What Questions Should I Ask a Security Company? 15 Expert Questions Before You Hire (2026)
What Questions Should I Ask Security? Expert Guide
Most people ask security companies the wrong first question and it costs them far more than they realize.
A client once called me frustrated because their guards were sitting with their backs to the main entrance, glued to their phones, ignoring guests entirely. When I quoted my rates, they said it was too much. I asked them: what’s more expensive, unprofessional security that creates liability, or professional security that actually protects you?
They wanted both. I told them I couldn’t help with that.
A few weeks later, a bomb threat was called in. The caller said they accessed the facility because security was so lax. That client hired me the same day.
Knowing what questions to ask a security company, the right ones in the right order, is the difference between genuine protection and a false sense of security.
When hiring a security company, ask about their experience in environments like yours, ongoing training, site-specific security planning, references, accountability, and how they respond to real-world incidents. Professional security is built on preparation, communication, and partnership, not simply placing a uniformed guard on-site.
Table of Contents
Why Most People Ask the Wrong Security Questions
Questions to Ask Yourself Before Hiring Security
Questions Every Security Company Should Answer
Questions Your Security Company Should Be Asking You
Questions That Sound Smart But Miss the Point
How Asking the Right Questions Prevents Real Threats
The One Question Almost Nobody Asks
Red Flags That Should Make You Walk Away
How to Evaluate the Answers You Get
Frequently Asked Questions
Final Thoughts
Why Most People Ask the Wrong Security Questions
The default instinct is to lead with “How much does it cost?” That framing sets you up for failure before the conversation even begins.
The security industry is built on undercutting competitors. Every company races to offer the lowest price. The problem is that when companies continuously undercut one another, the guard on-site earns less. The less they earn, the less likely you are to attract and retain highly trained professionals.
You are not buying a lower price.
You are buying a lower standard.
The better question is:
“What value does this company provide, and what is that worth to my organization?”
A guard who actively engages guests, monitors entrances, recognizes suspicious behavior, de-escalates conflict, and follows a comprehensive security plan is an asset.
A guard sitting on their phone with their back to the entrance is a liability.
The difference between those two outcomes is not simply an hourly rate. It is the difference between reducing risk and exposing your organization to preventable incidents.
Whenever I meet with prospective clients, I rarely begin by discussing pricing. Instead, I ask why they are seeking security now, what concerns they have, and what success looks like to them. Pricing comes after understanding the mission.
Questions to Ask Yourself Before Hiring Security
Before interviewing any security company, answer these questions yourself.
The clearer your objectives are, the easier it becomes to recognize whether a company truly understands your needs or is simply trying to win another contract.
Ask yourself:
What incident or concern prompted me to seek security now?
Who or what am I protecting?
Is my greatest concern people, property, reputation, or all three?
What would success actually look like in my environment?
What risks am I willing to accept?
What risks are unacceptable?
If you cannot answer those questions, you will naturally compare companies on price alone. Professional security should never be purchased like office supplies. It should be selected like a business partner. For a broader breakdown of training, supervision, pricing, accountability, and other factors to evaluate, read our guide to choosing the best security guard company for your business.
Questions Every Security Company Should Answer
1. Have you worked in environments similar to mine?
Ask for specific examples.
A company that secures office buildings may have little experience protecting schools, religious institutions, hospitals, corporate executives, or high-profile events.
Experience should be relevant, not generic.
2. What ongoing training do your officers complete?
This is one of the most important questions you can ask.
People often ask whether guards have military or law enforcement backgrounds.
That is not the question I care about most.
Skills deteriorate over time if they are not maintained.
I would rather hire someone who continuously trains than someone who stopped training fifteen years ago.
Ask about:
Continuing education
De-escalation training
Behavioral threat recognition
Emergency medical training
Scenario-based exercises
Site-specific training
Training should never stop.
3. Can I review and help develop the security plan?
Almost nobody asks this.
They should.
A professional security plan should include:
Access control
Visitor screening
Emergency procedures
Behavioral threat indicators
Communication protocols
Evacuation plans
Documentation procedures
Supervisor responsibilities
If a company refuses to share or develop a site-specific plan with you, they are filling a schedule, not protecting your organization.
4. Have you ever lost or resigned from a client similar to mine? Why?
This question immediately changes the conversation.
Every company highlights success stories.
Very few willingly discuss failures.
Companies willing to explain difficult situations usually value transparency and accountability.
5. Can I speak with references about problems you solved?
Don’t simply ask whether clients liked working with them.
Ask:
What problems occurred?
How did the company respond?
Were they proactive?
Did communication improve during difficult situations?
Crisis management reveals far more than routine operations.
Questions Your Security Company Should Be Asking You
One of the biggest indicators of a professional security company is the questions they ask before ever discussing pricing.
When I meet with a prospective client, I spend far more time asking questions than answering them.
Some of the questions I ask include:
What prompted you to seek security now?
Have you experienced previous incidents?
What concerns you most?
Who are your highest-risk populations?
Are there cultural, religious, or operational considerations our officers should understand?
What would success look like six months from now?
Who makes decisions during emergencies?
What level of visible security presence do you want?
