How Concierge Security Makes Residents Feel Safer

When you think about security guards, the first image that comes to your mind might be one of a guard wearing an intimidating tactical vest on watch inside a store or at the entrance to a property. But that’s simply not always the case anymore, especially when it comes to residential security. 

Concierge security guards elevate the experience of residents and visitors with courteous, professional service starting at the front door. Concierges feel like members of the building community, build friendly relationships with residents, provide peace of mind, and contribute to safer, better-organized, and more appealing residential communities. 

Concierge Security Guards Are the First Line of Defence

Concierge guards conduct a number of core duties central to the safety of condominium communities. Here’s an overview:

Access Control and Visitor Management

A building’s concierge security guard is stationed at the front desk of a lobby with a clear view of the primary entrance. This allows guards to see and greet everyone who enters, while requesting and ensuring that visitors check in at the front desk. 

Concierge guards manage and monitor a building’s CCTV camera feed and access systems. Depending on the access control measures of the building, guards can see whether or not a visitor was buzzed into the building by a resident or if they’re using a key fob. Combined with a visitor check-in process and remote video monitoring, this effectively prevents unauthorized access, ensures that every visitor has a legitimate reason for being in the building, and allows trespassers to be caught immediately. 

Proactive, Visible Deterrence

The presence of a security guard stationed behind the front desk subtly communicates that a building is protected and monitored, effectively deterring potential trespassers. Visible deterrence helps prevent crime before it begins and is a proven method of mitigating crimes in condominium buildings.

The Concierge Security Guard’s Role in Day-to-Day Life

As mentioned earlier, the role of concierge guards isn’t relegated to strictly security duties. Concierge guards provide assistance to residents in several helpful ways.

Package and Mail Management

Package theft is a concern for many condominium residents, which can lead to frustration and tension between neighbours. Many condo mail areas are located out in the open, with packages too large to fit inside mailboxes left outside and providing opportunities for package thieves to take mail that isn’t theirs. 

Concierge security guards eliminate this risk by receiving packages from delivery personnel directly, storing them in a secure and monitored area until they can be picked up by the verified recipient later. This directly contributes to residents’ peace of mind and promotes a positive building community.

Resident Assistance

Concierge guards build rapport and familiarity with residents. This not only helps them identify unfamiliar visitors, but also provides a friendly and trusted point of contact whom residents can speak with about concerns, inquiries, and day-to-day building operations, such as amenity bookings. 

Conflict Resolution

Residents may sometimes have complaints about or disputes with other residents. Noise complaints, parking disputes, and issues related to pets, smoking, and property damage are a handful of the most common complaints. 

Concierge guards can receive these complaints from residents and act as a mediator. They’re trained to handle these issues using strategies of peaceful de-escalation and conflict resolution to ensure peaceful outcomes. In addition to handling complaints, concierges will ensure that residents and visitors follow property rules. 

Relying on residents to resolve issues amongst themselves can sometimes lead to increased aggression and toxicity within the building. The mediative role of concierge security guards goes a long way in ensuring resident happiness. 

Curious to learn more about concierge security tasks? Read our blog, 8 Surprising Condo Security Guard Tasks That You Wouldn’t Expect. 

How Concierge Security Guards Respond to Emergencies

Concierge security guards are often the first people on the scene during emergencies. They’re trained to act decisively and calmly, ensuring order and safety throughout evacuations, medical emergencies, floods, and other urgent situations. In addition to actively ensuring safety, they can be relied on to dial 911 when needed and communicate with first responders to get help to the property as soon as possible. 

Our concierge security guards at Blackbird receive in-depth training through our in-house training program, Blackbird Academy, in subjects including fire safety, first aid, and peaceful de-escalation. This additional training makes them invaluable assets to building management teams and residents alike during emergency scenarios, providing peace of mind and ensuring the safety of everyone in the building. 

Learn how residential security guards respond to trespassers and intruders in our previous blog. 

Should I Choose a Concierge Security Guard or a Patrol Security Guard for My Condominium? 

Unlike concierge security guards, who typically spend the duration of their shift at the front desk, patrol security guards conduct walk-throughs of every area of the building to ensure complete security. This provides oversight of areas that can sometimes be difficult to monitor through CCTV cameras alone, such as parking garages and stairwells. Additionally, foot patrols are more effective in identifying maintenance and property damage issues than remote monitoring.

For smaller condo buildings, a concierge security guard may provide enough protection. For larger buildings or condos that receive a large amount of foot traffic, however, we recommend a strategy that combines concierge security with foot patrols. When a guard is conducting a foot patrol, it’s helpful to have a concierge at the front desk to check in any visitors, maintain oversight of the primary entrance, and monitor CCTV cameras.

Partner With Canada’s Top Condominium Security Company

A residential concierge security guard provides a unique blend of security services and hospitality. This combination elevates not only a condo’s security abilities but also the satisfaction of residents and visitors, who appreciate the value of having a professional within the property to provide help and maintain safety. Partnering with a reputable condo security company is the best way to ensure the safety of your residents and property. Contact us to find out how our teams can improve your building’s security strategy.