When you’re hosting a VIP event, or need a mobile patrol to look around your industrial estate, there are many options for who provides your security services. Which one do you choose? How do you know which security company is the best value for money, or the best at crowd control? What elements make one company better than the other?

Throughout this article, we’ll help lay out what factors come into play when determining what security company you should choose for your assignment. How much security do you need, for how long do you need them, what do you want secured? We'll walk you through all of these questions and more.

Be Specific With What You Want

Know exactly what you need from a security company. If you’re hosting an event, know exactly how many people are expected to attend, how long the event will run for, how big is the event space, and other concrete details like that. If you’re trying to find corporate security in Melbourne, consider how the event will run and other key details.

This allows you to compare like for like on the quote, you will get the basic information covered to begin your comparison.

Get a line by line quote from each company you’re enquiring with, not just a full total. You want the costs of labour, gear hire, insurance and so forth.

Verify all the inclusions in the quote. Does it include weekend or public holiday rates, night shift rates as well? Does it include maintenance of equipment or travel costs?

When you are given a total number, without the breakdown, you can’t see all the specific costs and tell which costs are unnecessary or bloated.

A well organised security company will see your laid out plan and know with certainty how many people would be needed, what equipment and the approximate cost of the whole operation. Bringing experience to the table helps understand these things and help you engage with a security company smoothly.

Check Licensing, Insurance and Compliance

You may get a cheap quote from a security company because they might not be fully insured. This poses a significant risk to you and your company if something drastic were to happen.

Ask for a valid state-specific security licence. A company may be licensed to provide event security in New South Wales, but they may not be licensed for Victorian events. It is the law that they must be licensed in each state.

Verify if the security company has adequate Public Liability Insurance. This is to protect you from financial loss due to claims involving crowd control or any other accidents that may occur during the operation. Are they fully insured to cover any possibilities that may arise during the job?

Ask for accreditations, industry certifications, membership to the Australian Security Industry Association and such. Do the security personnel have training and accreditation? This shows they understand more than just how to fill out a uniform.

Evaluate Quality and Training

Ask what training the security staff have. Minimum training requirements include a Certificate II in Security Operations which many TAFE institutions offer. The levels of training can increase from there, which is always a good sign.

Do the security guards have any first aid training? Complementary training to go with being a security guard shows a willingness to expand a skill set and be more competent on the job. First aid training, communication or even customer service training can deliver a more rounded security guard.

Do they have experience? Experience in the field of security but also in your field that you’re wanting protection in. If you’re in retail, does the company have retail experience, or do they specialise in events only?

What support and supervision do they provide? Leadership is a vital element when it comes to security. If an event crowd suddenly gets out of control how does the chain of command react and support their front line staff?

Technology and Reporting

What gear do the security guards come with? Body cams or simple radios, or do they have to use their own smart phones while on the job? How do they log incidents? What tools do they have for reporting on incidents, or how the event went? If you’re going to hire a company you want to see how well they did in both control and crisis management.

What technology do they use? Are they integrating GPS technology, CCTV technology, digital reporting methods? How do they track who is where and at what time? If a company cannot tell you where their staff are at any time you may not know what it is they are guarding.

Reputation and References

Finally, do some investigating. Look for Google reviews, testimonials on their website or Glassdoor reviews if you can. Can you get a feel for who they are and how they conduct themselves while on the job.

If you’re considering event security in Melbourne, don’t be afraid to ask for references. You want to feel safe and secure, you want to put your trust into these people, so it's perfectly reasonable to see how other clients feel about them. If a security company is hesitant about giving you the details of past clients, that could be a red flag.

The best value is what works for you, so have a conversation with the security company to understand what they offer and why it is set at that dollar mark You may find paying a higher price for a company with a five-star reputation is what you need, rather than one that will give you a percentage discount just to get the work.

Why Choose YPG Risk

We invite you to bring any quote to us, or any straight up questions about what you need in a security service. We are confident our training will provide you with top quality protection and security.

What are some of the benefits of working with YPG Risk?

• Proactive Approach We focus on preventing incidents more than reacting to problems. If you can foresee a situation then you are better prepared to minimise the danger and the fallout.
• Experience and Expertise We have over 22 years of experience with residential security and corporate security.
• Optimised Mobile Patrols We have real-time monitoring for all our mobile patrols and we plan optimised patrol routes to give you efficient coverage of your area of concern.
• Solutions Tailored to You We work with you to provide the best security solutions that mesh with you, your workforce, and your timelines. We are not a one-size-fits-all company. We provide the best security that you need.
• Trusted Professionals Our team is made up of seasoned professionals who are great leaders and understand the protocols around solid security and risk management.
• Latest technology Our team uses Axon body cameras, Rapid radio systems and Safariland body armour to communicate effectively and to be able to protect thoroughly.

We are open and transparent with our quotes and our prices. If you are curious about items included in a quote we can discuss them with you face to face or over the phone. We’re not going to shortchange you or try to overcharge you for profit. YPG Risk has a solid reputation in the industry and we would not do anything to risk that.

Give our team a call today on 1300 YPG RISK (1300 974 7475) and let's have a conversation about how we can protect you and make you feel safe.