By
in
What makes for best security services – security technology, or security personnel? Chances are it’s a combination. Likewise, the more robust the machinery, and the more astute the guards, the more secure you’ll be.
But still. No matter the level of security machinery, technology is only as good as its operator. Whoever is behind the video cameras must be alert to any suspicious changes. True, higher level technology can identify something more potentially alarming, but it is the security services people who ultimately determine any actual threats.
Regarding security personnel, whoever is standing on guard must be alert to human behavior, down to the very nuance, poised to pounce on any security problem. Simply speaking, good security relies on the human element: The sharp eye, the intuitive face-read, the discerning first impression. There’s a difference between highly-trained, professional security personnel and “filler” guards.
To visualize the difference, take these two scenarios:
Scenario #1: Pretend you’re walking into an airport, a hotel, an apartment building, a school, or a shopping mall. Immediately upon entry, the security services guard strikes you: A staunch, stern-faced, upright-postured, crisply uniformed presence. He carries a CB radio attached to his belt, and holsters an earpiece onto his upper ear rim. His hands are free, clasped confidently while awaiting incomers. He looks everyone in the eye, and, multitasking, oscillates those eye-to-eye glances with thorough scopes at the security TV screen on his reception desk. He knew you were coming before you even saw him, and he tracks all those lurking behind him.
Scenario #2: Again, pretend you’re walking into that same airport, hotel, apartment building, school, or shopping mall. This time, you see an unkempt (even if uniformed) person, sitting slouched, SMS’ing on his smartphone or surfing the web – you can’t tell. What you can tell is that your entry into the building feels like an afterthought to him, a mere disturbance in this guard’s desire to earn minimum wage while multitasking with something off the job. The security screen is something he looks at when he has temporarily exhausted his web browsing interests. You’re not sure if he even looked at you.
Given that you cannot rely on technology alone, the question remains: Which level of human competence do you wish for managing your security services? In addition, take note that the above scenarios only involved one security person, whereas your needs might entail an entire team of the utmost adroit security personnel. Therefore, when hiring security services, consider the level of training, professionalism, and shrewd use of know-how. The effect not only influences security levels, but in tandem, your security services represent who you are, and whether you care.
