Blog Post

At 3D Security Services, we have noted a recent trend in the security business where professional security providers are no longer seeking to be “all things to all people”.

Previously, Security Companies seemed to compete with each other on various different projects and it was usually (especially where condominiums are concerned) the low bidder that won the contract. This process was reinforced by the industry perception that all security companies are created equal and provide the same level of service and, in most cases, it was not stellar. A common phrase used to describe this process was a “pulse and a uniform” - in other words, it was irrelevant who worked security as long as they were alive and in a uniform (a low bar to set, I am sure we all agree).

Happily, this perception is changing – even in the Condominium Industry, which is traditionally slow to embrace change. More and more, condominium managers are not simply presenting the proposals and recommending the low bid. In Security Fields, we are seeing more of the clients that are interested more in a Performance-Based evaluation rather than just strictly a Cost-Based evaluation. Although it must be said that cost will always be an important factor, in any industry.

Specialization, as it relates to security, seems to be moving towards niche marketing. We are seeing some security firms who specialize in providing security to festivals, while others will be known for their expertise in Cannabis Security, and yet a third company may be the go-to company for providing security for patient care in hospitals. For those plugged in to the security industry, proof of this may be obtained by the simple test of thinking of an industry, and usually a security company will automatically pop into mind.

When selecting a security provider, due diligence must be exercised on the part of the decision-makers. This diligence may include ensuring that the proposed security partners have a working knowledge of their industry. This would go above the fact that the company already works in the industry, as our experience is that knowledge is rarely transferred between sites. A truer test would be looking into the management and supervisory team to see what education or experience they have in working in the industry. An important question for the client would be:

“Does the management of the security firm understand our organization and the operations enough to prepare professional, complete Post Orders to be used by security to protect our site? “

We find this a critical factor as knowledge, motivation and attitude comes from the site staff’s leaders – if they are committed, professional and knowledgeable, hopefully the site staff will emulate this attitude and the clients will be best served.

In our opinion, this benefits the industry as a whole, as clients are realizing better and more services from their security budgets. Hopefully, this will forever eliminate the “pulse (or in one case we heard “lobotomy”) and a uniform” perception so that security companies will be seen as valued partners with a stake in the overall success of the organization as a whole.