How to Choose a Retail Security Provider: 10 Questions to Ask

Choosing a security provider is one of the more important vendor decisions a retailer makes. The officers you hire stand at your front door, interact with your clients and act on your behalf when something goes wrong. Price matters, but it should not be the only factor.

These ten questions will help you compare providers and avoid the most common problems.

1. Are you licensed in every state where we have stores?

Security licensing is handled state by state, and in some places by county or city. Ask for license numbers for each state and verify them with the licensing agency. A provider that is not licensed where you operate exposes your business to regulatory and liability risk.

2. What insurance do you carry?

Ask for a certificate of insurance showing general liability, workers’ compensation and, if officers are armed, coverage that applies to armed services. Confirm the limits meet your lease and corporate requirements and ask to be named as an additional insured.

3. How do you screen officers?

Screening should include a background check consistent with state law, employment verification and drug testing where permitted. Ask how often checks are refreshed and what disqualifies a candidate.

4. What training do officers receive beyond the state minimum?

State-required training is a starting point. Retail officers should also be trained in customer service, de-escalation, observation and reporting, and your own store policies. Ask to see the training outline.

5. Who supervises the officers, and how often?

A supervisor who visits in person, checks posts and knows your store is one of the clearest signs of a well-run provider. Ask how often supervisors visit, how they document visits and who you call at 2 a.m.

6. What is your officer turnover?

High turnover means new faces, weaker relationships with staff and gaps in knowledge about your store. Ask how the provider keeps officers in place and how it handles a dedicated officer who calls out.

7. How do you handle incident reporting?

Ask to see a sample incident report. Good reports are factual, timely and detailed enough to support police reports, insurance claims and civil recovery. Find out how quickly you receive reports and in what format.

8. Can you scale up for the holidays and events?

Retail security needs change through the year. Ask how much notice the provider needs for additional officers, how temporary officers are briefed and whether they meet the same standards as your regular team.

9. Do you follow our apprehension and use-of-force policies?

Your brand should decide whether officers observe and report or are permitted to detain. A good provider will train to your policy and document that training. Be cautious of any provider that pushes its own approach over yours.

10. Who are your references?

Ask for references from retailers similar to yours in size, price point and location. Ask those references about responsiveness, officer quality and how problems were resolved.

Making the Decision

The lowest bid can become the most expensive choice if it leads to turnover, missed shifts or poorly handled incidents. Compare providers on licensing, insurance, supervision and officer quality first, then on price.

McCray Global Protection has provided retail security since 2013 and is licensed in more than 20 states. To discuss your stores, call 833-832-6647 or contact us online.