Security Guards flexibility

In today’s economy most security companies struggle with low profit margins, loss of long term clients and clients cutting hours to the absolute minimum. Many customers struggle with loss of revenue and profit and therefore need to save on expenses. Most of the time security is one of the expenses that have to be cut. If a security company is providing security services to a clothing manufacturer that operates in multiple warehouses loss of security work is a logical consequence if the manufacturer closes one or more of the warehouses. The consequence for security companies is that they have to reinvent themselves to create a competitive edge, but also to keep generating new business. When the economy was growing and unemployment was at one of the lowest rates in decades, the construction sector was growing at double digit rates, security services were one of the industries that were growing at double digit rates as well. At that time security companies could afford to focus on their core business of onsite security and could tell clients that their security guard’s sole responsibility was to observe and report. In today’s economy security companies and security guards cannot be too picky. Many business owners try to eliminate costs by combining positions. Hotel operators might ask security guards to help clients carrying luggage or to deliver newspapers and towels. The first reflex of security guard companies might be that their security guards are not bell boys, but it would be short sighted to lose business, because one thinks in certain terms about the security job. Many security officers do not mind performing additional responsibilities if that creates more job security for them or helps them to find a job. Many apartment managers require security guards to close gates, laundry rooms and pools, retail stores might require their security guards to greet customers and construction site managers might require guards to direct traffic. As a security company owner or manager it is imperative to realize that the security industry has changed. Clients will be requiring and expecting additional services beyond observing and reporting even when the economy gets better. It is important to understand the fact that security services consist to more than fifty percent of customer service. The security officer’s duties will vary from customer to customer. The role of the security consultant and the field supervisors will become increasingly important, because security officers not only have to be trained in all aspects of providing security, but also in customer service and some special responsibility that the respective client might require. A security company’s success in the future will depend on how well security officers are trained and how well the security company and all of its employees including management adjust to changes in customer expectations. The most flexible company with the most flexible guards, field supervisors and security consultants will have an edge over their competitors. In bad economic times that edge will translate in the security company’s ability to survive and in good economic times flexible companies will generate much higher profits than their competitors.