Top Questions To Ask Potential Security Service Providers

Need to know how to choose a security company for your business? Clearly evaluate security vendors with just a few insightful questions.

Here’s your perfect checklist of critical questions to ask security service providers:

Are Your Company And Guards Fully Licensed And Trained Per State Regulations

Green Light: “Of course, our company has a current operating license, along with documentation for all our guards. We can show you paperwork for our guards’ licenses, background checks, fingerprinting, and drug screening. We also have all training certificates for their classes- such as First Aid, firearms permits, or de-escalation training if you’d like to see them.”

Red Flag: “Our records aren’t completely up-to-date- some of our guards are still getting licensed. But our guards have lots of experience, and some even have military backgrounds.”

[NOTE: Licensing discrepancies are a big red flag for a business owner. Licenses shouldn’t be expired or out-of-state (unless a company is cross-licensed). Plus, having military-experienced guards won’t offset your use of unlicensed guards- in case of a problem, your business could still be hit with legal liability, denied insurance claims, or fines].

Are You And Your Guards Insured?

Green Light: “Yes! First, here’s the company’s COI (Certificate of Insurance) which has general liability, workers’ compensation insurance, and professional liability insurance to cover our guards. Our armed guards also have firearms liability insurance. We sometimes use a few freelance guards and they have their own individual guard liability insurance too. Here’s proof of the vehicle insurance for the cars in our patrol fleet as well…”

Red Flag: “I don’t have our COI right now, but don’t worry, we’ve never had a problem. I know that our insurance policy is good and covers $100,000 per incident…”

[NOTE: Any reputable company has their COI routinely ready to prove that it’s current and backed by a solid insurance company. When asked, they also should add your business to their insurance policy as an “Additional Insured” so you are covered by their insurance too if something goes wrong. Also, $100,000 per incident is NOT enough coverage- $1 million per occurrence/$2 million aggregate (total yearly cap) in general liability is the acceptable minimum in a contract. The cost of a single incident/lawsuit can easily be $250,000-$500,000- and that’s before court costs].

Do You Rrequire A Long-Term Ccontract Or Allow Month-To Month Service- And Can You Provide A Sample Service Agreement In Advance?

Green Light: “Our company usually offers a standard annual contract, but we can offer flexible terms, including month-to-month service, if that works better for you. I can give you our sample contract security service agreement, and go over some of its points- such as our scope of services, hours of coverage, uniform requirements, hourly/flat rates, late fees and so forth.”

Red Flag: “We offer just one type of contract- it’s annual, with limited company liability, which is standard. I don’t have a sample agreement to show you right now…”

[NOTE: You want a company that is responsive and flexible to your specific needs. Also you want to review their sample agreement, along with your lawyer. Look for cancellation rules, protocols for training, supervising, and licensing of guards. Watch for one-sided liability– (which is NOT standard)- revealed by wording such as “The company shall not be liable for any damages.” Search out hidden fees, as some contracts allow the provider to bill extra charges for overtime, holiday, or call-outs- without notice.]

Is There An Auto-Renewal Clause In The Contract?

Green Light: “We do have a clearly-stated auto-renewal clause- you can cancel within 30 days with written notice before your renewal date. We also send you emails about your upcoming renewal date.”

Red Flag:“There are cancellation fees if you miss the deadline to end our contract. We have a 90 days’ notice policy- if you don’t give us notice in time, you’ll have to pay the full remaining balance. And your contract is automatically locked in for another year.”

[NOTE: The wording to watch for in a contract for an auto-renewal (or evergreen) clause typically says “This agreement shall automatically renew for successive one-year terms unless either party gives written notice at least (xx) days prior to expiration of the current term…”]

What Kind Of Technology Do Your Guards Use On-Site?

Green Light: “Our guards use two guard tour tracking systems. We use GPS for real-time tracking, along with checkpoint barcodes for spot confirmation, so guards completely verify their scheduled patrols. You will get access to time-stamped reports or any alerts-with photos. Our guards also wear body cameras and use radios and messaging apps to keep in touch with each other and their supervisors. They are also trained to monitor and respond to your on-site live security camera surveillance systems.”

Red Flag: “We don’t have real-time reporting- we’ll send you a report at the end of every week with a summary of our guards’ patrols. Our company doesn’t really use much tech- we trust our guards to do their rounds- they are well-trained. And just so you know, we don’t work with a client’s surveillance systems. Our guards know how to use our systems, and we can set you up with much better surveillance equipment.”

