Narrowing the Field of Security Providers

The request for proposal (RFP) process to select a security officer services provider helps an organization formalize the opportunity, effectively budget and identify quality providers. There are a number of key points to keep in mind to help you narrow the field.

• Ask about employee retention rates and morale. Turnover in the contract security industry averages well over 100% annually. A good contractor will do all it can to boost employee morale, foster loyalty and minimize turnover.

• Identify what benefits the potential security provider offers its employees. Do the security officers pay for uniforms and how many sets of uniforms do they receive? Are the officers receiving paid vacations after one year of service? Do they receive holiday pay for national holidays? Is medical, dental, vision and disability insurance available for full-time officers? Are there service awards and recognition programs?

• Inquire about automated processes that support efficient service. Does the security contractor automate and integrate their administration, payroll, scheduling and billing, management information systems and reporting functions so that employees are paid and clients are invoiced correctly?

• Ensure that your prospective contractor has a process in place to measure their program’s success. Criteria should be defined in collaboration with your company. Assess if inspections are conducted on a routine and random basis and if the contractor measures key performance criteria.

• Establish the contractor’s focus on customer satisfaction and loyalty. Evaluate the responsiveness of the local team and ask about availability of additional resources. Is the contractor available 24/7? What is their customer retention rate and can you contact at least three references with similar security program needs?

Once you have selected a security contractor, you should expect a smooth and swift transition with no disruption to your operation. Be sure to examine your contractor’s transition methodology by requesting a sample transition plan, determining which members of the team will be involved in the transition and asking what resources are available after hours and for emergency situations. 

For more tips on selecting the right security officer services provider for you, review our vendor checklist. 

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  About the Author 
  Caress Kennedy is the Northeast Region President for Allied Universal.