Security Consultant or Security Company. Who should you believe?
What does a Security Consultant do?
The Security Industry has its clients’ interests at heart. After all, safe and secure clients are what it is all about.
And while all parties head towards the same objective, the path they take to get there can be vastly different.
A Security Company provides services, and this is usually charged on hours. Think mobile patrols and time spent on a site, or asset protection and the time of a guard patrolling.
A Security Consultant usually sells their knowledge and provides advice to customers on different types of security measures. They can offer an independent assessment, or, they may be affiliated with a service provider or systems supplier.
Where many fall into trouble is the notion that they only need ‘one or the other’ service.
Or in other words, “I just need a guard” or “I just need some advice”.
Thing is, these are not mutually exclusive. They work together.
A guarding company will say more guards will fix the issue.
Getting vandalism? Let’s increase your patrols.
Break-in? An alarm will do it!
But, will these actions deter or prevent further issue?
An independent security consultant should provide you with advice on your issue, incorporating a wide range of treatments. More guards or an increase to patrols may be part of that, but there are often deeper causes or risks involved in a situation.
An independent consultant is not affiliated to a particular brand and therefore is less influenced to push you in a certain direction.
Like anything, motivation comes from what is being sold. Companies make money from how many boots on the ground they can have.
In other words…
Sales are motivated by the product or service. To make money the product or service needs buying. So, for a guarding company, the more guards they supply the more billable hours there are.
This means that solutions from guarding companies are most likely going to include manpower (more billable hours). This could be the round peg for a square hole solution.
While Consultants are also selling a service, independent consultant sales are made through providing good and timely advice that isn’t tied to a particular product or service. So they are far more likely to help look at the bigger picture and work out more suitable, or other types of solutions. Their sales are based on helping clients reduce risk in a far more tangible way.
A Consultant may provide far more solutions in many cases than a guarding company alone.
A consultant makes money on how much they can upsell, sure. But the fundamental issue usually must be treated first, and this is where the cost-saving exists for the client.
I’d agree that you should speak to your current provider if there are recurring issues.
But, don’t simply take the first treatment they offer.
Often, an independent set of eyes will reveal a range of opportunity and you can then choose the ones that best fit your needs and budget.