Do Customers Know The Value Of Your Security Services?
I’ve read a number of articles from various sources that underline the need for security guard companies to start measuring their services differently. Security guard service is not just about the guards—it is about demonstrating the value that those guards provide for your customers.
I have talked to many managers who have expressed some level of frustration that their clients don’t fully appreciate what they do. Consequently, if clients don’t appreciate the work that is being done, it is extremely hard to assign a fair value for those services. In today’s data-driven world, security guard companies need to focus on providing their customers with metrics that help demonstrate that value. So how do you show value to customers?
Here are several examples of security organizations capturing and sharing information with their clients that demonstrates the value of their services.
Example 1. In a recent post in a LinkedIn discussion group, this was written about the security manager of a large manufacturing firm:
His CEO had recently called him into his office, where he was told that he was going to be required to make significant cuts to his operating budget. His boss said, “Why don’t you get back to me in a week with your recommendations.” The Security Director promptly went to his computer and developed an itemized list of the proactive actions his security officers had taken over the past three years. The list included things such as: 125 doors found unlocked and secured; removed trespassers and homeless people from the property 35 times; escorted female employees to their cars 184 times. The list had somewhere around 50 items that documented the affirmative actions of his security force. He didn’t wait for a week to get back to the CEO. He returned in less than an hour.
He laid the list on the CEO’s desk, and stated: “Which of these things do you want me to stop doing?” Essentially his boss smiled, and said “get out of here,” and no cuts were made that year.”
Example 2. The Isanti County News recently published an article that again demonstrates the power of providing metrics for security officer activities. As explained in this article, the security force was able to outline their accomplishments over the course of just several months. The security force checked in 43,453 people and turned away three people with guns. They also turned away 1,438 knives, 121 hazardous tools, 67 cans of pepper spray, 43 pairs of scissors, and four Tasers. After seeing those numbers, the client went on to say, “I never thought this many people visit the government center.” If you are not capturing and reporting the activities that your officers are providing, you are missing huge opportunities to demonstrate the value of your service.
Example 3. In another article, which featured Giddens Security Corporation, the writer details how Giddens was responsible for greeting 465,637 visitors and snagging 10,360 potentially dangerous items. Those items included knives, scissors, pepper spray, and guns. Again, the power that those metrics provide are invaluable to building your company’s brand and showing the value that your services provide.
In order to demonstrate the value that your company provides, you will need to capture information in a manner that allows for easy access and accounting. Paper-based reporting systems are not flexible or efficient enough to facilitate this type of reporting. Security Guard Reporting systems such as OfficerReports.com provide their users with a more efficient way of reporting on security officer activities. Here is a short list of metrics that you should be providing to your clients on a regular basis:
With these metrics in hand, you can easily convey to your clients the value that your security officers are providing for them. Although being humble is an admirable trait, humility is not good for your business. Tell your current clients and prospective clients all about what you do and how you deliver value.
As a security guard business, the service you provide to your customers may be more valuable to them than they realize, which means a missed opportunity for your company to demonstrate that they really are getting a lot of bang for their buck. Ideally, you want your customers to view you as more than just another vendor, interchangeable with vendors of the same service. You want them to see you more as a partner in their business and a valuable resource.