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One Specialist series-Pt. 3

I have touched on this variation of protection but it is another version of the one specialist series. The Protective Driver specialist.

Often times we will be contracted to provide protection and drive as well. This is a very difficult tasking to say the least. Clients have become smarter when it comes to attempting to get what they want (Protection) and packaging it in a 2 for 1 deal. To save costs on a driver, whether it is a protective driver or a professional limo driver in addition to a protection specialist, they will ask for both in one person- a protective driver who does close-in work or in other words a protection specialist that also drives the protectee around.

The average EP company will take this deal without asking any questions and most Specialists will jump at the opportuntiy to work any detail at all. But in all the zeal, you are missing a very important factor – you can not do both without losing effectiveness. Before you sign the contract and get the job you need to intimate to the client what they get and what they don’t get.

Think about the simplest factor. You arrive at a schedules appointment. Upon arrival, under standard protocols the driver maintains control over the victor in the event there is a problem. Under the one specialist scenario where time is of the essence, you’ll have multiple tasks to do by yourself. Something as simple as arrivals and departures that may seem small, become major deals when you finally arrive or when you have to go retrieve the victor. Pre-planning with the protectee is a MUST. The questions you have to decide are:

  1. Do I do a drop and leave them alone while I park the car
  2. Do I take them with me to park and walk the CEO from the parking lot so that I don’t ever lose contact
  3. If I valet the vehicle has been tainted by an unknown until we get back in.
  4. How do I reverse the process upon departure

These factors need to be explained to the client on the front end before you agree to take the job. I am in no way advising you to say no to the job but you MUST have this talk to the client on the front end and make sure that whatever is decided, the protectee knows how the day will transpire. You definitely do not want to tick a CEO off by passing a building and taking him to the parking lot and have to walk a city block back to his meeting. Most of these corporate types expect front door service and really don’t know how we operate on the most finest details of protection.

Can this scenario be managed? Yes, but as I said it has to be discussed with the client before you meet the protectee. As you know, in 9 out 10 times you or the company will be discussing these issues with someone that was designated to procure the services for the protectee. In 10 out of 10 times they not only don’t know about security but don’t have an appreciation for what we do and how we do it. They just have another task that has to be completed.

The job of the one specialist is a daunting one and if you are not on your “A” game disaster, which is normally packaged as something you did or didn’t do will show its ugly face.

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