SECOM Business Security Review: Is it Right for Your Premises?

You’ve seen its logo adorning everything from shop windows to residential alarms – but is SECOM’s flexible, forward-thinking approach to security right for the unique needs of your business?

What is SECOM?

SECOM is an industry-leading provider of security systems for business and homes across the UK.

With three decades of experience – and roots stretching back over 100 years – SECOM is a dependable, dynamic supplier of a range of forward-thinking security solutions.

But what can SECOM offer your business? Let’s explore.

Alternatively, if you don’t need all the detail just yet – and just want to compare quotes, ASAP! – you can answer a few questions right here, right now, and receive tailored, no-obligation quotes in return.

We’ll ask about your business’s key security system requirements – that is, the type of solution you’re looking for, when you need it by, and whether you’ll require a completely new system installed, or just a few extra bits and bobs.

Once we have this info, we’ll match you with leading, trusted business security system providers that meet not only your specifications, but your industry and location, too. They’ll then be in touch with tailored, expert security system quotes and advice – all free of charge!

Hit one of the buttons below to get started.

What services does SECOM’s business security system offer?

CCTV and IP surveillance systems

Forget Orwell’s 1984, and all those spy movies you’ve seen – CCTV systems aren’t built for sinister purposes. Unless you’re a Bond villain, SECOM’s camera systems aren’t designed for spying on your employees, but rather ensuring their safety; not to mention the security of your non-human assets, too.

Fortunately, SECOM offers a couple of flexible camera varieties – both CCTV and IP (internet protocol) solutions – to suit your business’s needs and budget. Both allow you to view footage remotely, and will be installed by trained SECOM engineers. A free consultation is also included as standard.

So, CCTV or IP – which one’s right for you?

CCTV systems

Available in ‘dome’, ‘bullet’, and ‘box’ varieties, SECOM’s CCTV cameras are a durable, discreet way of monitoring your premises, 24/7.

These cameras are equipped with excellent image quality, as well as infrared technology for filming at night.

SECOM’s CCTV cameras can also provide excellent quality footage in either black and white or colour; there’s even a camera that shoots in colour, but changes to monochrome in low-light conditions.

SECOM’s dome camera (pictured) is particularly handy in an internal office environment. As well as providing 360-degree coverage of a room – plus the ability to switch swiftly between different views – this camera also comes in varieties which are immune to both vandals and the weather.

IP systems

For a camera system with superior image quality and a more future-proof approach, IP (internet protocol) systems are a great place to start.

Unlike traditional ‘analogue’ camera setups – which rely on a coaxial cable to distribute video – an IP system utilises the internet to record and transmit live footage. Images are stored locally, on an NVR (network video recorder), and there’s also a chance to plug in an SD card as a backup.

In addition to the high-resolution picture quality and lack of reliance on cables, the other key advantage of an IP system is that it has a greater storage capacity.

This enables images to be kept for longer before they have to be overwritten, and means that – should an incident take place in view of your camera – you won’t have to worry about vital evidential footage going missing.

Struggling to decide which camera is right for you? We can help.

Head to our guide to the best business security cameras in the UK. SECOM’s IP camera system doesn’t make the list, but our experts have reviewed and rated ten different security cameras – all of which can boost your business’s peace of mind.

Intruder alarms

SECOM offers Grade 2 and Grade 3 intruder alarms. These are designed to protect business premises that have been classified by insurance agencies as facing a threat level of between medium and high risk.

SECOM’s intruder alarms pick up any movement around your property, or vibrations around your premises’s entry points. When activated, these devices emit a loud sound, accompanied by a flashing strobe light (the scary kind, not the disco variety) to scare off thieves and vandals.

SECOM’s Grade 3 intruder alarms also come with an intelligent anti-masking feature included as standard. This functionality means that – should any of your cameras or sensors become blocked or tampered with – the alarm will immediately be raised.

