You may have some misconceptions about working with professional security guards as a business owner. For example, maybe you think security guards could intimidate your customers and employees.
In reality, when you partner with a reputable security company and they provide you with a guard, there are a lot of benefits.
Security guards can end up being something that provides you with a competitive advantage in many ways.
The following are particular benefits of hiring a security guard for your business, regardless of your industry.
Deterrence
Perhaps one of the biggest benefits of hiring a security company or security guard for your business is the fact that their mere presence is likely to go a long way toward deterring criminals. If a criminal has the option to target a business with or without a security guard on-site, it’s apparent they’re going to choose one without security.
A security guard can deter not just theft but also other types of crimes, including vandalism and assault.
If you have high-end merchandise on your property, then you should especially consider the importance of professional security.
Research shows having a security guard can lead to 16% fewer crimes.
When you deter losses, you have to think not just about financial benefits or consequences. You also have to consider that if you are targeted in any way by a criminal, it can affect your brand and reputation. You want to be seen as trustworthy, safe, and reputable, and even if your business is a victim, it can diminish how people view it.
Just like being the victim of a crime can tarnish your business reputation, showing that you take safety and security seriously can improve it. For example, if your customers see your business as one that’s safe, secure, and reliable, that’s going to feed into how they view your brand overall.
If anything does happen, security professionals can work with law enforcement, and they can help your business recover faster while minimizing disruptions.
Your Employees Will Feel Like You Care
As a business owner, you’ve likely felt the hiring crisis and its effects. It’s difficult to find employees right now for businesses all over the world.
When you are able to secure employees, retaining them can also be a challenge.
You want a corporate culture that shows you care and value your employees, so what better way to facilitate that than to go the extra mile to protect them?
Security guards don’t just protect your business against theft. They provide a safe, secure working environment for your employees.
Surveillance
Even if a security guard isn’t physically overseeing a specific area of your business, they have the skills and expertise to conduct continuous surveillance with the use of technology.
Immediate Response
If there’s any kind of threat to your business, your employees, or your customers, you will contact the authorities, but it can take time for them to get there. The situation can very quickly spiral into an emergency, but having security guards who are already onsite can help de-escalate whatever is going on.
Security guards are trained to remain calm and handle situations rapidly before they become a crisis.
Customer Service
Probably one of the biggest misconceptions most people have about security guards is that they are intimidating or will scare customers away. When you partner with a reputable company, and you have a highly trained guard on the premises of your business, this couldn’t be farther from the truth.
Security guards should have excellent communication skills and can even be a source of customer service by pointing visitors in the right direction and answering basic questions they may have.
Interacting with people and communicating are one of the main things a high-quality guard will do.
Additionally, you should be aware that not all security guards carry guns. Of course, if this is your preference, they can, but many security guards aren’t armed and instead rely on their risk assessment training to prevent threats and avoid crime rather than waiting for issues to escalate.
This isn’t necessarily relevant in the UK and Europe like in the U.S., where you’ll have to make more of a decision.
Finally, if you own a business, an on-site security guard can provide you with peace of mind. There’s no price you can put on that.
Try to put any stereotypes about security guards out of your mind that you may have and realize these are highly-trained professionals who can bring significant value to your business and improve safety for everyone you work with in any way.