Protecting Your Lowcountry Business 101: Choosing The Right Security System Partner

Running a business can truly be all-consuming. We live it and sleep it.

Sometimes, it can cause nightmares with so much to take care of.

One thing that can fall through the cracks while we’re focused on our employees, customers, and building our brand is security.

Many business owners think locked doors are enough, but in many cases they aren’t.

Finding a Security Partner

Oftentimes, we take our security for granted and don’t think about it until after something happens. By then, it’s too late. So, how do you choose a business security company?

Your security partner must have industry expertise and the ability to scale security solutions to your needs.

Security systems, in many cases, are not a one-size-fits-all solution. Are they able to adapt if you were to add square footage or open a new location?

While those are important to consider, the five key factors in hiring a security partner are listed below:

• Ask for licensing and insurance information
• Look for local experience and expertise
• Ask other local business owners who they use
• Ask other businesses in your industry
• Look for excellent communication and service

Ask for Licensing and Insurance Information

Whether you’re a small business that needs security or a large business, a licensed and insured security partner is not only important but necessary. In many locations, it’s legally required. If the company you’re considering doesn’t have insurance coverage or the proper licenses, you should likely avoid them.

To get insurance coverage, the company has had to demonstrate the ability to follow regulations and operate in accordance with local laws.

Why is insurance important? If your business incurs damage due to improper installation of the security system and the security company has no insurance, they will be unable to pay for the damage. This leaves you on the hook to repair or replace the damaged items.

Protect yourself and hire a company with both insurance and the proper license. This shows that the company is invested in the industry and aware of relevant regulations and standards.

Look for Local Experience and Expertise

Make sure to hire a company with a wealth of experience. They will be able to identify possible security issues and offer an effective solution to address them. An experienced company will know the unique challenges your industry faces.

Experienced companies will also be knowledgeable about the latest technology and provide a comprehensive approach to securing your location. Check to see that they have a history of successfully implementing security strategies in businesses like yours.

If they know the industry, they can have more insights to suggest and cater to your specific industry needs.

Ask Other Local Business Owners Who They Use

While it might seem obvious to ask businesses around you who they use for their security system, we sometimes have blinders on when managing our business and overlook the obvious.

Other local business owners might have insight into which security companies to avoid and which ones to seek out.

In some instances, security companies can offer discounts when multiple businesses in the same area use their company. It will save you a lot of time vetting a security partner if businesses around you can help whittle down your list.

Ask Other Businesses in Your Industry

It’s also important to find businesses like yours to ask about security partnerships. There might be industry-specific security concerns they can help address. Their experience could save you a lot of headaches if you hire the wrong security partner.

Word of mouth is a powerful tool. Seek out the information and collaborate with other businesses. Find out who did a great job and who didn’t. Hire the companies willing to go the extra yard and avoid the ones who didn’t.

Look for Great Communication and Service

It’s always important to look at online reviews. Look for companies with excellent communication and service ratings. You can use customer rating sites like Google Search, Yelp, Facebook, and BBB to avoid companies with low ratings. Even if they have the best rates, you will likely be disappointed in their work.

While positive reviews and five-star ratings are essential, so is how they handle poor ratings and negative reviews. Do they ignore them or do their best to address them and make things right with the customer?

Consider if you have an issue with your security system and contact the company only to have them not respond promptly. Waiting days for them to respond is not acceptable.

Also, they should be available to answer any questions about the security system. Do they provide their technical support, or is it outsourced? Is their support offered around the clock, or does it have limited hours? These are important questions to address when selecting a security partner.

Other Considerations

There are other things to think about when hiring a security partner. You are opening your business up to them and allowing them unparalleled access to your site both during and after the installation. They need to exude integrity and trustworthiness.

They must adapt to your changing security needs as you expand or downsize. Your security partner needs to scale their solutions quickly and easily.

Whether you need a security system upgrade or a new business security system installation, we’ll be happy to be your security system partner in 2025 and beyond.