As the UK begins its recovery out of the lockdown, businesses in all segments of the economy have started to open and life has steadily begun to go back to normality. In such circumstances, crime too, has followed suit.
A report by London School of Economics Centre of Economic Performance (CEP) stated that violent crime and drug offences were on the rise and that too higher than pre-pandemic levels. In these circumstances, law enforcement entities work off data and focus on areas which have higher crime statistics, leaving other areas vulnerable to the threat of future criminal activity.
This would have various consequences for businesses in retail, hospitality, construction, and corporate sectors. Resultantly, businesses would need to hire private security guard services to mitigate the risk of being affected by theft and secure their premises on their own.
Security guards act in the capacity of providing both, proactive and reactive measures. For this reason, it is important that businesses are aware of the importance of employing such a crucial tool for the safety of their business and customers.
Today the threat faced by businesses varies from sector to sector and we can breakdown how various sectors are affected
Retail Security
Retail stores have been the target of shoplifting and theft since before the pandemic. Due to the vast scale of products and the constant footfall of customers, it is very difficult to gauge when a crime is being committed.
As a result, retail stores have relied on many different methods of securing their space, from using extensive CCTV equipment, access control RFID scanners and security guards. However, since the lockdown restrictions have been lifted, people are still encouraged to practice social distancing and wearing masks indoors. This has led to the evolution in threats faced by a retail business where security measures transcend protecting against criminal activity and encompass safeguarding employees and customers from individuals who refuse to follow COVID protocols.
In such situations electronic security is of little use and businesses require manned security guards to resolve any unorderly emergency as they are trained to approach the threat physically and diffuse the situation. Additionally, due to their versatility, the security guards can also take up added responsibility to instruct customers and assist the employees in basic tasks, adding to their usefulness to the business.
Thus, manned guards form the crux of the overarching security apparatus used in the retail environment.
Hospitality Security
The hospitality industry was one of the worst hit by the COVID lockdown and consumer spending remained less than 70% of the pre-pandemic levels as revealed by the Office of National Statistics.
However, with the lifting of restrictions and the returning of guests, an added concern is that of theft, unwanted visitors, and emergency situations. Although electronic measures are a good at keeping a lookout for threats, manned security guards are necessary to take action to counter them using their trained skillset and prevent criminals from operating on the premises.
They can be deployed at entry pints to deter unwanted visitors from accessing the location. Furthermore, security guards are trained to act in emergency situations such as if a fire breaks out or if someone requires first-aid. They can mitigate the risk by taking responsibility of the safety of the staff and guests at the time of crisis.
In some situations, hotel security could be required to deal with disorderly guests who vandalise the hotel property and could be a nuisance to other guests or potential customers. In these circumstances, security guards could be used to maintain order and resolve the situation.
In addition to manned security guards, K9 security dogs could also be deployed at hospitality properties to act as a strong deterrent from potential threats. A combination of manned security guards and K9 security dogs adds value to not only the security environment but it also projects a positive image for the business as it is perceived to be a secure place for guests.
Construction Security
Even before the pandemic hit, theft and vandalism had been a serious issue for the construction industry, costing them millions of pounds in financial damages every year. Theft of building materials, vandalism of property and trespassing on construction sites are the biggest issues faced by the industry even today.
According to the current circumstances, manned security guards can prove to be the solution needed when used at construction sites, especially as work picks up again after the ending of the lockdown.
Along with being a visual deterrent to crime, they provide construction site security from vandalism and trespassers who may end up causing damage to the constructions site or hurting the workers. By applying their training, security guards can also protect key entry and exit points to prevent the theft of equipment from internal or external sources.
Additionally, manned guards can be used along with K9 dog security and mobile patrols to secure the outer and internal perimeter round the clock. This is because K9 security is a useful deterrent for trespassers and mobile security patrols identify and prevent threats from outside the site.
Corporate Security
COVID lockdowns resulted in the closure of all office spaces and pushed workers to work from home. As workspaces fill up once again, the need to protect the office space and the workers within it has been paramount.
Due to the nature of the corporate security, manned security guards are a crucial tool to be used and they provide a wide range of advantages to protect the workers and play a role in administrative duties as well. Security guards can be used to monitor the CCTV feed, allowing them to cover even remote parts of the building and they can use it to gather information to respond to a threat. Since many corporate office spaces are large, the security guards can be deployed at entry and exit points to monitor all activity and deterring any unwelcomed guests from entering the premises.
An important role that manned security guards play, which is often overlooked, is their contribution to certain administrative duties such as checking in all individuals entering the building. Not only does this reduce the cost of hiring additional staff, but it also allows the security guards to vet individuals and keeps themselves aware of any suspicious activity which may result in causing harm to the occupants or damage to the property.
At G3 Security, our highly trained security guards, K9 response units and mobile patrolling services provide a dynamic security cover to safeguard your retail, hospitality, construction, and corporate office locations.
To learn more about our services please contact us via the information below
T: 02032880000 / 02032880011
E: info@g3security.co.uk
www.g3security.co.uk
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