What is the difference between an agency and a specific company, in this case a Security Company? What does a client think they are getting?
A Security company is a business, small or large. Generally, the term "company" indicates a particular kind of business dealing in a specific product. Security Companies deal in the main with Security issues and related matters, not carpets, curtains or sanitary ware. An Agency is a particular kind of company, which serves as an intermediary between clients (other companies or individuals) and the person being employed, you might say “a Jack of all trades and master of none” providing cleaners, lorry drivers and road workers, all extremely good trades.
When choosing a suit, we usually visit a tailor or outlet whose expertise is just that, clothing. Purchasing a car, we usually visit a show room or garage, so why is it when buyers want a specific service, they visit a jack of all? Is it ignorance or plain I don’t know where to go to get the best service, so I’ll go here, “the jack of all”?
Security Services are extremely specific or at least they should be, time, thought, and effort should be given to the service you require and the Quality and Impression you want to give to those visiting or looking in on your building project and staff within. Think of it like a first date, have a bath brush your teeth, wear your finest because first impressions count. Would you spend £15.00 on a shirt? Well, some of you would want change from £15 but the rest of civilisation couldn’t source a decent shirt for that money never mind wear one. If this is the case, why is £15.00 per hour as a charge rate suitable? I’ll tell you why, its because the jack of all trades can source a person of low intelligence to work for them usually self-employed, that is no holidays pension or employment rights, a body in a jacket earning not a lot of money, but the agency does earn a lot, or a lot more than a Security Company as we have to pay selection, screening, training, P.A.Y.E pensions, holidays tax and insurance.
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Well, the chosen Security Company should be aware of the standard BS 7984:2016 and the staff attending site should be trained to this standard and certificated. It’s essential that the provider you choose is professional and employs the calibre of person attending your premises to be suitable, knowledgeable and extremely visible. Mobile patrols can be a cost-effective solution to a permanent guard and in some instances, this is correct but in the main nothing beats a trained guard on site representing your firm.
If you choose a patrol service specify exactly what you require from the service provider (specification). You want the service to be highly visible including the officer who will carry out the patrol (the car should be liveried professionally) and the officer in a high visibility vest or coat depending on the weather, day or night, the officer should always be in their full clean polished uniform too!
The service should as a minimum check the external perimeter of the building or site for signs of intrusion or damage (windows, gates and doors). Check the external sounder for activation, if the strobe is flashing the alarm has been sounding for at least 20 minutes (the monitoring station should have informed you). Mobile patrols should be carried out at irregular intervals and a full report written before leaving site without exception.
Prior to engaging your provider ask to meet the mobile team and question them on their knowledge: Ask them how an intruder alarm works, what constitutes a false alarm and what if anything will set off the alarm, a good quality well installed system rarely activates unless there is a real issue, never the less, it can happen so the officers attending must understand how a system works and what to do in the event of an activation.
As with all purchased services you must feel at one with your provider and they in return should want to demonstrate their ability to you, don’t take their word for it, check! As an end user, the client, you should always check on what your supplier is telling you. An inexpensive replacement for static services can prove expensive if what you receive is a cheap quick and ineffective visit by a person dressed incorrectly in a dirty unsuitable vehicle. Never accept cheap but expect what you pay for!