If you’re in an industry that requires enhanced security measures, hiring an armed guard is a common first solution. However, there are often hidden costs that are overlooked, and these can add up very quickly with potentially disastrous results. To fight against the status quo, we first must understand its shortcomings.
What to Expect When You Hire a Guard to Protect Your Building
Clear Cost:
The process of choosing an armed guard isn’t easy. Do you hire and train your own personnel? More often than not, the guard is brought on by a third-party company.
- Hiring. Even if you hire from a service, you’ll still need to determine who is the best fit for your company and your individual needs. This process is expensive, time-consuming, and catastrophic if the wrong decision is made.
- Wage/Benefits. If you hire an employee, they’ll require a salary and benefits plan that you pay into. Average wages for an armed guard vary not only by state, but level of experience. An additional cost comes in hours of security needed. 1 guard might be enough if you only want protection 40 hours a week. However, supplemental help (and funds) will be needed for nights, weekends, vacations, sick days, etc.
- Training. You may not have to teach them how to use a firearm, but you will need to train them on the layout, schedule, and other pertinent details of your building. This cost would likely be reoccurring, considering the nationally high turnover rate for security guards.
Hidden Costs:
- Loss of Life. The worst outcome of any threat is death. While an armed guard is there to protect staff, clients, and assets, the only thing more dangerous than a gun is two guns. The potential of stray bullets and accidents are much higher with each additional firearm. By giving an employee a gun, you are permitting them to take a life on the premises. The safest answer is to prevent any weapons from entering the facility.
- Lawsuits. If your guard fires their gun on the premises, the potential for lawsuits is high. This could come from anywhere including customers, bystanders, and staff.
- Damage. Firing a gun indoors can cause a lot of physical damage that will need to be repaired at the cost of the business.
- Staff Replacement. It is not uncommon for people faced with traumatic events to quit and seek safer employment. If enough leave this could result in shorter hours of operation if not completely shut down while new staff is hired and trained.
- Staff Requirement. Employees that choose to stay will need accommodations. This could be time off to recover, continued therapy, and better security measures. These should be offered immediately following
- Shut-down. If there is physical damage to the building that needs to be repaired, police investigations, staff walk-outs, or any other potential fallouts, the location may need to be shut down. It could mean weeks where staff must be paid, rent will be due, and no income will be gained.
- Loss of Customers. If a location is shown to lack security measures, then clients will feel unsafe and chose to do their business elsewhere.
- PR. The bad press that revolves around a robbery can take years to recover from. People have long memories and armed attacks or lost lives will not be forgotten. This can drive away potential future customers and deals and will overshadow progress.
- Risk of Repeat. Once a location has proven to be vulnerable to attack, there is a chance it will be targeted again. This means the costs listed above have a chance of continually mounting.
Buildings Are Better with ISOTEC
With the help of modern technology, however, there are alternative options that can provide advanced security without the downsides of hiring an armed guard.
ISOTEC’s Mantrap interlocking access control systems can eliminate the need for armed guards in your business. They are designed to prevent piggybacking and create a secure environment where only authorized personnel can gain access. If you’d like to learn more about our Mantrap systems, call us or contact our team today for pricing and leasing information.
