If you’re a business owner, you may be wondering if hiring a local security guard company is a smart choice for your business. Civil unrest is increasing and after COVID-19, employees and consumers alike are becoming more unpredictable.

While cost is certainly a factor and every business has a budget to follow, the benefits of employing local professional security guards can easily outweigh the expense. Even just one thwarted security event could save you hundreds of thousands of dollars. Here are 9 benefits of hiring a local security guard company and how to choose the right security team for your needs.

1. Fewer Crimes in the Workplace

Hiring a competent local security guard team protects your establishment by preventing vandalism, theft, and other threats to your property or employees. Professional security companies like us, can spot suspicious activities and take the appropriate action before it becomes much larger issue for your organization. Most would-be criminals are deterred from targeting your facility if you have security guards on the premises. This is especially true if the security firm is local and has an extensive knowledge of local business infrastructure.

If you own a retail establishment, for example, employing security guards can help drastically reduce shoplifting rates. If you sell or manufacture expensive or high-end items, having security professionals on hand can discourage criminals from making your business a target.

2. Improved Employee Conduct

Security guards can play a critical role in enforcing workplace guidelines and regulations. They can help serve as a disciplinary authority, ensuring that team members follow the rules established by your company. Workplace misconduct, whether caused by visitors or employees themselves, can cause your company to incur excess costs and in some cases, could put its reputation on the line.
In many cases, misconduct can be identified and managed by a trained security guard. This may even occur before the customer or employee gets out of hand. Since they understand the local culture, having a local security guard on the premises also helps to diffuse some types of altercations between members of the local community.

3. Crowd Management

If your place of business tends to draw a crowd, security guards assist you in crowd management, minimizing possible threats such as mob fights, crowd crushing, unruly behavior, or riots at your business. For example, if you have a Black Friday sale every Thanksgiving, hiring a team of security guards for the day can deter and mitigate potential issues involving large crowds.

They may be able to guide customers on where to line up, how far to stay apart, or keep a group at bay before a popular product release. If a large group of people becomes unruly, guards can implement crowd management tactics to prevent injuries and deescalate the situation. A local firm will have a better idea of the size and type of crowds expected, so your business can best prepare.

4. Increased Surveillance of Your Property

Security guards will also patrol the premises, monitor activity on security cameras, let people in and out of the building, operate a security gate, and respond to alarms. Typically, they can do this relatively quickly when they are already on your property, saving you valuable time. Some security teams utilize specific surveillance and management software that provides real-time updates of activity on the property, so they can respond immediately to threats or detect potential problems before they even arise. If you want to learn more about our security patrol services, click here.

5. Additional Customer Service

Professional security guards are responsible for both protecting your workplace and providing basic customer service. They can, for example, assist customers in retail locations to find various items or departments. In other types of work environments, guards can help people find their destinations and escort them there if needed, even late at night or during off-hours.

They can also help answer basic questions about your company’s products or services, especially if they have been working for your business for an extended period of time. While not a replacement for dedicated customer service personnel, especially in a retail environment, security guards can be cross-trained to get customer complaints to the right place as the first point of contact. When you’re working with a local security guard company, chances are, many of your patrons will know the guards, helping to build trust between your target audience and your establishment.

6. Protection During Labor Unrest

During labor unrest, strikes, or protests, the safety of your organization and its employees is of the utmost importance. Not only does this type of unrest reduce the productivity of your company, but it may also endanger the lives of your employees and the integrity of your property in a worst-case-scenario. If protestors gather outside your place of business or a riot breaks out nearby, the risk of harm to everyone involved goes up substantially. Many businesses have recently had their windows smashed with bricks and were looted or vandalized simply for being in a certain area; the businesses themselves weren’t the target.

You can deter escalation during civil unrest by employing experienced local security guards and placing them at strategic locations within your business. Local guards who are familiar with the area can help employees get through protests or picket lines safely to come to work and ensure that demonstrations held near your place of business remain peaceful. Often, when security guards are present outside a business or at the doors, protestors or rioters will choose another location. If crowd escalation occurs, security guards who are already on the property can respond quickly and call for backup.

7. Brand Exposure

An unconventional but effective way security guards can add value to your business is by increasing your brand exposure. For example, if a security guard wears a shirt with a company logo or a company uniform, this helps consumers immediately connect their service with your brand. Customers feel safer at your place of business and branded security can also improve your company’s overall image and reputation.

8. Expedited Emergency Response

A security guard on your premises can respond to and manage an emergency scenario quickly until the police arrive. For example, if an employee who was let go becomes aggressive in your office, it may take police officers 10-20 minutes or more to arrive on the scene and begin controlling the situation. By this point, the employee may have already caused significant harm.

Local security guard firms also provide fast, reliable service in non-emergent situations. If, for example, you need a new component installed, a local firm should be able to do this quickly without the need to travel far to your location.

9. Overall Increased Sense of Security

The simple presence of a security guard can help to discourage unruly behavior from employees and even customers. If your business is in a remote location, and you’re concerned that the first responders will take too long to arrive, it’s a good idea to employ a security guard for the protection of your property. In most cases, an experienced guard can keep the situation under control until the police arrive. Additionally, hiring local security guards helps to stimulate the economy and provide job opportunities for people within your own community.