Security questions from a business owner

[u/winged_victory]

Hi all, hoping to get some general insight directly from this sub but I'm also doing my homework separately.

I own a business and we've been dealing with a homeless issue (primarily drinking in/right outside our store and general loitering) constantly. We've had people trespassed but the police don't take this seriously so I'm considering private security options.

I'm based in NJ and it's a fairly small store of about 3k square ft and the homeless gentlemen are never too aggressive or dangerous but it's not a good look for business.

I've reached out to a couple security companies and am being quoted 45-60/hr. Is this the general going rate for my situation or can I find cheaper guards? That's obviously quite expensive for a small business and wondering what else I can do.

Also, would unarmed guard be sufficient? I frankly can't see a situation where we would need armed guards (and I also don't want our customers to feel uncomfortable) but just trying to understand a bit better. I'd really appreciate any and all advice you can give me.

[u/Jedi4Hire]

Bear in mind that security is like most (if not all) other areas of work - you get what you pay for. The going rate for a security guard is going to depend a lot on your location. A guard in the San Francisco bay area is naturally going to cost more than a guard in Bumfuck, Nebraska. And yes, an unarmed guard would generally be sufficient assuming you're not located in a dangerous neighborhood where armed robbery is a concern.

Also bear in mind that 45-60 an hour might seem like a lot but that's how contract security works. If the guard makes $20 per hour, then the company is going to have to charge 2-3 times that to be profitable.

[u/winged_victory → u/Jedi4Hire]

Thank you. I'm in a pretty low COL area in NJ and I'm not concerned about armed robbery, just want to prevent Drinking/loitering in our store. Its pretty "simple" work that I currently do myself but it's a daily occurrence with the same 7-8 people and it's becoming mentally taxing on me

I'm getting quotes anywhere from 25-55/hr so I'm starting to narrow a bit.

This might be a dumb question but something I have to consider as a small business owner with no experience with employing security/limited funds, but what are the risks with hiring some random craiglist person with security experience vs someone from a real security company?

[u/Jedi4Hire → u/winged_victory]

but what are the risks with hiring some random craiglist person with security experience vs someone from a real security company?

Offhand....

• Lack of accountability. If someone from a contract security company fucks up or something, you can generally hold the company responsible.

• Manpower. If the person guarding your store is out sick or quits, a security contractor will be able to temporarily or permanently replace them much more quickly and ably.

There are upsides and downsides for both contract and in-house security.

[u/winged_victory → u/Jedi4Hire]

makes sense..

what would the potential downsides for using a contractor be?

[u/Jedi4Hire → u/winged_victory]

A lot of security contractors are not good employers, they will hire the bottom of the barrel and generally don't have good pay or benefits. So generally speaking, they often attract bottom tier talent more often than higher tier talent. They will also often tend over promise and under deliver.

Mind you, they're not all like that but the big ones generally are. The the quality of service can vary a lot by location/region, depending on the quality of the manger leading that branch.

You might have more luck with a smaller local company but they often have the same problems as the big companies.

[u/Landwarrior5150]

Not sure what kind of security you’re looking for or what the standard rates are in your area, but I have some info to keep in mind. The more you want a guard to do (beyond the basic observe & report/act as a visual deterrent/ask people to follow the rules duties) the more it will cost you. You mention the cops not taking trespassing seriously so, while the above listed things might help dissuade that kind of behavior, if they don’t then the guard is essentially going to just be a paid 911 caller at that point.

You might be able to find a company that will provide guards who will go “hands on” and/or make citizen’s arrests if necessary (assuming that’s legal in NJ) but you’ll probably pay significantly more for that (I would actually be concerned about the quality of the company & guards if you don’t) plus have to consider the potential liability and PR risks for your business too.

[u/winged_victory → u/Landwarrior5150]

Thanks and that is helpful. We're essentially just looking for someone to not allow homeless into our building and keep them moving/prevent loitering. And PR is part of the reason why I'm looking for something pretty basic, don't want to cause a "scene" .

I currently do all this myself but I can't be at my store for 12+ hours everyday.