VSG, one of the UK’s fastest growing providers of security services, has been successful in winning a contract worth £7.2 million from one of London’s oldest and largest educational establishments - London South Bank University (LSBU) in Southwark. The contract covers the provision of security services for the whole LSBU campus, including student accommodation and other outlying facilities, for the next five years. VSG was awarded this prestigious contract in the face of stiff competition, for reasons that included the company’s proven high level of customer service skills, its realistic costs, and its strong commitment to a consultative approach in security provision.
“There are special challenges involved in providing security services on a
university campus,” said Colin Holland, Head of Security at LSBU. “For example,
many students are living away from home for the first time, so they are more
than usually at risk. This means that in addition to ensuring the highest levels
of safety and security, the security team also has a significant welfare role.
We were impressed by VSG’s approach to these challenges. The company was very
happy to consult with us about developing practical and efficient solutions, and
it also places great emphasis on training its staff so that they can respond
effectively in all of the situations they are likely to encounter.”
The VSG team at LSBU will comprise 44 security officers, most of whom will
transfer from the previous provider of security services under a TUPE
arrangement. All of the officers will receive extensive additional training to
prepare them for the enhanced service that VSG is providing, and to aid them in
the development of their own careers. The officers will work principally from an
on-site office, and provide coverage for the whole campus 24 hours a day, 7 days
a week.
At the commencement of its contract with LSBU, VSG will carry out a detailed
evaluation of existing security arrangements, including penetration resistance
testing and “mystery shopping” exercises. The results obtained will not only
help the company to formulate its training programme, but will also allow it to
put forward a security development plan that is designed to help the university
achieve economy in its security provisions without sacrificing quality. In
addition to the manned guarding arrangements for which VSG will initially be
responsible, the plan will also look at providing a holistic solution to
security which combines physical and electronic security measures, resulting in
an overall best practice solution for LSBU.
VSG Website
Posted by
Kristina Tasic
– 11 December
2009
|
