News

A white paper published by the Managing Director of Hounslow based Magenta Security Services has proved a hit with businesses seeking advice on how to choose their security provider. In 2014, Abbey Petkar published a white paper offering advice on selecting a security provider. ‘Managing Your Security’ looked at the key criteria businesses should consider including licensing, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and customer service. And a year after it was first published, it is still being requested by organisations across […]

The use of zero hours contracts in the security industry has been condemned by Hounslow based Magenta Security. The subject of zero-hours contracts was a widely discussed topic in the recent UK General Election with Prime Minister David Cameron claiming there would be legislation to protect workers on these contracts. This legislation has since been described as ‘toothless’ by employment lawyers. Zero-hours contracts, or casual contracts, allow employers to hire staff with no guarantee of work. This effectively means employees […]

As thousands of people flock to the Royal Parks this summer Magenta Security issues a warning ahead of the summer months to people of the security risks they potentially face. Magenta Security Services has provided security services to the Royal Parks for many years having first been awarded the contract to provide guarding solutions to the nine parks by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) in 2007, 2009 and 2011 and 2013. To ensure personal security reaches high […]

A leading Hounslow based security provider has expressed its disappointment over the lack of Government action with the introduction of the SIA Business Licences.  Particularly its absence from the Queen’s Speech. Abbey Petkar, Managing Director of Magenta Security Services, believes it will be many more months before the legislation in bought into force due to the time it will take to push through Parliament. He says: “The security industry is an incredibly dynamic sector. But there are still underlying issues […]

A survey amongst Magenta’s clients showed 85% of respondents cited giving back to society and CSR as key issues and are more likely to work with a CSR focused supplier over one who doesn’t consider the issues as paramount. The results have helped us build a comprehensive CSR strategy which is now an integral part of our business. The strategy has helped create a business founded on sustainability, with initiatives ranging from a fleet of electric vehicles to charitable work. […]

Magenta Security has had the honour of providing security for The Royal Parks, the charity that runs London’s eight amazing parks, for many years. Having been first awarded the contract to provide guarding solutions to the eight parks by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) in 2007, and then again in 2009 and 2011. When appointing a security provider, the park’s managers looked at all areas of the potential suppliers’ business approach. One of the main reasons Magenta’s bid was […]

Watching the televised debates ahead of the UK general election often highlights real concerns for the British public and zero-hours contracts are thankfully on the agenda. For those that don’t necessarily understand zero-hours contracts they are essentially casual contracts allowing employers to hire staff with no guarantee of work. This effectively means employees work only when they are needed by employers, often at short notice with pay depending on how many hours they work. At Magenta Security we are firmly […]

The Government set up the Security Industry Authority (SIA) to regulate the security industry, which mandated that all security officers working in the industry must have a licence in order to work. Accreditation of individual guards went a long way to improving the reputation of the industry. But in my opinion, more needs to be done. One of the biggest issues since individual regulation was introduced has been the use of self-employed security guards. It became all too common to […]

Staff turnover in the security industry is generally high. There are many reasons for this but one of the biggest issues is the lack of training and development opportunities. At Magenta we manage to maintain figures that are far lower – about 12%.  Why, because we value and treat our staff with respect and provide them with the training they need to succeed. Security should no longer be regarded as a short term job – it is a career. In […]

Selecting a security company in London should go far beyond looking at how much it costs. But all too often overall price dominates the services that people opt for. The security industry is riddled with ‘cowboy’ firms and rogue operators. These companies take business away from legitimate businesses by undercutting costs yet they provide clients with sub-standard services. Too many times I have witnessed customers realise they have made a costly mistake by working with these companies. Customers choosing a […]