Visually verified alarm

SECOM’s wireless visually verified alarm functions how it says on the tin.

The camera is triggered when movement is detected. These images are then fed back to the trained experts in SECOM’s ARC (alarm receiving centre), who’ll take a look and – if there’s a threat present – ensure that any appropriate action is taken to quell it.

There’s no kind of telephone line or external power supply required, nor any cabling between components necessary.

This type of alarm – as well as being among the most affordable of SECOM’s business security solutions – is also one of the most low-maintenance. It’s best suited as a short-term solution, or where a more conventional intruder alarm isn’t as appropriate; such as construction sites, or vacant properties.

Fire safety solutions

Business security systems aren’t just about protecting your premises from thieves and vandals, but from the elements, too.

Thankfully, SECOM provides several tools – including fire alarms and extinguishers, as well as emergency lighting fittings – for safeguarding your building and employees against the devastating effects of fire.

As with SECOM’s intruder alarms, its fire alarms are backed up by 24/7 support from the trained professionals at the company’s ARC.

Fully integrated physical security

SECOM doesn’t advertise rates for its fire safety and physical security solutions on its website. We’d recommend enquiring directly with the company for a bespoke quote, or utilising our free quote-finding questionnaire for tailored UK security system rates and advice.

Access control

As your business grows, and your workforce becomes harder to keep track of, implementing effective access control practices at your office becomes increasingly vital.

Thankfully, SECOM’s solutions offer great value for businesses of all shapes and sizes, with feature-rich access control systems starting from just £550.

For a slightly larger outlay, SECOM’s video door entry system allows you to visually screen visitors to your business’s premises. It’s vandal-proof, too, while a two-way speech function allows you to converse through the device. Rates begin at £725.

SECOM also offers a fully-fledged visitor management system, with prices starting at £2,900. Targeted at enterprises in the education sector, it enables you to not only check your business’s visitors in, but print out a photo badge for them with speed and efficiency.

What are SECOM’s features and benefits?

✓ COVID-19 friendly approach to returning to work

Many businesses in the UK have had to adapt to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic – but far fewer have had to help other businesses adapt, too.

SECOM is one of them. Since the coronavirus began spreading, the company has introduced systems that enable you to monitor your premises’s capacity, as well as keep tabs on how many people are inside it at any given time.

Innovative technology also lets you screen your staff’s temperature before they enter the workspace, and enables you to communicate audio announcements to your staff and customers with ease.

✓ Formal accreditation by the industry’s leading bodies

When it comes to protecting your business, you’ll want the very finest experts the industry has to offer on your side.

In addition to 30 years of experience engineering bespoke security solutions for UK businesses, SECOM’s service is also widely accredited by all the bodies that matter.

That includes the NSI (National Security Inspectorate), which certifies SECOM’s ARC to ‘Gold’ standard. The company’s cabinet of accolades – which you can view in all its glory on SECOM’s website – also includes endorsements from the British Safety Council, RoSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents), and SafeContractor, among others.

✓ 24/7 protection for your premises

All SECOM’s dynamic security solutions – that includes intruder and fire alarms, as well as physical protection – come with the additional layer of safety that SECOM’s ARC provides.

An ARC (alarm receiving centre) is basically a big building, packed to the rafters with security experts. As soon as there’s a whiff of trouble at your property, alarm bells will (literally!) start ringing. SECOM’s staff will take a look, and – if it’s an animal, harmless passerby, or crisp packet floating along on the breeze – ignore it.

If it’s an intruder, however, the team springs into action, and will either dispatch a security specialist to your property, or alert the police immediately. They’re on hand around the clock, too – because burglars don’t go on holiday!

✓ Competitive, bespoke rates for your business

The security needs of UK businesses are rarely a ‘one size fits all’ kind of affair.

That’s why SECOM will put together a solution that’s tailored entirely to the unique demands of your business, premises, and industry.

