How Outsourcing Guard Services Saves Time and Money
Despite technological advances in video monitoring and access control, guard services still play a vital role in security programs. Often just the presence of physical security officers is enough to deter criminals. When there are incidents, officers can immediately respond to and mitigate threats.
If your company wants to add guard services to its security program, there are two options. You can build a program in-house or outsource to a third-party vendor. When making this decision, it’s important to weigh the costs and benefits.
At first glance, hiring and managing security officers in-house may seem more cost-effective, but it could cost you much more in the end. We’ve compiled a list of ways outsourcing guard services will save your company time and money.
Why You Should Consider Outsourcing Your Guard Services
- Expertise – Top-tier security vendors vet and hire highly trained professionals, giving you access to talent from day one. Building that kind of deep expertise in-house could take months if not years. It would mean developing standards and training programs and then staffing the right recruiters, trainers and supervisors. Outsourcing is your best option if your business doesn’t have the time or resources to ramp up slowly.
- Talent shortages – Finding quality security officers is difficult in this market. You must be able to compete for the best talent with great pay and benefits. Larger security firms already have a roster of talent and can more readily recruit the type of security officer you need due to the benefits they offer.
- Staff Management – Security officer programs require oversight to be effective. When you outsource, your company won’t have to invest in recruiting or management software and staff to oversee guard operations. Since industry turnover rates are at an all-time high, partnering with a third-party provider is extremely beneficial.
- Flexibility – Developing an in-house guard program can mean less flexibility. You won’t have access to a larger pool of resources from a security vendor that allows you to scale up or down as needs arise. You could end up maintaining overhead you no longer need or have to invest significantly to ramp up.
- Reduced liability – When you hire a security vendor, they assume responsibility for their security officers and addressing any issues. In-house programs take on that liability, and insurance costs may increase as a result. Before moving forward with an in-house program, check with your insurance provider to see how it could impact your premiums.
- Better technology – Technology is crucial to running an efficient and effective security program. You’ll need real-time visibility into officer locations and time tracking as well as quick communication with officers for security alerts and incident reports. Third-party security vendors have access to the latest technology, reducing your need to find additional budget and manage frequent upgrades.
- Cost savings – An in-house guard program requires a significant spend up front on staffing and technology. Whereas a security vendor can spread the cost of training, equipment, and insurance across multiple clients, reducing the cost for each client.
Making An Informed Decision
Building an in-house guard services program is something that should be undertaken with a lot of thought. Consider doing a risk assessment before choosing the right direction for your company. Have all stakeholders evaluate both the time and money needed to build a successful program.
Would you like to see how Brosnan’s guard services deliver exceptional results for less investment? Request a quote today.