How effective is your Mobile Patrol? Well, it all depends on the intent of the owners of the security company you’re contracted with. It is “The buck stops here” philosophy of responsibility. Truth is, that if the owners of a company intend on providing the best service, it will be provided. There are companies that provide excellent service with standard results, as a point of integrity and moral obligation.
Companies that take great pride in delivering the product they are hired for i.e., a safer environment with less vandalism or crime. They obviously are the only ones you want to contract with. Well, how obvious is finding this type of Security Company to a business needing security? When a client calls with a need and the stock answer is “yes, of course we can provide service and help you”, how should the client choose the company that is best suited to deliver, and will go above and beyond to do so?
Competitive Rates
Most people look for the most competitive bill rate as a starting point. If a company with the lowest bill rate can deliver what you need, of course you have found a great choice. But when you really need your facility cleaned up from vandalism, vagrants, crime etc. you need to know a few more things than the bottom line cost before making a decision. Lowest bid could cost your company in so many other ways if you don’t. There is no value in a company who low bids and doesn’t give service. Find out more about the company, who they service, what their reputation is, what their nightly work load is, and how they treat their employees. Are their employees trained, treated fairly, or overworked?
Or is their intent to actually make an impact with their service and presence, and live up to their contract?
Security Patrol Operators
Questions must be asked as there are companies that not only overwork their security patrol operators, but flat-out make it impossible for them to do their jobs. We have an employee who, with her past employer, used to work 6 days per week, sometimes even 7, 12 -15 hour shifts, with at least 50 hits per night; more than she could actually do. She could not fully service all the accounts she had. And this mobile guard’s compensation was terrible. She was unrested, unmotivated, unappreciated and most importantly, unable to do her job effectively.
You don’t want to have to move forward with the concerns of, “who will be watching in the middle of the night?” or hearing excuses of, “we all know that we cannot control crime, right?” Our mobile guard patrols are not there, on site 24-7, right?” Well, true. But isn’t it interesting that some security companies don’t have to make excuses, because the job actually gets done. The vagrant’s move on, the crime subsides, etc. They show up with a plan, knowledge, training, a work ethic, and “magic” happens.
Ask these questions of the company you are considering hiring:
- What strategy will you employ to fix my problems?
- What training will my security guard patrol officer have?
- How many “hits” is he responsible for nightly?
- How many accounts does he service nightly?
- How many days per week will he be working”
- How many miles per night does he drive?
- How much time will he be spending at my account?
It is a competitive business, which is good for you! You can and should always expect great customer service, great value of a job well done, and a company who will go the extra mile. Find a company whose employees will stay on the property longer than what the contract calls for, make a couple more unexpected drive-bys because they have the time, are not overworked and most importantly know that lack of prediction to criminals, and vagrants, will get them to go away!
Find a company who will check all the applicable doors, windows, bushes, etc. to make sure that the job is well done, and pays attention to details such as locking windows, reporting broken sprinkler heads, making sure there is no illegal dumping in dumpsters, and properly handling suspicious activity.
If your Patrol Guard is forced to spend less than 15 minutes for any of the above reasons, they are not getting the job done.
Final Mobile Patrol Considerations
When a Mobile Patrol is requested by a company having difficulties of some type, they need good answers with good attitudes. When an owner’s intent is service and a job well done, you will get the right answers with a great attitude. You will get the results you are looking for. Expect that, you don’t have to settle for less.