5 Signs a Security Team is Bad News

Security guards that you hire for an event should be thoroughly trained and certified and hold themselves to an incredibly high standard of professionalism. Unfortunately, not every security firm holds itself to such high standards. Occasionally, you might come across a firm which – should you hire them – will bring you nothing but trouble. Here are a few warning signs that the security firm you’re thinking of hiring is bad news – and should be avoided at all costs.

They Aren’t Properly Certified

The first thing you’re going to want to do when you come across a new security firm is to check out what sort of certifications they have – both for their organization and for their individual employees. If every one of their guards hasn’t been put through some form of official training program – Alberta, for example, has ProTect. Familiarize yourself with the certification programs in your area; if the firm you’re in talks with hasn’t bothered with such programs, you might want to look to another business.

Their Staff Strikes You As Unprofessional

Trust your instincts – you’ve got them for a reason. If you start to have doubts after meeting with the security staff you’ll be working with, don’t ignore them. I’ve seen people on the receiving end of unprofessional security staff before – it’s not pretty, and it’s very likely going to cause significant damage to your reputation as an event planner (as well as the reputation of whoever you’re running the event for).

They’ve Got A Bad Rep

There’s a term in the business world – due diligence. The meaning is simple: in any business partnership, it is on you to research the people you’re working with. Look up every shred of information on the firm you possibly can, and pay particular attention to any negative press they’ve received. Even one bad story about them should set off a red flag.

Their Rates Are Either Too High Or Too Good To Be True

So, the firm you’re working with seems to check out, and the staff you’ve met with look to be certified professionals. As an added bonus, the rates you’re being charged are low – lower, in fact, than with any firm you’ve ever worked with in the past. As the old saying goes, “if something seems too good to be true, then it probably is.”

While it’s certainly great to get a discount within reason, you should be wary if the folks you’re working with offers their services for peanuts. Similarly, even if a firm seems like the best possible option, they might not be worth it if they’re charging an arm and a leg. Don’t be afraid to shop around to stay within your budget.

They Have Absolutely No Experience Policing An Event Of Your Type

Last but certainly not least, make sure you double check whether the firm’s ever worked with the sort of event you’re running before. If they don’t have any experience, it might be worthwhile to look for a firm that does. Admittedly, this is less of a deal-breaker than the other items on the list; if you’ve an organization promising enough, there’s no reason you can’t trust them to learn by doing.