the case if you arm yourself with the right knowledge to choose a good security company. You just have to follow these tips before signing a contract with a security agency.
1. Know what type of security guard you need. You can choose armed or unarmed security guards. Unarmed officers are generally limited, but are perfect if your needs are relatively simple. For example, if you just need someone to closely monitor security camera footage and call the authorities when something happens, hiring an armed officer to do the job is clearly a waste of money. Armed officers are excellent deterrents to crime. Although they are not unbeatable, they can make criminals hesitant to enter your building.
2. Create a list of good security agencies. You can get a couple of referrals from other business owners or search the web for trusted security companies. Either way, it’s important to give yourself a number of options to choose from. Compare your services, performance records and ratings. Check the customer reviews and the list of their past customers. Never base your decisions solely on price because it may not be a good idea to entrust the security of your business to underpaid security guards.
3. Know how long the company has been in the security business. The longer the company has been in business, the better. It is also important to determine if the company has an excellent track record of performance under its current management. In fact, it doesn’t really matter if the company has been in business for over fifty years if the new manager just came on board only a few months ago. Get the director/manager’s credentials and insist on meeting him in person.
4. Know their hiring policies and procedures. It is important to make sure that you can trust the company you will hire. A reliable security company has extensive policies and procedures when it comes to hiring their employees. These should include extensive background checks, training and licensing requirements, drug tests, and more.
5. Choose a company that has a detailed contract available. Make sure the contract provisions are fair and reasonable. If the security company cannot provide a proper and detailed contract, look for another company. A reputable and professional security company will not provide services without a formal contract signed by both parties.