[NOTE: Accountability tools make sure you are getting the protection/patrols for which you are paying. Security companies using outdated operations with paper reports also make it harder for you to review, or share information with insurance, internal teams or the police. Additionally being inflexible about using your existing surveillance equipment is a clue that they may push an upsell for you to buy theirs].

What Kind Of Reports Do You Provide, And How Do You Share Them?

Green Light: “Our guards and patrols use a mobile app for checking in and logging any incidents. You can see time stamped check-ins, incident summaries and even photos. We report in real-time, and can send you weekly or even daily reports by email, portal, or hard copy.”

Red Flag: “We don’t usually send reports to you unless something serious happens. Our other clients don’t want extra paperwork or weekly guard reports when nothing important happened.”

[NOTE: Regular reports are the chief way that clients stay informed, protected and legally covered in case of any issues. Reports are proof of the performance by guards- with real-time alerts, visitor interactions, or tracking. They also give operational insights about patterns, common incidents, or maintenance fixes- e.g. unsecured doors, loitering near loading docks. A security company refusing to provide consistent reports or faster communications may be hiding sloppy operations. Handwritten reports can easily be backdated, incorrectly filled out, or misplaced. They are also not as legally defensible as digital reports with timestamps, GPS and photos].

What Experience Do You Have With My Type Of Business?

Green Light: “My security company has [xx] years of experience working in medical facilities like yours. We understand patients, privacy laws, de-escalation of highly emotional situations, and how to assist with medical emergencies. Our guards have taken training classes in de-escalation by CPI Crisis Prevention Institute, access control classes from SIA (Security Industry Authority), and HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) awareness from HealthStream Exams. They are also all CPR/AED/First Aid certified.”

Red Flag: “Our company has been in business for [xx] years- our guards have a lot of experience, and we’ve served all types of companies. We have a very solid successful security plan that we always use.”

[NOTE: Vague answers that do not specifically mention experience, especially with your type of business, are a big red flag. A standard one-size-fits-all approach to their security plans is another, along with no mention of exact guard training that would apply to your type of business].

How Quickly Can You Respond If There Is An Eemergency At My Site?

Green Light: “We have clear emergency response protocols that we follow at our 24/7 central dispatch center. Our average response time to sites that are already staffed is under 10 minutes from when reported. An unstaffed site has a little longer response time- 15-30 minutes to get our mobile units there. We also coordinate with police or EMS when needed.”

Red flag: “We have several patrols a night in your area- I‘d have to check on how long it takes them to get there. We call the police for you when we need to do it too.”

[NOTE: A professional security company will give a response time range when a break-in or alarm trigger occurs. They may have a central dispatch, GPS-tracked patrol logs, or remote surveillance monitoring to keep track of your site. They should know exactly how many mobile units are in your zone to respond. Vague answers with no schedule or accountability, with no personnel monitoring alarms or cameras in real time are red flags].

Can You Give Me References From Your Current Or Past Clients?

Green Light: “Certainly, my company has references and reviews both from former and current clients. They will report that my personnel are reliable, on time, and well-trained for emergencies- all of them will say that they’d hire us again! Also, some of my guards with military background have personal references from their former commanding officers about their skills.”

Red Flag: “Our clients want to remain confidential, but we’ve worked with lots of businesses like yours. Besides, you really won’t need references when you see our great proposal- that’s the most important thing!”

[NOTE: References are the main way to verify claims and get a sense of how a company really performs. Additionally, a security company that only provides personal references is not a good sign of one with client business relationships. Note that even a brand-new start-up security company with no references yet can still be upfront about that lack. They can emphasize their team’s certification and training, offer a short trial contract, or emphasize their commitment to transparency by offering a site walkthrough].

Reviewing these key questions will help any business owner evaluate security vendors and prioritize their company’s safety. Whether you run a retail shop, office, medical facility, or industrial site, asking these critical questions ensures you know what to look for- and what to avoid. You’ll make a smart, confident decision about your security needs, so you can get back to running your business- instead of worrying about protecting it.

Stop searching for the right security provider- let The City Guards help you.
Visit The City Guards – a trusted resource in the security industry. Our platform offers a wide range of practical information, innovative solutions, and tools for clients, guards, and security companies in the industry.

Easily find top-rated security guard companies near you with our free Vendor Location Tool. Review credentials, compare offers, and hire with confidence. Use The City Guards FREE vendor location tool to choose that reliable security partner for your security needs.

DON’T WAIT- discover your trusted security provider today. Your best security partner is just a click away.