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I think that every security guard company owner or operations manager hopes that their officers are building strong relationships with the clients they serve. When a client feels comfortable with the officer who protects their property, it can strengthen the partnership between the client and the company. But let’s talk about security guard company best practices when it comes to these strong officer and client relationships, because like many things in this industry, it is a double-edged sword.
Again, a close officer and client relationship can be a major benefit, but it can also create problems if not managed properly. Understanding both sides of this dynamic is one of the most overlooked best practices, and it can make or break an account…speaking from experience.
I learned this firsthand when my company took over a contract for a medical center building where the client insisted that we keep the previous security guard company’s long-time supervisor. On paper, it looked like an easy way to maintain continuity and make the client happy. What happened next taught me one of the most important lessons of my career.
Before I share that story, let us look at the pros and cons of these relationships and the best practices that companies should follow.
The Pros of Strong Officer and Client Relationships
1. It helps build trust between the client and the company
A positive relationship between an officer and a client can create instant trust. Clients like seeing a familiar face who knows their site, understands the culture, and communicates well.
But this only works when it is backed by strong account management. One of the most important security guard company best practices is to never let the success of an account rely entirely on a single officer. Your company must have a strong account manager who must remain actively involved and must use security guard management software to review activities, understand trends, and maintain direct communication with the client about what is going on at the site. Quarterly business reviews are an excellent way of talking through what is happening at the site and building a strong relationship between the account manager and the client.
The relationship between the officer and the client should complement the company, not replace it.
2. Officers can surface issues early
Officers who know the client well often hear concerns or spot potential issues before they become problems. When paired with a strong account manager, it can help the company be more proactive in addressing issues and strengthening the client relationship.
3. It can improve client satisfaction
A well-liked officer helps create a sense of stability on site. Clients appreciate consistency, and they tend to reward companies that provide officers who fit well with their environment. This can lead to better satisfaction scores, fewer complaints, and even referrals. And just as important, it can make conversations around billing rate increases a little easier, emphasis on “little”.
The Cons of Strong Officer and Client Relationships
1. The officer may start believing they outrank the company
This first point is one of the most significant risks, and I’m sure many of you have experienced this. An officer who is too close to the client may start seeing themselves as more important than the company. They may choose which tasks to complete, ignore instructions, or claim they know what the site really needs better than their supervisors.
This is not loyalty. It is a breakdown of proper structure and accountability. This situation will eventually lead to a breakdown in the company-client relationship… speaking from experience.
2. The officer may start to tell the client what needs to happen at the site
Sometimes the officer begins telling the client how operations should run rather than following the post orders established by the security guard company.
Post orders exist to protect everyone involved. When an officer ignores them, the company becomes vulnerable to claims of negligence, improper response, or failure to perform required duties. If something goes wrong and the officer cannot show they followed the documented instructions, the company could face legal exposure, and the client may argue that you failed to deliver the contracted service.
3. The relationship may harm the account
If the client associates the entire service with one officer, any change becomes emotional. If the officer leaves, is disciplined, or is removed, the client may react as though the company has done something wrong rather than the officer’s own actions…again, speaking from experience.
With that being said, let’s talk about the experience that shaped how I would approach these situations today.
When the Client’s Favorite Officer Becomes the Problem
Back in the early 2000s, we took over a contract at a medical facility in Chicago. The Executive Director (ED) of the facility “politely insisted” that we keep the current supervisor from the outgoing security guard company. He told me that the supervisor was great at his job and that the site depended on him. Consequently, I agreed to win some brownie points with the client and, hopefully, make the transition a little easier.
The problems began almost immediately.
Before starting the contract, we sat down with the client’s stakeholders to establish post orders that would solve some of the issues that they’d experienced with the previous provider. Unfortunately, the supervisor refused to follow the post orders we introduced. Every time we corrected him, he went straight to the executive director, with whom he’d developed a close relationship. Consequently, the ED would always come to the supervisor’s rescue.
But as time went on, the director began to ask why particular tasks were not being done, and I explained that the supervisor he wanted us to keep was the one refusing to do it, he acted as if it was our failure, not the supervisor’s.
Because of their relationship, there was no chain of command. No accountability. No alignment.
Eventually, I made the decision to terminate the supervisor. I knew the director would be upset, and he was. But once we replaced the officer with someone who followed expectations and respected the program, the level of service improved dramatically. The relationship with the director improved as well, because the work was finally being done correctly. But we never really won over the ED.
It was a tough call, but it was the right one. And it reinforced something I now teach as one of the core security guard company’s best practices.
Security Guard Company Best Practices for Managing These Relationships
1. Encourage relationships, but maintain structure
Officers should build rapport, but the company must maintain oversight. Use your security guard management software to track activity at the site, communicate with the client about what you are seeing, and monitor performance to balance the officer-client relationship. You want the client to understand that performance is tied to your management of the contract, not solely because of the security officer.
2. Strong account management is essential
The account manager must be the main point of alignment. They should build their own relationship with the client and ensure that expectations are being met, regardless of who is on shift.
3. Use caution when hiring long-time site supervisors during contract takeovers
We eventually created a policy that called for us to avoid hiring a new client’s long-time supervisors when we were taking over a contract. We found that new leadership allows you to reset expectations, build a healthy structure, and avoid inheriting poor habits.
Final Thoughts
Strong officer and client relationships can be a great asset. They build trust, improve service, and help stabilize an account. But without the right structure, oversight, and systems, they can also create tension and put the company in a difficult position.
The goal is to balance that relationship, not depend on it. When you blend the strengths of your officers with strong account management and solid operational systems, you create a foundation that supports long-term success.
That is one of the most important security guard company best practices any company can adopt.
If you disagree with my practices, please tell me why below. Or if you’ve had similar situations, I’d love to hear about them.
