Find the gaps after closing
List when the last employee leaves, who still needs access and when the first shift arrives. Include cleaners, deliveries and contractors. Walk the site in the evening if you can. A gate that is easy to supervise during the day can be poorly lit or hard to see once the site is quiet.
Decide what needs a person on site
If the main issue is an occasional alarm, ask what your current response arrangement already covers. An on-site officer may make sense when authorised people need to be admitted overnight, several entrances need regular checks or someone must be available to escalate problems as they happen.
Give the supplier a workable handover
Write down which doors and areas to check, how to identify approved visitors and who can be called at night. Agree how missed checks, alarm activations and access issues will be logged. If you only need cover on certain nights, give those dates so the quote reflects the actual gap.
What to include in your enquiry
- Site postcode, premises type and proposed start date
- Nights and hours needed, plus access points and areas to check
- Existing alarms or monitoring and a named escalation contact
