7 Top Tips for Improving Your Security Services

Here are 7 top tips for improving your company’s security services.

15:39 07 January 2022

Great security companies have a lot of things in common, but your company goes above and beyond to make clients happy. Perhaps you’ve purchased cutting-edge technology that only a handful of people have access to, or maybe you have a loyal team of experienced, professional guards.

 

As a security manager, you know what makes your company special, but people who have never worked with a security company may have trouble finding the right service provider for them. If all of the companies they’ve looked at offer licensed professionals, competitive rates, and have relevant experience, they’ll likely go with the most affordable option.

 

Don’t sell yourself short; instead of lowering your prices, augment your services. Clients won’t stick with a company just because it’s affordable, but they will have trouble ending a relationship with a company that provides excellent value for money. 

 

Here are 7 top tips for improving your company’s security services. 

 

1. Look the part 

Not all security companies have a formal uniform policy, but clients will appreciate the fact that you do. Not only does it make their business or building look more professional, but if someone needs a guard’s help, there will be no confusion about who to ask. 

 

People tend to feel safer around security guards who take pride in the way they look. It shows that they care about their job, and that they have the desire and ability to keep the people and property safe.

 

2. Improve communication between guards and management

Good communication is invaluable. Communication can make or break personal and professional relationships, and poor communication is usually the root of many personal and professional problems.

 

That being said, take time to assess the frequency and methods of communication between you and your team. If there are communication problems internally, those issues may seep into external affairs as well. 

 

Do you regularly ask for feedback? Are guards comfortable coming to you with issues? And can they get a hold of you in case of an emergency? Similarly, does email work for everyone, or do messages get buried in your inbox? If you feel like things could be done better, consider creating new communication processes. Set regular meetings with team members or find a security software program that facilitates better communication between everyone.

 

3. Improve communication between guards and guests

Much like the second point, guards must be able to establish good communication with guests that frequent the building. That includes offering directions and being able to deescalate situations with potentially hostile individuals. Clear, courteous communication can be the difference between resolving a problem and making it worse. The majority of a security guard’s interactions will be with other employees, building staff, customers and/or residents; courtesy and respect will be important elements when working to build long-term relationships with clients. You may want to host training sessions to ensure guards understand how to effectively communicate.

 

4. Identify what makes you different from the competition

Having a feature or skill that makes you stand out is critical if you want your business to remain competitive. That unique quality acts as your selling feature.

 

Some companies prefer to invest in technology that will streamline repetitive tasks so that their staff can devote more time to the things that really matter. Equipping your team with a security guard tour system like Patrol Points, for example, can add an additional layer of protection and stability to any facility, and improve the patrol experience for staff. Some of the best systems use cloud-based NFC technology, and allow guards to register checkpoints using a smartphone. No complicated or clunky equipment required. 

 

Other companies may decide to specialize in a specific type of security, for example, warehouse security. Their team will have more knowledge about this industry than most, and as a result, will be better prepared to handle issues that may arise in and around a warehouse. 

 

5. Submit formal proposals to interested clients

When meeting with prospective clients, organized security companies know to prepare a formal proposal for the customers or corporations that are interested in hiring them. A proposal usually has four sections: 

 

• An introduction of your company 
• The issues or challenges the client is facing 
• The services your company will provide to solve those issues (and how much the services cost) 
• The reasons why your company is the best fit for the job 

 

It's important to show that you understand your prospective client’s needs. Similar to a resume, each proposal should cater to the individual client’s needs and requests. If you don't know the customer well, you may need to do some research. You can even meet with them first and then submit the proposal based on what was discussed during the meeting.

 

6. Make sure reports are complete and consistent 

Your team’s reports are a direct reflection of your service to the client. There are several reasons why security companies need to keep clear and detailed incident reports. For starters, they provide key information to clients, management, and executives. If reports can be submitted digitally, it makes it much easier to analyze information and attend to emergency situations as soon as they’re documented. Digital systems may also support picture or video attachments. Sharing images can be a great way to add more detail to a report, and people almost always prefer to see something than read something.

 

Incident reports also help fellow staff members get the important information they need if an incident has not been resolved during the last guard’s shift. 

 

Having a standard form, be it digital or a photocopied piece of paper, is very helpful as it ensures each guard is documenting the same information. Help your team submit useful reports by prompting them to do the following:

 

• Fill in all the blank spaces whenever possible
• Document incidents sequentially
• Stick to the facts. For example, don’t state that one of the parties started a fight if you arrived mid-way through an altercation 
• Answer “who, what, where, why, and how” using concise language
• If reports are written, please make them legible
• Avoid using “I.” Instead, refer to yourself as “the writer”, “SG (your last name)”, or a title that the client and management will understand

 

Keep in mind that reports may be used as court evidence if an incident requires legal intervention. That’s one more reason why security reports must be clear, consistent and complete. 

 

7. Submit proof of your company’s accomplishments 

Comprehensive data can reveal security-related patterns or trends that would be hard to identify if reports were analyzed separately. For example, after running an incident report on car vandalisms for the last six months, you may notice that 68% of break-ins occurred on a Tuesday between 10 pm and midnight. This finding will then allow you to make changes to your team’s security strategy. Or, you may see a drastic decline in false fire alarms since your guards started working for a company. 

 

Clients love to see numbers, and reports give your company a competitive advantage without having to make any significant investments. Many digital security software systems and applications come with a reporting feature, making it easy to compile and share key data with clients.

 

Conclusion

Improving your company’s security services will help give you a competitive edge over the competition, and solidify relationships with current customers. While clients do care about costs, a cheaper price won’t be enough to make up for mediocre service, especially when it comes to safety.