Are you an Events Organiser or Personal Assistant who believes in the convenience of only choosing the security companies with the biggest names, fully expecting that it guarantees you will be getting the best value for your money?

Or just maybe you have already went the route of employing the security services of one of the major companies and you felt badly let down by their quality of employee and their overall attitude?

If you answered yes to one or both of these, what you need to be asking yourself is; is it really so unexpected that large security companies who proclaim to have access to thousands of SIA licence holding personnel cannot necessarily assure the quality you imagine or more importantly, the quality that your client demands?

If you were to listen to the SIA then the answer is yes, as they proffer the idea that holding an SIA licence is an assurance of having attained a high standard of industry competence but if you have the chance to speak to industry insiders or if you can gain access to security forums then you will find a very different answer.

When it comes to large security companies then it can be very much a case of quantity over quality.

For you to appreciate fully why using the major security companies is not always the best decision for you, then you need to know why the SIA was formed and just exactly who they are.

According to SIA information, the security industry had the perception for being associated with the criminal element. It was decided that it was in desperate need of cleaning up and regulation.

The SIA is responsible for regulating the security industry. They are an independent body who are accountable to the Home Secretary, under the stipulations of the Private Security Industry Act 2001. They are tasked with controlling the private security industry with the intention that they reduce criminality, raising quality and to identify quality service providers.

Their main focus is the on the mandatory licensing of those wishing to work within the private security industry and to handle the voluntary Approved Contractor Scheme, this scheme measures security companies against independently assessed criteria.

Thanks to the involvement of the SIA, we now have those wishing to hire a security company believing that all of those holding an SIA licence are of the same calibre and now neglect to do any proper research into whom they may be hiring.

But let us go back and take issue with the main reason for the SIA coming into existence and ask; was that really the case?

Perhaps this accusation of criminal involvement was solely aimed at to the lower end of the security spectrum, the doorman and site security markets because it certainly did not apply to those working in Close Protection.

Those people who were working in Close Protection were totally dependent on maintaining their reputation amongst their clients and as such were self regulating, meaning they only worked with those that were known to possess a similarly high standard to their own.

Ask anyone who had tried to break into the London bodyguard scene, that was not referred by another and they will tell you it was almost impossible.

On the surface this may look unfair but it kept the undesirable element out and maintained the highest of security standards.

At this stage you may be asking yourself one or two questions, such as; why would I hire from a small security company who wish to supply more expensive Close Protection Officers for a job that I am sure only needs those with an SIA door supervisor licence and will therefore be cheaper, also can a larger company not provide the same type of security person?

The answers are versatility and quality. You will find that a smaller security company has far greater control over their staff as it is more intimate and that their personnel will have a different mindset to those working for a corporation.

To put it succinctly, they will be of a higher professional standard, have an improved sense of work ethic and be highly experienced.

Whilst you may flinch at the initial difference in price between Door Supervisors and Close Protection Officers but when you understand what you are getting for your money then you will realise that you are getting the best value possible.

What you are getting for your money is a security officer who can deal with a multitude of additional security tasks over and above those of a Door Supervisor.

If you are still not swayed, then I wish you the very best of luck because when your cheaper option causes embarrassment to your client and their occasion by robbing the patrons or by running off when they see police drug dogs or when they start fights for their own personal pleasure and yes we have witnessed all of these first hand whilst subcontracted to these major security companies, then do not say you were not well-informed about why not to employ them.

So just how do you go about choosing the most appropriate security company for your occasion? Quite simply, you go back to the old school methods of personal recommendations, written testimonials and word of mouth.

You must understand that a smaller firm knows only too well that it cannot stay in business if the reputation of the company has been tarnished through supplying anything other than the very best security personnel and services.

For further information about this article or if you have a general query then please contact us via the information contained on this page or visit our website.