Pros and Cons of Security Guards: What’s Best for Your Business? 

On average, security guards earn $13.50 per hour to protect their employer’s property. But what if the job could be done for as low as $4 per hour? Many businesses assume that live security guards offer the best protection. Evaluating  the pros and cons of live security guards is an essential step to determining if this is best for your business.

There’s evidence that hiring live security guards is not always the best option. In fact, hiring live security guards could be a costly mistake. Keep reading to see the pros and cons of security guards. We will also compare them to the new, less expensive option of virtual guards.

The Pros and Cons of Live Security Guards

Having a live security guard on-site can make you, your employees, and your guests feel secure. Simply seeing a security guard may be enough to ward off some threats. And in the event that a crime does take place, the security guard is there to handle it directly. It may give some business owners peace of mind knowing that there is someone on-site to handle these situations.

However, your security guard is human, just like you and me. And humans make mistakes all the time. In fact, according to the National Sleep Foundation, 45% of Americans say that poor or insufficient sleep affected their daily activities at least once in the past 7 days. Security guards are no different from anyone else in this regard. 

What if your security guard happens to have an “off” day on the same day that a thief targets your company? What if your guard is taking a break, on the other side of the property, or even snoozing on the job? 

When you hire a live security guard, you’ll always have the human element to contend with. Plus, you’ll have more expenses. Security guards cost, on average $13.50 an hour. If you use round the clock on-site surveillance, this could cost you $120K per year.  

So what’s the alternative? Virtual security guards, which we’ll explore next.

Virtual Security Guards: What You Need to Know

What many people don’t realize about virtual security guards is that they are actually live guards as well. The main difference between them and on-site security guards is that they are monitoring your business remotely. Using high-tech cameras and surveillance gear, they can see your company from virtually any angle simultaneously. 

They carefully watch your business from an off-site facility along with other virtual guards who are monitoring other companies. Like on-site guards, virtual guards have shifts. However, they also have a supervisor who ensures that they are focused on your business and nothing else while they are on their shift. Virtual guards do not work in an environment where sleep or other distractions are available.

And while they are not present on-site to serve as a deterrent, they can trigger audio and visual deterrents if a threat arises, capture the footage on video, and notify you and the authorities right away.

Price Comparison

One On-Site Guard vs. Full Pro-Vigil Surveillance Team

The Pro-Vigil Surveillance Team pricing on the table below includes monitoring 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. This package comes with 30 cameras to cover every area needed on your property.

The On-site Guard prices are based on a 24/7/365 mean hourly rate of a security guard in the United States.

Over the course of three years, you could save more than a quarter of a million dollars by using virtual security guards to protect your business.

Pros and Cons of Security Guards vs Virtual Guards Breakdown

Below is a breakdown of the main differences between virtual and live security guards:

Ready to Learn More?

Pro-Vigil is the undisputed leader in the security space. Our virtual guards use advanced surveillance training, special software, and onsite deterrents to respond to any situation – at a significantly lower cost to you than an on-site guard. To learn more or get a free quote, contact us today.