5 Straightforward Methods to Stabilising Your Security Guard Service in Cape Town

When shopping center managers hire security guard companies they have got a picture in their heads of what their contract security force will appear like, but too often what they get seriously isn't what they pictured. What we've found is that the majority security guard companies can handle providing the service that real estate managers want, but too often don't owing to a deficit of ongoing quality control procedures.

Security guard companies are unlike any shopping center a real estate manager usually hires. At any time you hire a painter, you'll be able to see whether they are doing their jobs by taking a look at the walls. But when you hire a security guard company, how often can you see whether the guard company is doing their job which includes running background checks and drug screenings, providing good training for your guards, and effectively monitoring and supervising your guards. In most instances they probably are, but it is important to implement a system of verification and quality control to ensure that problems linked with the lack of performing these jobs don't begin to occur.

In the next few paragraphs we'll discuss five (5) easy steps to improving your security guard service and achieving what you picture as your ideal security guard force.

Examine Your Guards Skills

In many countries, guards are mandated to get a specified amount of training before they can begin working as security guards. In case your state is one these states, make certain that your security guard company is compliant.

For anyone who is inside a state where there are no state requirements for guard certification, then investigate the type of coaching that is being provided by your security company and ask yourself does it seem adequate.

Additionally, is your security guard company performing background and drug screenings on all your guards BEFORE they send them to your real estate? If they are surely, they ought to be providing you with verifications. If not, why?

Another excellent technique to screen whether the guard is an effective fit to your business would be to conduct a short "interview" to getting a feel for that guard and to elucidate your expectations. This first conversation can tell you plenty about what to expect from that guard but it creates a chance to request a new guard if you feel that most certainly necessary.

Analyse Guard Schooling

Even if most security guard companies have a very thorough orientation that introduces each guard to the company itself, in several cases the guard's orientation to his assigned business seriously isn't as complete. We call the orientation for this assigned real estate "Site Specific Training".

Find out what your site specific training looks like:

• Does it occur at your real estate?

• Who does the training?

• How long is each new officer trained?

• How long does the protection company double bank? (Double banking is the practice of having a veteran guard working concurrently the new guard.)

• How thoroughly are your post orders explained?

Determine the solution to each of those questions and ensure that they fit with what you are feeling is adequate. You should even consider sitting in on yoursecurity guard company's orientation plus yoursite specific training to find an understanding of what goes into preparing a guard to work on your real estate.

Assess Your Guard's Management

Guard supervision is among the most important factors of fine security guard service. When security companies provide poor supervision, there is not enough importance put on stopping blunders, problems, and complaints. Not enough supervision also removes the chance for the guard learning and better understand their duties. If the guards are not being supervised, they begin to feel that their work is not important and they start to view themselves as less of part of the protection team. When guards do not feel like part of the team it typically leads to unacceptable practices like unprofessional behavior, tardiness, as well as theft.

Depending on the structure of the contract, on-site supervisors probably are not included. But if your contract does not require on-site supervision, how does your security guard company remotely supervise its guards? Outside of the conventional security company field supervisor spot checks, the twomethods of remote supervision that prove most successful are:

1. Officer Tour Tracking Systems

2. Officer Check-Ins

In case your guards are required to walk rounds of the real estate, then a system for tracking them while on duty is essential. Officer Tour Tracking Systems provide a remote method of monitoring the guards while these are in your real estate. These tracking systems allow the security guard company to observe time and log the activity of your guards while they're making rounds to various areas on your real estate. Most Officer Tour Tracking Systems can generate reports that enable the protection guard company to quickly get an understanding of whether the guard is making rounds. The property manager also needs to be supplied with an abridged version of these reports. Manufacturers of such systems include Deggy and Timekeeping Systems, Inc.

Along with Officer Tour Tracking systems, we've found that creating a system for guards to check in regularly with the security guard company provides a method of making sure that each guard is safe and alert. By having guards check-in regularly with the security guard company, not less than every 30 minutes, guards feel that their safety is essential understanding that being awake and alert is a crucial part of their job.

After hours inspections of the guards are always great ways of discovering what is happening with your security when you are not there. During these inspections, be certain that to ask your security guards questions on their duties and responsibilities to ensure that they understand their jobs. Actually, we suggest having your security guards audited regularly, formally (i.e. post inspection) and informally (i.e. secret shopped) by a licensed security consultant as part of your ongoing security program.

Firms like Asymmetric Strategies provide a free service geared toward doing exactly that. Remember, when choosing a security consultant be sure that the consultant isn't actually a security guard company. If that's the case, your audit is guaranteed tomanifest problems with your current security guard company.

Meet along with your Security Guard Company Frequently

The fifth and best step is always to regularly meet with yoursecurity company. Without providing repeated response to your security guard company, property managers are missing out on possibilities to accomplish incremental increases in effectiveness. Topics such as tenant feedback, guard attrition, comment from any remote supervisory systems, and any security audits should be discussed during these meetings about security guardsservices cape town