Five Uncomplicated Methods to Stabilising A Security Guards Service in Cape Town

When real estate managers hire security guard companies they have an image in mind of what their contract security force will look like, but too often what they get is not what they pictured. What we have found is that most security guard companies are capable of providing the service that shopping center managers want, but too often fail to as a result of a decrease of ongoing quality control procedures.

Security guard companies are unlike any shopping center that a business manager usually hires. If you should hire a painter, you can actually see whether they are doing their jobs by viewing the walls. But if you hire a security guard company, how often can you observe 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's important to implement a system of verification and quality control to ensure that problems related to the shortage of performing these jobs fail to begin to occur.

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

Vet Your Guards Skills

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

If you are in a state where you'll find no state requirements for guard certification, then investigate the kind of training which 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 your guards BEFORE they send them to your real estate? If they are, they must be providing you with verifications. If not, why?

Another excellent strategy to screen whether the guard is an efficient fit to your property would be to conduct a quick "interview" to getting a feel for that guard and to explain your expectations. This first conversation can tell you a lot about what to anticipate from that guard but it provides a chance to request a new guard if you feel that it really is necessary.

Examine Guard Schooling

Even though most security guard companies have a really thorough orientation that introduces each guard to this company itself, in several cases the guard's orientation to his assigned shopping center isn't as complete. We call the orientation for that assigned property "Site Specific Training".

Determine what your site specific training looks like:

• Does it occur at your shopping center?

• Who does the training?

• How long is each new officer trained?

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

• How thoroughly are your post orders explained?

Determine the answer to each these 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 and yoursite specific training to find an understanding of what goes into preparing a guard to work at your shopping center.

Assess Your Guard's Management

Guard supervision is among the more important factors of fine security guard service. When security companies provide poor supervision, there is not enough weight placed on preventing mistakes, problems, and complaints. Not enough supervision also removes the opportunity for that guard to master and better understand their duties. If ever the guards aren't being supervised, they begin to feel that their work seriously is not important and they begin to view themselves as less of part of the safety team. When guards don't feel like part of the team it typically contributes to unacceptable practices like unprofessional behavior, tardiness, and in some cases theft.

Depending on the structure of the contract, on-site supervisors probably are not included. If your contract does not require on-site supervision, how does your security guard company remotely supervise its guards? Outside of the traditional 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 make rounds of your business, 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 on your shopping center. These tracking systems allow the security guard company to watch time and log the activity of the guards while they are surely making rounds to numerous areas on your property. Most Officer Tour Tracking Systems can generate reports that enable the security guard company to quickly get an understanding of whether the guard is making rounds. The shopping center manager also needs to be given an abridged version of these reports. Manufacturers of such systems include Deggy and Timekeeping Systems, Inc.

In addition to Officer Tour Tracking systems, we have found that creating a system for guards to test in regularly with the security guard company provides a way of making sure that every guard is safe and alert. By having guards check-in regularly with the security guard company, no less than every half-hour, guards feel that their safety is significant and that being awake and alert is a crucial part of the job.

After hours inspections of the guards will always be great ways of discovering what is occurring with your security if you are not there. During these inspections, be sure that to ask your security guards questions on their duties and responsibilities to make sure that they understand their jobs. In fact, we advise 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 the ongoing security program.

Firms like Asymmetric Strategies provide a free service geared toward doing exactly that. Remember, when choosing a security consultant make sure that the consultant is absolutely not actually a security guard company. If so, your audit is bound tomanifest problems using your current security guard company.

Get together with your Security Guard Company Regularly

The fifth and simplest step should be to regularly meet together with yoursecurity company. Without providing repeated response for a security guard company, property managers are missing out on opportunities to realize incremental increases in effectiveness. Topics for example tenant opinion, guard attrition, opinion from any remote supervisory systems, and any security audits should be discussed during these meetings about securityservices cape town