How the best security starts with understanding an organisation’s culture and operation
Allied Universal provides bespoke, intelligence-led security solutions to protect the people and assets of London from evolving threats. In this article, Managing Director, Johnny Rose outlines how the company collaborates closely with clients, immersing itself in the organisation’s culture and operation to deliver a bespoke security solution backed by global resources and knowledge.
The role of the security provider has developed significantly over recent years. Alongside advances in technology and intelligence sharing, a focus on collaboration helps to deliver better security and improved customer experience. At Allied Universal, we believe it is essential to deliver a service that fits the specific needs of our clients and, to help achieve this, we immerse ourselves in their culture and operation to thoroughly understand their values, customers and security challenges.
The result is that we provide highly effective security solutions that are tailored to the client’s specific needs. We become an extension of their team, reflecting their brand and adding value, because we respect and understand their customers. This means that you are likely to see our security officers dressed in a way that reflects the businesses in which they are working, for example dressing in a smart but casual way, rather than in a suit, if that is more appropriate, and using exceptional customer service skills and the ‘power of hello’ approach to welcome each visitor with a smile.
We lead in ensuring that safety and security are prioritised, for example: investing time running security masterclasses for non-security individuals, to educate and improve the security culture and awareness for everyone operating within the building. We also work closely with neighbouring organisations to share best practice and intelligence, and actively bring the industry together to shape security policy and set quality standards.
Our close partnership with clients means that we are uniquely positioned to support them when their security needs change: for example, with the addition of new public areas or new premises. For one client, we recently invested in new team members and advanced behavioural detection training, and worked closely with the City of London Police and fire services to undertake counter-terrorism training. Our tailored support also included investing in level 3 medically trained officers and in new technology, including X-ray scanning arches and metal detection, to counter the threat of visitors carrying knives.
We believe in proactive security based on intelligence, and we are constantly horizon scanning to provide a regular stream of intelligence, which provides insight into emerging threats relevant to our customers.
These include local protests, urban exploration and more. This intelligence helps our security teams and our customers stay one step ahead of the fast-moving evolving threats to London.
We care about the safety and wellbeing of our staff, the communities in which we operate and the environment. We invest in and support our teams, with training and qualifications to upskill employees, as well as supporting their wellbeing.
Our focus on ESG is embedded into the business and we understand its importance for our clients. Our efforts around sustainability, for example, can support clients’ own sustainability goals. We are passionate about supporting our local communities, with many employees volunteering for local projects, such as HandsOn London and Plastic Fishing in Canary Wharf.
We also partner with organisations such as the East London Business Alliance (ELBA) that build connections between businesses and local communities, providing support and employment opportunities to promote social mobility. Individuals shadow our security teams to get an understanding of the work involved, and we have been able to provide employment and training, with individuals now thriving as part of the team. We are also proud of our focus on equity, diversity and inclusion.
It is our close collaboration with and understanding of our clients that enables us to deliver a service that not only addresses their security challenges, but which also fits with their values and their customers. We do this with three decades of experience securing London, and a deep understanding of its complex network of communities and cultures.
But what makes Allied Universal unique is that our partnership approach and London expertise is supported by global resource and knowledge. This means that, in London’s evolving threat landscape, when time is critical and situations are complex, we can always deal with the unexpected.
For further information www.aus.uk.com
