When looking for a company to provide your security solutions, there are many things to take into consideration. Price is, of course, important, but what else should you consider?
After doing your research you’ll probably be faced with a choice between a local security firm, or a larger, well-known national one. Before you make your decision it’s important to think about how the service levels you’ll receive compare. While it’s easy to plump for a nationally recognised name, a local company may well provide better value for money.
What are the top 5 advantages of local security companies?
1. Local Knowledge. When choosing a local company, you’re opting for a team with a vast knowledge of the locality they’re working in, and the individual issues associated with it. Knowledge of local crime rates and recent news stories related to crime in the area, as well as a familiarity of neighbouring businesses, mean they can respond to issues more quickly, and provide better solutions to your security needs. Local firms may also be better able to understand your individual needs, and offer advice based on their knowledge of other companies in the area. If you’re based in Suffolk why contract with a head office company based literally hours away?
2. In-depth Recruitment Process. Staff are more than a number. At Abbey Security, we recruit local staff with an in-depth knowledge of the area, meaning we’re able to guarantee our officers can provide you with a great service. As we’re committed to developing our officers, we’re also able to retain the best in the business, ensuring they’re trained to the highest standards and guaranteeing they’ve been through a vigorous screening process. A national security firm may not be able to offer this one-to-one knowledge and endorsement of their staff.
3. Fast response times. It may sound simple, but one of the biggest advantages with a local security company is that they are based in your local area. This means they can respond to incidents quickly. While national companies are based in big cities and sometimes employ sub-contractors to provide your local security, our team are based in the Bury St Edmunds, Newmarket and Cambridge area. By having this pool of people on hand, local firms like Abbey Security can also easily cover staff shortfalls and emergencies, a service a national company can struggle to offer.
4. Excellent customer service. Local companies provide a more personal service. While national providers have a team of telephone call handlers, Abbey Security always have the same point of contact for your business, manned by staff who are familiar with your business and any issues you may have faced in the past. There’s no waiting in a queue with us. We’re always on hand to respond to your queries promptly – a personal touch you won’t receive from a national company.
5. Timely repairs. While a larger national company may have to subcontract their equipment maintenance work, some local firms may be able to respond to service calls more promptly. Having local technicians on hand to fix security equipment breakdowns quickly reduces the downtime of essential security tools, and provides total peace of mind to the customer.
While a national security provider may have a bigger advertising budget and appear impressive on the surface, don’t be swayed purely by this. When deciding on your security provider, make sure you ask the most vital questions, such as how will they protect your business, and how their staff are chosen. Also, be sure to ask for testimonials from existing clients. Local companies should be willing to provide this information, and as their clients are in the same area as you, you might find their reviews are more relevant to you and your business.
Abbey Security are your local security company in Suffolk and Cambridgeshire
At Abbey Security, our primary goal is to have happy officers and satisfied customers. By recognising the hard work of our officers on a personal level, we know they’re more motivated to provide a higher level of service to our clients. Which is why we’re confident you’ll receive a good recommendation from all of our customers, every time.
To find out more about our security services in the Bury St Edmunds, Newmarket and Cambridge area, contact us on 01284 768832, or fill in our contact form.
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Posted on April 17, 2017