The Corporate View of Security Officers

[Mr. Security]

Many of us work as corporate security officers. We are generally treated as other service providers such as maintenance, cleaning, etc. Many executives view us as poorly educated employees who work in security simply because we are not qualified for positions that require marketable job skills.

The result is a refusal to respect our profession and this attitude is often manifest when our duties require us to interact with them. Most of the time, it doesn't get me down. At other times, it can be discouraging. Have you experienced this? How do you deal with it?

[ycaso77]

One big problem for management in regards to security is the inability to measure its worth to an organization. You can't show the typical bean counter how much a professional security force saves a corporation. You can't put a price on accidents that didn't happen, fires that didn't start, crimes that didn't occur, etc , if an officer wasn't present to prevent them. We used to give every report like this a conservative "what if" dollar amount, and hand it over to higher ups everytime they questioned our department.
As to professional courtesy, I'll treat everyone the same no matter how much a jerk you are. I'll do my job to the best of my ability in a professional manner. You shouldn't feel the need to prove yourself to anyone, as long as you have proven to yourself that you area professional. Attempting to argue with one of these people is a waste of time and effort better spent on getting to the donuts before the field guys do!

[Tennsix]

Yeah... The chocolate yeast doughnuts go fast.

[Tennsix]

Many of us work as corporate security officers. We are generally treated as other service providers such as maintenance, cleaning, etc. Many executives view us as poorly educated employees who work in security simply because we are not qualified for positions that require marketable job skills.

The result is a refusal to respect our profession and this attitude is often manifest when our duties require us to interact with them. Most of the time, it doesn't get me down. At other times, it can be discouraging. Have you experienced this? How do you deal with it?

I have experienced that problem too. But guess who they call when there is a problem...

I know of a guy that quit the PD because his new father-in-law considered the job to be beneath the family's name.

[ff000525]

Many of us work as corporate security officers. We are generally treated as other service providers such as maintenance, cleaning, etc. Many executives view us as poorly educated employees who work in security simply because we are not qualified for positions that require marketable job skills.

The result is a refusal to respect our profession and this attitude is often manifest when our duties require us to interact with them. Most of the time, it doesn't get me down. At other times, it can be discouraging. Have you experienced this? How do you deal with it?

I won't complain about my companies' "value added services" but I can tell you that I've done things in the 3 months that I've been working there that I was not even expected to do as an E-1 in the military. I can handle picking up trash, plunging a toilet if needed and I"m pretty good with a mop (that was leaded very quickly in basic training), but the worst is when someone comes in and complains about the company car we "gave" them. We(security) has the task of scheduling company car reservations. I routinely get calls like, "I don't want a mini-van", "those Jeeps are soooo uncomfortable" "I won't drive that 300m, its ugly inside" and other crap. I just tell them I'll do my best to change thier reservation, use the sir's and ma'am's, and smile. Then I try to remember their name and not give them the same car next time. I also like to buy a 6 pack of beer with my measly paycheck every two weeks and try to forget about them on my nights off

[HotelSecurity]

One big problem for management in regards to security is the inability to measure its worth to an organization. You can't show the typical bean counter how much a professional security force saves a corporation. You can't put a price on accidents that didn't happen, fires that didn't start, crimes that didn't occur, etc , if an officer wasn't present to prevent them.

This is a big problem in hotels. I don't know about elsewhere but a lot of Montreal hotels have cut their day shift security. They survive. MOST of the calls can be handled by Maintenance, Bellboys, Managers etc. Our response has been to make ourselves irreplacable. For example I am in complete charge of the electronic locks from programming them to repairing them. Taking over the Lost & Found from Housekeeping a few years ago has helped.

[N. A. Corbier]

That's a big thing. The client's "security director" is usually either a maintenance person, facilities engineer, or "safety officer," which means they hold a regular job in addition to their security administration duties.

They hire a guard service, and figure that so long as the chain of command isn't screaming, everything is fine. They justify the expenditure, but never try to sell it as a resource. Or, if they do sell it as a resource, you end up with "concierge services," like getting cars booked and the whatnot.

The first step, of course, is to get accounting to recongize that there is a valuable service being provided by facilities engineering, not just a required money hole labeled as "contract guard services."

Unfortunately, that is outside the provience of contract security in most cases.

[Mr. Security]

One big problem for management in regards to security is the inability to measure its worth to an organization. You can't show the typical bean counter how much a professional security force saves a corporation. You can't put a price on accidents that didn't happen, fires that didn't start, crimes that didn't occur, etc , if an officer wasn't present to prevent them.....

Excellent point!

[astorms]

I can officially speak from both sides. I worked in several capacities in the security industry for the past 8 years. Now, finally, i am in the corporate world. Not as a guard (i'm not saying being a guard is a bad thing, i did it for a long time) but i am now the Physical Security Consultant for western Canada for one of the largest financial and insurance companies in Canada. We use contract officers for all of our building sites, and it is key for those who are responsible on the corporate side, to represent their contract guards.

We have a very complex access control/cctv system that the guards must respond to and interact with. Without the guards, the building is TOTALLY at risk. Thankfully, my comapny sees the guards as an asset, as do I. There is no time for me to respond to alarms, assistance calls and all the other duties. If it weren't for the guards, i'd fail at my job. Afterall, if there isn't anyone to enforce what i now implement, what's the point of corporate security. Another issues is that security is an expenditure. No revenue is generated by security. Our budgets are usually spent before they are given out. Therefore, we must provide value-added service (to a point), and in addition, prove that we are a valuable service. It is inevitable, that when ANYHTING goes wrong, security is contacted. We know the ins and outs and the ways around everything.

I have said it before, prevention is key in security. If you think big picture, if you prevent an assault from happening, you are reducing insurance premiums, litigation costs, lawsuit $$$'s, customer/client non-confidence, etc. You are saving the company money. Whereas if you react, instead of prevent, you still are only costing money.

It all starts with a good security security manager who fights for his/her guards, who can follow-through with plans to provide greater security (sometimes at a lower cost) but not to put ethics or integrity at risk. It took me 8 years of working, gaining experience, learning from my mistakes and those of others, and formal education to get where I am. I am proud of myself, and of our industry.

[Mr. Security]

.... Another issues is that security is an expenditure. No revenue is generated by security. Our budgets are usually spent before they are given out. Therefore, we must provide value-added service (to a point), and in addition, prove that we are a valuable service....

Cleaning and other service provider contractors do not generate any revenue either. Both are a necessity. However, you don't have cleaning people doing security and you shouldn't have security doing cleaning. You qualified your reply regarding value added services by saying (to a point). The problem is that security companies are so desperate to get or keep accounts that they agree to do tasks that really do not fall within the realm of security.

I found it amusing to see some of the value-added services that one security company offers its residential customers:

Water plants
Pick up and forward mail
In-house pet care
Start stored vehicles
Accept scheduled deliveries
Additional services

I think they forgot to add: Take out the trash.