Sim de Wet, head of Stallion Security Property Services, is a well-known personality and contributor in the security industry. He talks to South Africa Magazine about hedging risk and why security is vital.

By Ian Armitage

As much as you might want to pretend otherwise, there are people out there who want to steal from you or your business and damage property – they may even want to steal your identity. Worse still, they want to steal from your customers! You should be aware of this potential and take security measures to inhibit such people from achieving their goals. Questions you may have include: Why would someone want to steal or damage your property? What types of harm can be done? Or what type of property security is needed?

Theft can have a highly damaging effect on your bottom line. In South Africa, shoplifting and employee theft alone cost retailers millions of rands. Addressing the problem can give you an important competitive advantage. A recent study found that nearly three times the number of top-performing retailers use electronic article surveillance technology to prevent loss when compared with under-performing retailers.

Each time an item is stolen from a retailer, the retailer has to sell up to three additional items to make good the loss on the stolen goods.

Security, though, is everybody’s concern – from the homeowner that must ensure his home is equipped with sufficient physical and electronic security measures to a government’s defence force that must ensure that a country’s population is secure.

Johannesburg-based Stallion Security Property Services (SSPS) provides safety and security services to the office, office park and shopping centre “focussing on a specific niche market of the South African security industry”.

The company was started in April 1998 as part of the Stallion Group to concentrate purely on the Property Industry.

Managing director Sim de Wet, having come from Anglo American Property Services (AMPROS), has a very good knowledge and understanding of the industry, both from the Landlord’s viewpoint and the service provider’s viewpoint.

“SSPS has been built on sound and solid business ethics and principles and this has proved successful in acquiring and maintaining large and long-term contracts with blue chip clients,” de Wet says. “Building long term relationships based on trust, integrity and service is what any service industry should be all about. In order to achieve this, every SSPS client has direct access to the MD of the company at any time concerning service or complaints.”

SSPS’s current clients include, amongst others, Sasol Ltd, De Beers, JHI Property Managers, Discovery Health, Growthpoint Property Group, Broll Property Managers, Ericsson SA, Macsteel, OTIS, ERIS Properties, Fedbond Property Group, First National Bank, Standard Bank, Murray and Robberts, Zenprop Properties, Ntwhese Property Managers, Anglo American, Drake and Scull, Government Employees Pension Fund and the United Nations.

“Stallion Security Property Services commits itself to deliver a well-disciplined guarding operation, ensuring that clients’ safety and security are our first priority,” de Wet says. “We prides ourselves on adding value to all of our clients. We spend a lot of time understanding the nature of our clients’ businesses so we can adapt our specialised safety and security services to meet their needs. Rendering supplementary services, at no additional cost, as an integral part of the contract that are not normally supplied by other service providers.

“Stallion is owner managed and therefore our business approach is to create close and long-standing partnerships with our clients, so that they are assured that their property is safe and that we have a well-disciplined operation that is always available. Furthermore, our property security service is equipped with a fully trained management team, who dedicated to service clients with commitment, loyalty and professionalism.

“I’m a firm believer that security and safety cannot be separated if you want to provide the best service to your client.

“With this approach you bring a lot of added value to the client.”

A shopping centre, an office block, or any other working environment must be managed in terms of the Occupational, Health and Safety Act. The Act is complex and this is the one reason why many companies tend to separate safety and security.

SSPS and all its security officers are PSIRA (Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority) registered.

De Wet says there is now a softer approach to security at offices and shopping malls – the days are long gone where you could post an aggressive security guard at a shopping complex. Security guards are now “the first point of contact” when visiting a building; they’re more like ambassadors.

“To achieve this guards are selected for their appearance, communication skills and are trained in customer care and public relations.

“It is our policy to utilise available manpower effectively, either by promoting, or appointing the best-qualified person for the position. Wherever possible, we promote from within.”

De Wet says that the SSPS invests, on an ongoing basis, in the training and development of staff.

“We conduct our own company induction training and ongoing refresher training at the Learning Centre and provide our staff with on-site practical training on an on-going basis to ensure acceptable standards are maintained and constantly improved.”

All the training will be in vain if there is no proper supervision, de Wet stresses.

“We believe 24-hour supervision is vital in ensuring, through a pro-active and honest approach, our commitment to the client is achieved.

“A duty manager is on duty at all times and he co-ordinates and controls the activities of the officers on duty. Should an incident be reported at any one of SSPS sites, he is always available for immediate response and advice.”

De Wet adds that, if you cannot measure something, then you cannot manage it effectively. As a result, all levels of management undertake regular meetings with clients.

“Our vision and motto is, “Creating Confidence” and “Making your Security Problems Ours”,” de Wet says. “When a client uses SSPS they no longer have a security problem, a security concern yes, but not a problem, as they pay him to make their problem his and this is the way SSPS operates.

“Confidence comes from always trying to do the right thing, at the right place, at the right time - the first time round. But when things do go wrong it is the absolute belief that we will investigate the problem, resolve the problem, have a post mortem of the problem then identify and implement steps to prevent reoccurrences. It is that trust relationship that creates the confidence. “

To learn more visit www.stallion.co.za/property.

Image: Getty