Hiring a competent and professional security consultant can guarantee the safety of your employees, buildings, and projects. A qualified security consultant knows what to look for when identifying security challenges, and implements the necessary mitigation strategies to protect your facility and employees going forward.
7 Things to Look for When Hiring a Security Consultant
When hiring a security consultant for your facility, there are a few qualities that you should look for, including:
Insurance
Your security consultant needs to properly satisfy certain requirements for your insurance company to insure your facility for any potential harm or loss that may occur. Vehicles, buildings, and the physical wellbeing of the employees are the standard priorities that need to be covered.
However, you typically have the freedom to customize your insurance plan to meet your specific security needs. Top security consultants are flexible enough to meet the needs of their clients.
Your security advisor should be able to provide proof of their own insurance before you execute a contract with them. A fully insured security consultant has professional insurance liability.
Costs
One of the first questions that comes up with security consultants is the cost of the services. The advice of a security consultant is essential for any facility, and you need to know the costs of hiring a security consultant. Their service fees could range, depending on a variety of factors.
Cheaper security consultants are typically hobbyists trying to make extra income, while more expensive security consultants will have more clear and understandable pricing structures that reflect their professional operation.
Detailed and comprehensive security consultancy will typically carry a high cost. Therefore, it is up to you to choose the pricing structure that will sufficiently address your security consultancy needs.
Licensing
You can avoid trouble with your local authorities when you hire a licensed security consultant that is properly licensed. However, in some jurisdictions, it is not a must for a security advisor to be approved by local governments.
Additionally, being properly certified is not enough to prove that a security consultant has all the other features discussed in this article.
Certifications and Experience
Security professionals with CPP, PSP, or PCI certification bring with them a certain level of credibility. Similarly, security consultants with a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate in a relevant field study can make great candidates.
This doesn’t mean that security consultants that are highly skilled but do not possess the necessary certifications should be ignored. Such consultants can have more expansive knowledge and expertise in security consultancy than persons that only possess academic and professional certificates.
Independence
Many independent security consultants are members of the International Association of Professional Security Consultants (IAPSC). IAPSC ensures that security consultants adhere to the highest level of security professionalism and ethics.
Reputation
A thorough examination of the reputation of the security consultant that you prefer should be enough to get you a reliable and trusted consultancy.
The success rate of valid lawsuits against the security consultant gives a reflection of their past work. These security consultants can be judged from that perspective, as it provides a rough estimate of their average level of performance.
Field Work Time
It would be best if you chose a security consultant that frequently visits your site. Some of the best security assessment reports are more accurate when they are written on the site.
Frequent site visit by your physical security consultant guarantees timely response to any eventualities in your facility. Additionally, a qualified security consultant will help you see the complete picture of all the risks that your facility faces.