“I don’t think my security guards are making patrols as they should. The guard company said they would be trained but it doesn’t seem like that’s the case. They’re supposed to report it when lights are burned out but I found out there was a parking lot light out for 2 months!”
Common complaints; we hear comments like these and worse, all the time. Security guard contracts cost you tens of thousands of dollars and yet always seem to come with too much drama. You’ve tried changing contractors but after the initial honeymoon period is over, you’re back to the same old complaints and few, if any solutions.
Part of the answer may lie in how you work with your guard contractor. Do you include them (at least the supervisor) in staff meetings, office parties, etc.? When treated like they are part of your team, often they will begin to act like the other members of the crew. Too often, the mentality is that they are not your employees and therefore not your responsibility. In a sense that’s true but the security of your property is your responsibility and while you may contract for the service, you cannot simply assume the contractor has the means, or the inclination to make security guards assigned to your property feel a personal connection to the community, as you do.
Often, guard contracts are awarded based on low bid. Likely, this means you are getting guards whose pay rate is at the low end of the spectrum. What prospects of receiving a raise or a bonus do they have? What working conditions do you provide? Is there a nice place for writing reports or taking a coffee break? If you require them to make patrols outdoors, have you made sure the contractor provides cold weather gear, raincoats, etc. and do you provide a place to warm up in between rounds when it’s cold? Do they have 2-way radios or cell phones to call for help if they get into a dangerous situation? What level of supervision is the contractor providing? Do you have evidence that they are sending a supervisor to check on things at 3:00 a.m. as they promised? Did you require the contractor to install an electronic guard tour system that will report missed rounds, in real time to you or a supervisor? And when was the last time you showed up at 2:00 a.m.; not to play “gotcha” but perhaps to bring a cup of coffee and see how security really operates on the overnight shift? Does the security staff receive regular feedback from you? When they submit an incident report, do they know what follow-up took place and that their observations made a difference?
Maybe you don’t need to change guard contractors again. Maybe it’s a matter of a few simple changes in how you interact with the company and the personnel you have. The consultants at Safer Places can help. Please call me to discuss how we can assist you in improving the quality of security services you receive as well as a review of your hours of coverage, your budget and how to make better use of what you already have.