A private security company has a large responsibility for protecting and securing a client’s assets, people, and property. The private security company must also ensure that all information related to the clients remains easily accessible to executive personnel at all times. It is absolutely necessary for a private security company to have a well-established and thorough business continuity plan.
Business continuity refers to those activities performed daily to maintain service, consistency, and recoverability. These actions are taken by an organization to ensure that critical business functions will be available to customers, suppliers, regulators, and other entities that must have access to those functions. A private security company that is prepared will not have a problem with providing any potential or current clients with a copy of their official Business Continuity Plan. For a private security company, the most basic business continuity plans should include sections for information storage and data safeguarding, backup locations, disaster recovery, and internal and external communication.
Information Storage and Data Safeguarding
Having the clients information available at all times is extremely important for business continuity. Today, many private security firms make the mistake of relying solely on electronics and computers to store all of the clients’ information. It is vital that a private security company manually writes on paper to successfully back up the clients’ information. Handwritten and printed documents should be copied and stored in different filing locations, preferably one onsite and one offsite. This methodology ensures that the clients’ information will never be unavailable to the private security company.
Another proven method of securing information necessary for business operations is cloud backup storage. Clients can rest easy knowing that files are encrypted and backed up safely offsite. Cloud backup assures that data is not only recoverable, but it is protected from external threats. With industry-leading encryption and security practices, cloud-based data is highly secure and efficient.
Backup Location
If the workplace building becomes completely inoperable, then a private security company needs to be able to find an alternative location to perform business operations on a temporary basis. The backup location is preferably the site where the backup documents and data are stored, allowing for easy access to necessary information for general day-to-day operations to continue. Failure to do so will damage the communication and the quality of security services provided to the clients. This is one of the more difficult strategies to implement, but a private security company that is prepared for such an occurrence is one certainly worth doing business with.
Disaster Recovery
In order to provide for an orderly recovery from an unanticipated manmade or natural disaster that could disable a firm’s computer systems and damage the building and its contents, the private security company should have a detailed Disaster Recovery Plan. These plans are designed to enable the private security company to maintain regular business operations following an emergency situation. During disastrous situations, the crime rate tends to increase, especially for the crimes of larceny and burglary. An increase of the crime rate due to disaster is an increase of risk for the client, making the full operability of the private security company a must. Being prepared is the key for keeping security services functioning properly.
Internal and External Communication
The private security company must inform the clients regarding any applications of the business continuity plan which may affect communications. Additionally, the security guards and all executive staff must be informed as well so they know where to report to and how to contact headquarters. Procedures must be in place to replace the office phones with an emergency alternative, such as cell phones. If cell phone towers are not functioning, then a satellite phone is always an intelligent investment for such a circumstance. Local private security companies will benefit because with clients being within close proximity, meetings can still take place in person.