Sure, there’s also a range of pre-built packages – which are ideal for giving you an early idea of how much you can expect to pay going forward – but the real value lies in investing in a flexible security setup that scales as your operations do.

How much does SECOM cost?

While SECOM will put together a bespoke rate to fit the specific needs of your budget and premises, it provides some rough guidelines for what you can expect to pay.

Visually verified intruder alarm packages start at £199, while rates for intruder alarms – both the wired and wireless varieties – begin at £795.

Prices for SECOM’s conventional CCTV systems start at £645, while IP systems – due to the more advanced technology involved – cost £945.

If you’re interested in one of SECOM’s access control packages, you can expect to pay at least £550, while the company’s video door entry technology costs a minimum of £725. With a starting price of £2,900, SECOM’s visitor management system is one of the security system supplier’s most expensive offerings, but trust us – you’ll get what you pay for!

SECOM doesn’t advertise rates for its fire safety or physical protection solutions online – you’ll have to get in touch with the company directly to request that information directly.

Alternatively, if you’d prefer to receive business security solution quotes and advice from a range of providers – all tailored to the unique needs of your business, of course – we can help.

Simply hit one of the buttons below to start our quick, quote-finding questionnaire. We’ll ask a few questions about the type of system you’re looking to implement – whether that involves alarms, CCTV, or access control – and the timeframe in which you need it installed by.

Our algorithm will then match you with one or more leading business security system suppliers in the UK – but only if they meet the exact requirements that you’ve specified. These providers will soon be in touch with free, no-obligation business security quotes and advice. 

It takes only a moment to get started, and your business just has to be based in the UK to be eligible.

Is SECOM right for my business?

Is SECOM right for you? Let’s delve into a couple of our common FAQs from business owners just like you to find out.

“I operate in the care industry. Is SECOM right for my business?”

SECOM offers several packages that are tailored to the extremely unique demands of the care industry.

Utilising GPS, geofencing, and the latest in wearable technology, SECOM provides security solutions for care homes, as well as CQC (Care Quality Commission)-compliant devices for nurses and clinical staff.

For public-facing staff not only in care homes – but in retail, hospital, mental health, and criminal justice environments, too – SECOM’s staff attack alarms provide even more peace of mind.

Cost-effective, easy to use, and with multiple display and notification options available, these alarms help you satisfy your duty of care to your staff. Moreover, they also demonstrate that business security shouldn’t start and end with your premises alone!

“I want to protect my lone workforce. Can SECOM help?”

Absolutely! SECOM’s breadth of capabilities aren’t limited to an office environment. Whether it’s a security guard working the graveyard shift, or a driver hauling goods across the length of the country, you have a responsibility to protect your lone workers.

It also goes without saying that this alarm is monitored around the clock, by one of the dedicated operators at SECOM’s ARC. With that kind of backup, your lone workers will be able to go to work every day (or night!) with full confidence in their safety – and that their employer cares about them!

“I want a complete workforce management solution. Is SECOM it?”

While SECOM excels in the range and scope of its security and access control solutions, it’s not a complete workforce management tool.

If you’re looking for something which is – that is, a setup which incorporates anti-theft, access control, and time and attendance resources – Stanley Security is your best bet. It employs a holistic approach to managing your staff and space, and is highly scalable to boot.

SECOM reviews: What do customers say?

SECOM has an outstanding Trustpilot score of 4.7/5, for a rating of ‘Excellent’.

That means that, from a total of the 1,089 SECOM reviews available on Trustpilot at the time of writing, 83% of them are five stars, or ‘Excellent’, An additional 9% of SECOM’s customers, meanwhile, award them four stars, or ‘Great’.

We dived into some of SECOM’s most recent reviews to get an idea of what the public are saying about it.

Spoiler alert: the quality of SECOM’s customer service comes up a lot.

“As always, [SECOM’s] courteous engineer was very mindful of social distancing, and completed our annual service in a timely manner.”

