The cultural deficit on the part of mexican business in terms of security issues has generated vices that the same industry in its eagerness for survival, has been responsible for feeding. That is why it is not uncommon to opt for "economic" services, when the value of what you want to protect, should be the measure to invest in it.
* David Chong
Security services, like any activity in modern life, have a cost that often becomes controversial in projections.
The cultural deficit on the part of mexican business in terms of security issues has generated vices that the same industry in its eagerness for survival, has been responsible for feeding. That is why it is not uncommon to opt for "economic" services, when the value of what you want to protect, should be the measure to invest in it.
* David Chong
Security services, like any activity in modern life, have a cost that often becomes controversial in financial projections within a company. This situation should not surprise anyone - especially in a context of insecurity and violence such as the one we are currently experiencing; however, this "strategic component" is regularly considered a "useless expense" that does not contribute to productivity, and that is sometimes only done because the authority forces companies to ensure the nature of their activity.
Thus, the concern shown more regularly by businessmen translates into the reduction of the amounts allocated to these services, while they dedicate themselves to covering what is strictly necessary to comply with the requirements of the law (or less if possible); situation that could lead to a serious error, since if there is an attack on the company against its assets or people, the repercussions on competitiveness can be so serious, that they even cause the closure of the company.
And it is that what is not clearly understood by many decision makers, is that the contribution of security in all its modalities, goes beyond the mere protection of people and property, since thanks to its mission to prevent any event that disturbs the processes of the company, it is possible for the investment, usually materialized in production goods, it can continue to generate income and therefore financial profitability.
In this sense, safety measures and forecasts must be taken care of foreseeing possible risks, and preventing them from occurring, for example, accidents that damage materials or equipment and interrupt production processes, or that cause injuries to personnel, even fatal, which not only interrupt the processes, but can cause the closure of the facilities.
Therefore, although security services do not constitute an investment in the strict sense, as the companies that provide these services propagate in defense of their legitimate business interests, they do not represent a "useless" expense, since they constitute a resource of "protection" to the investment of the company, whose contribution to productivity consists precisely in contributing to the maintenance of business continuity.
Under this perspective, the hiring of security services, like any other budgetary exercise, faces the decision of how much to spend and in what way. And this is precisely where, under a premise of "doing more with less", that tempting mirage of "the cheapest" instead of "the most appropriate" arises, if you are not clear about what you want or what you really need.
WHAT SHOULD YOU LOOK FOR IN A SECURITY SERVICE?
In principle, a security service must first and foremost be effective in its task of protecting people and property, as well as preserving the continuity of the operation of the user's business. It must also be reliable in its performance, which is understood as a rigorous compliance with the commitments of protection, and confidentiality in the handling of information about the user of the services.
For its part, at the level of the business relationship, it is essential that the provider of the services provides some form of guarantee that it will comply with the commitments assumed. Guarantee that is obtained with reasonable solidity and certainty when the supplier constitutes an organization established in accordance with the applicable regulations in force, both in the commercial field and in the particular field of the security business.
Additionally and in a complementary way in this same plane of business relationship, it is convenient that the provider of the services operates with an organizational structure of corporate cut and preferably with a business philosophy of quality based on competitiveness and best business practices, which does not depend on discretionary decisions, but is governed by standardized rules and procedures.
In this context, it is highly desirable that the security service provider has a labour policy that reasonably meets the needs and aspirations of its staff, so that the operational elements concentrate their attention and interest on their operational performance and do not happen to be constantly distracted due to personal problems, or worse, are vulnerable to corrupt practices or something similar.
This aspect is crucial for the purposes of effectiveness and reliability in the service, since human resources are the ultimate determining factor for such purposes, according to the premise that states that "with good personnel, even the worst of systems can work, but with bad personnel, even the best of systems can fail".
Also, because the most relevant impact of any reduction in the costs of these services is the impact on the remuneration of the staff, since it implies that the prospects of satisfying their needs and aspirations are reduced, in such a way that the possibility is opened to the adverse effects that hit the effectiveness and reliability of the service: distraction and vulnerability to corruption.
HOW TO HIRE A SECURITY SERVICE?
To achieve acceptable levels of effectiveness and reliability in a security service, it is advisable to look for options with an operational and cost magnitude comparable to the profile of needs. And the specification of this profile of needs, in particular in the aspect of the cost that is willing to assume, is established from a couple of questions: How much is what I want to protect worth? How much does it cost to protect it?
The answer to the first question establishes the importance of what you want to protect, not so much in terms of its patrimonial value but of its contribution to the user's business processes, and to some extent projects the magnitude for the answer to the second question, which in turn establishes a projection of reasonable and convenient spending amounts. Which corresponds to a sign that "according to the toad, it is the stone".
Based on these parameters, it will be possible to configure a frame of reference that allows evaluating the alternative offers of security service providers, and selecting the one that best meets the needs and expectations of effectiveness and reliability. Remembering that nothing is free, since as the popular counselor says "whoever wants azure blue, let it cost him".
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