Manned Guarding Company – Is It Good Enough?

Manned Guarding is Necessary in this Rising Crime Environment

Crime, whether it is organised or unorganised, is rising with every passing day. Hooliganism, vandalism, theft, robbery and other antisocial activities are increasing at a rapid pace. This has made residence complexes as well as commercial spaces to resort to manned guarding. There are many security guarding companies available in the market. Are all of them up to the mark? To know the answer you have to go through the reputation of the various companies.

In the crime scenario, most number of them has increased in the retail spaces. One of the main reasons of increasing demand for manned guarding is the global recession. Centre of Retail Research has found out that the increased crime has led to a loss of more than £4.8 billion. Whether you have a shop, office or residence, you would definitely look out for manned guarding to avoid monetary loss. 

Security Services and Their Increasing Demand

Security services come up with various equipments such as Closed Circuit Television (CCTV), Biometric Control Access System and many more. One of the most affordable as well as secured services offered by a security guard agency is the manned guarding service. This is why its demand is so much. Its demand is also increasing at a rapid pace. 

Basic Features of a Good Manned Guarding Company

Now, the question regarding choosing the best security guarding service comes to the fore. It is really difficult for a person or organisation to select the best manned guarding company. A basic guideline is given below so that you can know the characteristic features of the best manned guarding companies:

1. Integrity – This is a very important aspect because the reputation of a company increases with the integrity of the same. This is the sole aspect that differentiates a security guarding company from the others present. When the word integrity is used regarding manned guarding companies then it means that the methods followed by them are consistent. This leads to a better professional working relationship with the clients.
2. Honesty – This is one of the most important aspects of a security guarding company. The manned guarding staffs are only a product of the company and thus checking their portfolios can give an idea of the respective companies. A security guard embodies the culture of a manned guarding company. Thus, the best company should be very honest and should honour the contracts signed between the two parties.
3. Dependability – When a client is giving a contract to secure a place (whether residential or commercial) then it is expected that the client is depending on the manned guarding company thoroughly. This is why a security services company is expected to provide completely professional security guard to its client so that the later can depend on the offered service and concentrate on the core responsibilities.
4. Response – The quickness of response should be fast. Manned guarding should react promptly to any situation so that the situation can be controlled quickly.

Hiring the best manned guarding service

Manned guarding service, in one form or other, has always been a dominant presence in building sites, factories, and other corporate or business establishments. Even a few decades before, security guard was the only form of security service that was available with both apartments as well as business holders. Security services have witnessed a series of change in the last few years. The security guarding industry is no longer ruled by the lonely presence of night guards who were just armed with a stick and a whistle, perhaps to get in touch with the local Police officer. Instead, manned guarding services are ruled with modern equipment that helps to reduce crime to a large extent.

Manned guarding service is no longer considered essential just for personal safety. It is considered as a pre requisite even if you are eager to ensure safety at an event or a retail shopping centre. Facilities provided by these manned guarding service will allow you to protect your guests from any threat or criminal activity.

According to latest news report, retail crimes are on surge with crimes increasing in the construction sector.  Although there are a number of firms that provide manned guarding service, slightest difference in ideals can make a large difference in functioning. Let us have a look at the features that a manned guarding service is expected to possess:

Honesty: It is important to see if the service provided by your security guarding firm is professional in their approach. The firm you are getting in touch with must pride themselves for honesty and also honour the contracts that have been offered to them. Honesty is very important in case of a manned guarding service since the security of an apartment or a firm lies on them.

Teamwork: According to a popular saying, united we stand, divided we fall. I presume that this simple statement will allow you to conceive the significance of teamwork. This is another important facet that is required of a manned guarding service. Teamwork is important not just for security service but for all other work as well. If teamwork forms an important part of the manned guarding service you will have a happy team working on behalf of you.

Initiative: Decision making is another important facet of business in this field. It is important to remember that even small queries can take up large spaces of time. Initiative and common sense are two most important features that are required of the security services firm that you choose to hire. You need to trust the security services firm that you are hiring.

Integrity: This is another important feature that is required of security guarding services. Companies who are consistent in their approach throughout the service period will succeed in enabling professional working relationship.

Trust or dependability: Safety of employees, premise, stock as well as assets remain under trust of manned guarding service. Thus, it is important to trust the firm that provide security service.

Responsiveness: Responsiveness form another important facet as firms that are quick to act are apt at creating working relationships.

If the manned guarding firm that you choose to get in touch with have the above qualities, you are sure to have an excellent as well as a fruitful relationship with the security guarding firm.

