Are you considering an armed security guard for your corporate office?
There’s a growing need for such services, and more businesses and even hospitals are using armed guards to protect their employees, vendors, and patients.
How do you know if an armed guard service is right for your business?
Keep reading to learn about the advantages of hiring one and the top signs to tell if it’s time for your corporation to have one.
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Advantages of an Armed Security Guard
An armed security guard can bring a lot to your business. Your employees can feel safer, and they serve as a deterrent to crime around the business property.
If you’re concerned about the potential of any incidents by having an armed guard, know that guards have to undergo extensive training.
They need to be trained for the proper use of their weapon and they need to pass a background check to be able to carry a weapon.
10 Signs Your Business Needs an Armed Security Guard
Now that you have a better understanding as to what an armed guard can do for your business and employees, how do you know if you need one?
These are the top signs it’s time for your business to hire an armed security service.
1. Issues with the Security Access Control System
As the first wave of defense, businesses tend to install a security access control system. These systems provide different levels of security, and they’re still prone to vulnerabilities.
For example, a hacker can break into your access information and take employee PINs. That means that it’s up to your employees to change and remember their passwords, which can pose many problems for employees.
These systems are also among the most expensive systems to install and maintain.
2. Slower Emergency Responses in Your Area
Unfortunately, many cities and municipalities have had to cut police and firefighter budgets. These cuts have resulted in slower emergency response time from EMS and police.
An armed security guard is trained to respond to emergency situations, whether the situation required first aid or a criminal needs to be subdued. In some situations, you can’t afford to wait.
3. Robberies Leave Your Firm with Additional Liabilities
An emergency situation, theft, or robbery can leave your business exposed to liability claims from customers, vendors, and employees.
Since an armed guard is a deterrent to such situations, you reduce your liability risk.
Your company could also be liable for any actions your employees take. For example, if an employee steals sensitive customer data and uses it for ID theft, you could be held liable.
Your corporation could also be held liable for the theft of employees’ personal property.
An armed guard sends the message you’re serious about the safety of your employees and your customer’s information.
4. Help for Emergency Situations
Do you or your employees know what to do in emergency situations? There are four stages of emergency preparedness according to FEMA: mitigate, prepare, response and recovery.
An armed guard can help mitigate criminal situations. The security firm you hire can assist with preparation, helping your company have an emergency response plan.
The guard that’s onsite can be a facilitator should the need arise to respond to and recover from an emergency situation.
5. Protect Sensitive Information
When it comes to sensitive information, you can’t only worry about hackers. You have to be concerned with employees, vendors, and visitors having access to sensitive information.
Your customers and your business model may depend on it. The last thing you want to have happen is to have your intellectual property wind up in the hands of a competitor.
You can train employees on how to handle sensitive customer data, but you can also have an armed security guard deter the misuse of data.
6. Employees Tend to Work Late
There’s nothing an employer loves more than having dedicated employees. For many employees, that dedication can often mean late nights at the office.
Since up to 80% of crimes businesses experience happen in parking lots, an armed guard can keep your employees safe and even escort them to their cars.
7. You Need to Control Employee Theft
On average, companies lose 7% of revenues to employee theft. Having an armed guard at your organization can deter employees from stealing from your company. This way, your physical property and intellectual property are protected.
For retail organizations, this is important as employee theft accounts for 30% of retail shrink.
8. Criminal Behavior in Parking Lots
Parking lots can serve as a hotbed of criminal activity. Unfortunately, vandalism and crime can occur in broad daylight when your employees are hard at work.
They can also happen when the parking lot is seemingly empty.
An armed security guard can regularly patrol the parking lot, providing protection and deterring criminals.
9. Neighborhood has Experienced More Crime
Has your neighborhood seen an increase in criminal behavior? If statistics in your neighborhood indicate that there’s been an increase in violent crime or vandalism, it may be time to invest in an armed security service.
The armed guard can protect your property and the property of your employees.
10. No Oversight Over Visitors
Does your company have visitors enter and exit the building whenever they please?
There’s nothing wrong with having visitors, but if you have no oversight over those visitors, how do you know what’s really happening at your company?
Having an armed guard at the entrance can help you know who is entering and leaving your building. It can also protect your company from theft.
How to Hire an Armed Security Guard
When hiring an armed security guard, you want to make sure you hire someone that’s not a security monitor.
You also want to use a security service that does extensive background checks on their employees.
Even though security companies do put their armed guards through background checks and training, the internal standards vary between companies.
You’re going to want to choose a company with exceptional training standards and hiring practices.
OPS Security Group has over 80 years of combined experience serving corporations, events, estates and many other situations.
Contact us today to learn how we can provide professional and highly trained guards at your corporation.
