Quality service providers that strive to exceed client expectations and meet the highest industry standards need to carefully evaluate how to continuously improve and keep pace with changing needs. This is critical in the security industry where needs and priorities evolve rapidly. To be successful, security providers need to recognize and honor this critical priority: understand what is important, commit to excellence and deliver.

To do so requires a carefully developed program designed to gather, measure and implement feedback on a continuous basis. This must be much more than a passing question or the sharing of anecdotal comments. A true listening program creates opportunities for your voice to be heard and is supported by formal processes, measurements and assessments that transform feedback into results.

Ongoing communication and evaluation can take your security program to the next level. Some questions to consider when assessing if your security provider is truly listening to you include:

• Does your security provider utilize a well-known and respected evaluation process?
• Do they ask for feedback in both formal and informal ways?
• Does your security provider act on the feedback provided?
• Is the feedback utilized to improve service and processes?
• Do they conduct regular business reviews?
• Do they measure success using defined criteria?
• Does security management visit your site regularly or as outlined in your contract?

Open conversation and structured check points enable you and the contracted security firm to respond to the changing security landscape quickly. Define when you will meet to assess changing risk situations, and schedule status meetings and business reviews.

At the end of the day, quality security providers want to create opportunities to get beyond the basics and deliver exceptional, value-added solutions. A value-driven approach which ensures that your and your security team’s feedback is actively listened to and acted on is a win-win for everyone.

Use this evaluation guide - Is Your Security Provider Listening to You? - to help gauge if your security provider is taking every opportunity to listen to your concerns and assess your satisfaction.

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