Steps to improve security guarding service

Property managers are usually on the lookout for ideal security guarding service with crimes occupying a better part of the society. While hiring a security guard, most of the property managers conceive a clear picture about things that they need in the security guarding service they choose to hire. However, property managers may not always be satisfied with the things that they achieve in this case since there is usually a gap between the things that are expected by a property manager and the things that are provided by a security guarding service. Studies found out that although firms that provide security service have the capacity to satisfy the property managers, they fail to succeed in their task owing to lack of quality control procedure. Some of the firms are now taking resort to biometric access control for protecting their business of untoward people. 

Gaining an estimate of work done by security guarding service may turn out to be a difficult task. Their job is rather difficult to be analysed unlike other vendors. For example, if you hire a painter you can see the work done by them. Monitoring the task in this way is not possible in case of security guards. Although in most of the cases, they are doing their work, you can implement a system to verify it.

You can improve the security guarding service of your firm or apartment by following the below mentioned techniques:

Screen the qualifications of your guard: In some of the states, guards need special training to work as a security guard. If your state is one of these few states, ensure that the security guard company you are hiring complies by that rule. In case your state does not have any such rule, make sure that the security guarding service has undergone at least some form of training. You can also conduct a short interview in order to help them understand your expectations. This will allow you to set up a rapport with the guard that is sure to help you in the long run. In case you feel that the person concerned is not fir for the job, you can also request for another guard.

Assess guard training: Most of the security guarding firms has a thorough orientation that introduces each guard to the firm itself. In most of these cases, the orientation of the guard to the firm is not always complete. Some refer this orientation as ‘Site specific Training’. You can also attend these orientation sessions to see things yourself.

Review guard’s supervision: This is another important facet that ensures good security guarding service. Lack of supervision also dissuades the guard from better understanding of duties. This also leads the guard to feel that their work is not much important and they start seeing themselves alienated from the team. It may even lead to unacceptable practices like tardiness, unprofessional behaviour and even theft!

It is also important to remain in touch and meet with your security guarding firm every now and then. This will make the security services firm that you have hired significantly more efficient!

Basics of Biometric access control

Biometric access control is the new buzz in the industry with security problems occupying a dominant part of the society today. As you have already guessed, biometric access control is concerned with security services. It is an emerging domain in the field of technology and is concerned with the identification of individuals through biological traits like fingerprint, iris scanning, face recognition and the like. With crime lovers incorporating latest techniques in their crime, technological advancements are being made in the field of security guarding. It is no longer possible to leave the controls of your home on a lone security guard.  On the contrary, biometric access control secures your apartment or office by judging physiological or behavioural traits.

Now we remain in the perpetual fear of being subject to attacks. The target of these crime lovers can be an institution or a bank and can be motivated either by ideological or monetary reasons. In order to put an end to these attacks, biometric access control uses a series of techniques. Let us now go through different types of biometrics:

Face recognition: This takes, an individuals’ face into account. This type of recognition is now a significant part of biometric access control. This takes into consideration, the position of nose, outline of eyes and other areas like mouth and cheekbone.

Fingerprints: Access is controlled here by taking fingerprints into account. While some uses electronic field imaging, others use optical image here. This mode involves identification through pattern matching.

Hand geometry: This measures the shape of your hand for identification. While some of the hand scanners control access by measuring only two fingers, others use the whole hand for verification.  This technique of biometric access control identifies an individual by scanning the thickness, length, bone structure, curve as well as distance between joints.

Iris scanning: Biometric access control makes use of the unique features of human iris for identifying an individual. This essentially starts with a picture. Camera with infrared imager is used here for illuminating eyes and capture high resolution images. This is then transformed into an algorithm that maps the distinct features of iris.

Retina scanning: This involves blood vessel layers at the rear part of your eyes. This method needs the user to look into the scanner and then focus on a point.

Voice authentication: This is not voice recognition. This process involves usage of software and hardware technologies for converting voice into textual data. This can be analysed through voice response system. This method involves usage of the unique features of an individual’s voice for identification.

Dynamic signature verification: This process involves identification of an individual’s signature. It judges things by taking the speed, velocity, shape and pressure involved while writing. Dynamic signature verification is different from plain signature verification. Dynamic signature verification takes into account, how a particular signature is being made whereas plain signature just judges the appearance of the actual signature.

Thus, it can be seen that biometric access control makes use of a large variety of techniques for guarding your office or apartment from unwanted people.