How should officers interact with your staff and guests?
These conversations allow us to build a security program around the client’s actual risks instead of simply assigning an officer.
That is the difference between being a vendor and becoming a security partner.
Questions That Sound Smart But Miss the Point
“How much do you charge?”
Price matters.
It just should not be your first question.
The better question is:
“What value does your service provide at this price?”
Professional security reduces risk, improves guest confidence, protects your reputation, and prevents incidents from escalating.
Those outcomes are difficult to measure until something goes wrong.
“What are your guards’ backgrounds?”
This surprises many people.
Military service or law enforcement experience from decades ago does not automatically make someone an outstanding security professional today.
Training matters.
Continuing education matters.
Professional development matters.
I once worked with a school that had several hundred children on campus.
Someone asked me a question I have never forgotten.
“How much is the life of one child worth?”
That question changed the entire conversation.
Are you hiring the cheapest available guard?
Or are you investing in someone capable of protecting what matters most?
How Asking the Right Questions Prevents Real Threats
Good security is not passive.
It is active engagement.
At one event, my team noticed an individual who appeared to belong but displayed several subtle behavioral indicators that did not fit the environment.
Rather than immediately confronting the individual, we approached respectfully and professionally.
We learned they were attempting to contact someone without an appointment.
We politely informed them that the individual was unavailable and offered to pass along their contact information.
They refused and immediately left.
Was it a confirmed threat?
I cannot say.
What I can say is that we identified unusual behavior early, engaged professionally, avoided unnecessary escalation, and prevented the situation from developing further.
That is what trained professionals do.
On another occasion, our officers identified an unattended bag in a public gathering area. Rather than dismissing it or causing unnecessary panic, they immediately secured the area, notified event leadership, followed established procedures, and coordinated with responding authorities. Fortunately, the bag posed no danger, but the response demonstrated why preparation and disciplined decision making matter just as much as reacting to confirmed threats.
Officers without proper training often ignore warning signs or overreact.
Neither protects your people nor your reputation.
The One Question Almost Nobody Asks
Ask to review the security plan before signing the contract.
Clients almost never ask this.
They assume every company has one.
Many do not.
A professional security plan should address:
Visitor management
Access control
Threat response
Emergency communication
Medical emergencies
Behavioral threat recognition
Documentation
After-action reviews
The best plans are built with the client, not simply handed to them.
Red Flags That Should Make You Walk Away
Not every security company deserves your business.
Warning signs include:
They cannot explain their training program.
They do not create site-specific post orders.
They allow officers to use phones while on duty.
They cannot explain their supervisory inspection process.
They refuse to discuss previous client challenges.
They avoid difficult questions.
They cannot explain how incidents are documented.
Their only selling point is being cheaper than everyone else.
Professional security companies welcome difficult questions.
Poor companies hope you never ask them.
How to Evaluate the Answers You Get
Knowing what questions to ask is only half of the process.
You also need to evaluate the answers.
A company that speaks only about successes may be hiding valuable lessons.
Every organization has experienced difficult situations.
What matters is how they responded.
When speaking with references, ask:
What problems did they encounter?
How did communication change during the incident?
Did supervisors become involved?
Did they improve procedures afterward?
Listen carefully to the language they use.
Companies focused on selling security usually talk about themselves.
Companies focused on protecting clients spend most of the conversation talking about you.
That distinction says everything.
Frequently Asked Questions
What questions should I ask before hiring a security company?
Ask about experience, ongoing training, site-specific security planning, references, supervision, communication procedures, and incident documentation.
How do I know if a security company is reputable?
Look for transparency, documented training programs, strong references, professional supervision, and customized security plans.
Should I hire armed or unarmed security?
That depends on your risk level, local laws, insurance requirements, and the threats your organization faces. A professional security assessment should determine the appropriate level of protection. If your organization faces elevated risks, learning more about professional armed security services can help you understand when armed officers are the appropriate choice for your environment.
How often should security officers receive training?
Training should be continuous. Professional companies regularly conduct refresher training, scenario-based exercises, legal updates, and site-specific instruction.
Should every security company have written post orders?
Yes. Every location should have customized post orders that clearly define responsibilities, emergency procedures, reporting requirements, and client expectations.
Can I ask to review the security plan before signing a contract?
Absolutely. A professional company should welcome your participation in developing a site-specific security plan.
Should I ask for references?
Yes, but ask references about problems the company solved rather than simply whether they were satisfied.
How much should professional security cost?
There is no universal answer. Pricing depends on risk level, training requirements, staffing, supervision, equipment, and the complexity of your environment. The better question is whether the value provided justifies the investment.
Final Thoughts
The questions you ask before signing a security contract influence everything that follows.
If you begin with price alone, you are likely to compare companies that all promise the same thing.
If you begin with value, accountability, planning, and partnership, you will quickly identify the companies that truly understand security.
Professional security should never feel like hiring another vendor.
You are trusting another organization with your employees, customers, visitors, reputation, and sometimes lives.
The best security companies welcome difficult questions because they understand accountability builds trust.
If a company seems uncomfortable answering them, that discomfort may be the most important answer you receive.