What is worth clarifying before requesting a quote

The cost is driven primarily by the service hours and the headcount required, but the accessibility of the site, day or night working, the complexity of the task, the equipment needed, cover for absences, supervision and documentation all matter too.

Two identical hourly rates can conceal very different service content. One quote may include on-site induction, cover for absences, management supervision and detailed reporting, while another covers only the guard's presence. When comparing quotes it is therefore not enough to look at the hourly rate: you also need to establish what it contains and what further costs may arise.

The size of an area does not in itself indicate the risk. What matters is the number of entrances, the movement of people and vehicles, the value stored, the opening hours, the existing technical protection and any previous incidents.

The survey also establishes what on-site action can be expected of the guard, where the critical points are, and what documentation is needed. Without this it is easy to plan too high or too low a headcount. The purpose of the walk-through is not to recommend more services in every case, but to arrive at a proportionate solution.

The preliminary walk-through connected to preparing a quote can be free of charge. Its purpose is to understand the task and to draw up a service proposal.

A full security audit is a separate service. An audit may involve deeper process examination, review of documents and a written set of recommended measures.

The start depends on the site, the headcount required, the working pattern, the qualification and equipment needs, and how much time is needed for on-site induction and for drawing up the guard instructions.

In urgent cases the organisation can be accelerated, but promising the same lead time for every assignment would not be professionally sound. The risk of starting too quickly is that staff do not properly know the site, the notification routine or the entry rules. A realistic start date can be given after the first consultation.

The duties undertaken and the limits of liability have to be defined in a written contract. Liability is not a general, unlimited promise: it relates to the content of the service, the contract, the terms of the insurance and the specific incident.

This is why "100% financial liability" is less accurate than "liability as defined in the contract". When reviewing a quote and a contract, the client should check which duties it covers, which cases the liability extends to, and what obligations to cooperate fall on their own side.

Depending on the site, this may include a guard log, incident reports, entry or vehicle registers, key-handling sheets, shift handover documents and patrol check records.

Not every document is needed at every property. The aim is that the duties undertaken, the irregularities, the notifications and the actions taken remain traceable. Excessive administration that carries no real information is just as unhelpful as incomplete documentation. Part of the survey is therefore to determine what reporting the client actually needs.

Good guard instructions translate the daily running of the site into unambiguous duties. They cover the entry procedure, the patrol routes, the inspection points, key handling, the notification chain, the shift handover and the documentation.

It is not enough to write that the guard "checks the property" or "takes action in the event of an incident". It has to be defined precisely what is checked, who is notified in the event of which irregularity, what is recorded, and in which cases the guard may not act alone. The instructions must be updated whenever the site or the operation changes.

Reception duty typically covers front-desk, information, access control and administrative tasks. Site protection can go beyond this to include patrolling, checks of risk points, incident handling and security documentation.

The two can be combined at one location, but the guard instructions must clearly separate the reception, facilities and security duties. If a guard is simultaneously taking calls, receiving visitors, accepting parcels and patrolling, it needs to be examined whether the duties can genuinely be performed by one person.

Technology can detect, signal and record well, but on its own it cannot always make an on-site decision or intervene.

At a lower-risk site with little traffic, cameras, an alarm and periodic patrols may be sufficient. Where there is continuous access control, frequent on-site decisions, high value or a regular human presence, manned guarding may be required.

The right question is not people versus technology, but which task each solution performs more effectively. At many sites it is the two working together that provides proportionate protection.

With vehicle-supported guarding the vehicle is part of the on-site service. The guard remains within the protected area and covers the designated points by vehicle.

With a mobile patrol the officer arrives at set intervals, carries out the check and then moves on. This does not amount to continuous presence.

The quote must state clearly which service is involved, how many checks it includes, during which periods they take place, and what action follows an irregularity.

The two services address different problems. Vehicle-supported guarding allows a large, changing or hard-to-reach area to be covered more quickly. A dog handler service can provide stronger detection and a stronger deterrent presence on a segregated site, typically at night.

A dog handler service requires adequate fencing, passable routes, safe use of the area and orderly movement of people. For vehicle-supported guarding, the road conditions, the inspection points and the vehicle's movement need to be planned. The site survey shows which service is justified.

Supervision can take the form of on-site management checks, review of documentation, examination of shift handovers, tracing of patrol points and regular consultation with the client.

What matters is not the number of checks, but that failures and irregularities come to light and have consequences. If a duty repeatedly cannot be performed, it needs to be examined whether the cause lies with the guard's performance, the instructions, the headcount or the way the site operates.

The provider must have arrangements for cover. It is worth clarifying in the contract how cover is provided in the event of illness, holiday or unexpected absence, and who informs the client.

Cover is not only a question of headcount. The arriving officer has to know the site instructions, the contacts, the key handling and the procedure for extraordinary incidents. If the replacement is only physically present but does not know the task, the quality of the service is not assured.

No. Viking Security does not claim to operate a continuously staffed customer line or dispatch centre.

The availability of the services, the notification routine and the designated contacts are defined separately for each assignment.

Viking Security has, or has had, assignments in several towns and different regions. Whether a specific assignment can be taken on, however, always needs to be discussed individually.

The location, the headcount required, the duration of the service, the working pattern, the start date and the availability of suitable local personnel all matter. For patrol services geographical distance is particularly significant, which is why no general nationwide response time should be promised.

It is useful to provide:

• the town and the type of site;
• the approximate size of the area;
• the service hours you want;
• the movement of people and vehicles;
• the assets to be protected;
• any existing cameras, alarm or access control system;
• previous incidents;
• the planned start date.

These do not replace a walk-through, but they mean the first consultation can already be about the real task.