This is a good question and one that we encounter on a fairly regular basis. This has furthermore sparked many an interesting and lengthy discussion with a variety of different types of individuals, both within the corporate sphere and as a family man / woman.
Years of research have indicated that most property owners, either before or after a crime, are simply not aware of the best means in which to protect their properties and do not possess the relevant knowledge to make good decisions regarding their security. Too many have spent thousands upon thousands of rands on pricey equipment and installations only to find they have been hit again and these measures are ineffective and inadequate.
A part of this is due to the fact that other Security Companies offer an assessment of sorts for free or at a minimal fee to their clients. This is not a full Security Risk Assessment but merely a Product Assessment, meaning that not all risks are fully revealed to the client due to the fact that a product within in the limited inventory of the salesman will not be able to solve all the problems present. The goal of such an assessor is ultimately to make the end-user purchase or sign into a contract for specific security services, as this is where he / she makes his / her income and lines his / her pockets at the end of the day. This also results in the bigger picture being overlooked as the solutions regarding the security of the client are predetermined and this is usually done in regards to what the salesman thinks the client can comfortably afford. Moreover the scope of the client is not fully acknowledged or even taken into due consideration.
The independent Security Risk Assessor ensures that the client remains in total control and has all the necessary information to inform the Security Companies what they want and need rather than simply going along with what the Security Companies think is necessary. As all recommendations supplied by the assessor are generic and based on functionality and what is required within the individualistic Security Plan, the final decision as to what is actually purchased is completely in the hands of the client.