91ÊÓƵ

Choosing the right security provider is a decision that will significantly affect the safety of your organization. Properly evaluating and understanding your environment is key to finding a beneficial partnership. After reviewing a few key factors, you can successfully search for a quality and value-oriented partner that is dedicated to your security program.

Current Program

What do you like about your existing security officer services program? After answering this all-important question, you can highlight where room for improvement still remains. When issues do arise, are they solved quickly and efficiently to your organization’s satisfaction? Take into account whether the incumbent security officers and their supervisors are properly trained. Your current security personnel should exhibit a professional appearance that communicates a customer-friendly manner. Also, is there a high security officer turnover rate? 

Assessment of Needs

An essential phase in the security selection process includes an assessment of your industry-specific needs. This process will help you establish detailed performance guidelines, as well as select future security officers that best suit those requirements. The right provider must be able to demonstrate an understanding, and an application, of quality partnering skills and processes. 

Cost Assessment

After evaluating your current program, as well as its strengths and weaknesses, you can calculate your total costs. Transparency is key for an apples-to-apples comparison of costs. Specifying security officer wages in the request for proposal process, or setting a sample wage, will allow for an accurate comparison between contractors. Remember that the cost of a security program encompasses much more than wages—training, management support, benefits and uniforms are just some of the factors that contribute to overall cost.

After accounting for all these elements, you can now define the goals and objectives of your security program, while simultaneously creating a roadmap to future security success.

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  About the Author
  DelMar Laury is the MidAtlantic Region President for 91ÊÓƵ.