Selecting a security partner is a risk decision, not a purchasing decision. The following questions consistently reveal the difference between a capable provider and a cheap one.
1. **What is your vetting process?** Ask to see the actual screening checklist, not a promise. 2. **Who supervises the officers on my site?** Named supervision with documented visit frequency matters. 3. **How is attendance verified?** GPS checkpoint scanning beats a signature in a book. 4. **What happens when an officer calls in sick?** Relief cover arrangements expose real operational depth. 5. **What training do officers receive, and how often?** Induction alone is not enough. 6. **How do you report to clients?** Ask for a sample report from a comparable contract. 7. **What is your incident escalation path?** It should be written, timed and rehearsed. 8. **Are you properly licensed and insured?** Request current certificates. 9. **How do you handle contract transition?** A poorly managed handover creates a dangerous gap. 10. **What does the price actually include?** Uniform, training, supervision and equipment are often excluded from the cheapest quote.
A provider who answers all ten confidently and in writing is the one worth shortlisting.