• Mrs Badowski, SECOM customer | 24th April, 2021

“The engineer was polite, knowledgeable and efficient. He was aware of COVID-19 safety protocols, and acted accordingly to keep everyone safe.”

• Kan, SECOM customer | 22nd April, 2021

“[SECOM’s] service was excellent as usual. The engineer arrived promptly, and the service was performed quickly and efficiently. I would recommend them to anyone.”

• Mr Tucker, SECOM customer | 17th April, 2021

Looking at some of SECOM’s less glowing reviews, several customers cite phone calls not being answered or returned, and having to chase the company to book in a routine service.

Here’s what one customer had to say about organising an appointment slot:

“SECOM’s service visits are efficient and thorough, and its engineers are technically proficient. I would give SECOM five stars, but the company does not provide accurate times of arrival for appointments, which means I’ve been waiting for an extended period to receive a service.”

• Neil, SECOM customer | 3rd February, 2021

There are few truly terrible reviews for SECOM, but the ones we’ve found tend to coalesce around contract cancellations, the inconsistency and unreliability of service visits, and being unable to nail down someone to speak to about an issue.

“Despite contacting SECOM at the beginning of December to try to cancel my contract, I’m still waiting for someone to reply to my messages. SECOM still sent an engineer out to service my alarm twice in the last month, without prior notice.”

• Louise, SECOM customer | 5th January, 2021

“We have always found the guys who service our system fine – but every year they arrive unannounced, without any prior appointment being made. Please get your act together!”.

• Mr Pryke, SECOM customer | 1st December, 2020

Ultimately, although there’s definitely room for improvement, SECOM’s reviews are still pretty excellent across the board.

Plus, any potential SECOM customer should take heart from the fact that the company has replied to all (yes, all) of its reviews on Trustpilot. This is a rarity – particularly in the world of big businesses – so it’s refreshing to see a company showcase such a demonstrable commitment to transparency and customer care.

For that reason, we recommend SECOM as a trusted business security system provider.

SECOM alternatives: What other providers should I consider?

Of course, SECOM may not be the exact right fit for your business – and, at this stage in your security system explorations, you’ll certainly want to keep an open mind as to what other providers are out there.

So what other providers are out there?

Our best SECOM alternatives are:

Verisure

Best SECOM alternative for its innovative, hi-tech anti-theft devices

To learn more about the kind of benefits that releasing an intruder-nullifying fog into your business’s premises can offer, explore our Verisure review.

Stanley Security

Best SECOM alternative for providing a complete workforce management solution

To find out how Stanley Security’s time and attendance hardware stacks up against the competition, check out our guide to the top 10 clocking-in systems for your business.

ADT

Best SECOM alternative for the quickest response times in the industry

To see how ADT weighs in against other systems of its ilk, dive into our list of the best business security systems in the UK.

Expert verdict

Okay, so SECOM may not boast the same lightning-quick response rates as ADT does. And – unlike Stanley Security – it doesn’t constitute a ‘silver bullet’ to all the pain points of managing an entire workforce and office space.

Plus, while it’s range of business security devices and packages are both robust and reliable, there’s nothing there that’ll set your heart on fire – at least not like Verisure’s impressive ZeroVision Fog Barrier does.

Despite all this, however, SECOM excels. Its superlative Trustpilot rating beats out those of all of its closest competitors, while its custom rates marry affordability with transparency. No matter where you’re at in your business’s growth journey, you can be confident that SECOM is not only a smart, safe security solution – but one that will scale with your business, too.

And remember, if you think SECOM might be for you – but would like to do just a bit more comparing before you commit – then we’d recommend taking advantage of our free quote-finding questionnaire.

Simply furnish us with a few details about your business’s security requirements, and we’ll match you with one or more of the UK’s leading providers. They’ll then be in touch, with no-obligation quotes and advice that are totally tailored to your enterprise’s needs. Happy researching!