The verdict in three sentences
A UK security company managing 500 to 2,000 officers with spreadsheet rosters and paper occurrence books typically bills 3 to 5 % of hours it cannot prove, which feeds credit notes, service credits and lost contracts. Custom software at GBP 90,000 to 200,000, delivered in 4 to 6 months, combines rostering, geofenced mobile clock-in, NFC patrol tracking, digital occurrence books and billing. For a 1,200-officer company, the tool usually pays for itself within 5 to 9 months.
Why paper is expensive in manned guarding
In London, guarding clients are City banks, Canary Wharf headquarters, logistics hubs around Heathrow and Park Royal, construction sites and residential blocks. They increasingly demand evidence: officer arrival time, patrols actually completed, incidents logged. Without evidence, the operations director can neither dispute a service credit nor justify an invoice.
Paper also creates internal leaks: unfilled shifts, late reliefs, untracked overtime that distorts payroll, plus SIA licence expiries and BS 7858 vetting records that nobody checks in time.
| Indicator | Paper + spreadsheets | Custom software |
|---|---|---|
| Billed hours not delivered | 3 to 5 % | Under 1 % |
| Time to detect an uncovered post | 2 to 12 hours | 10 to 15 minutes (alert) |
| Patrols actually verified | Not measurable | 100 % time-stamped by NFC tag |
| Monthly invoicing preparation | 5 to 8 days | 1 day |
| Client service credits per month (1,000 officers) | 4 to 8 | 1 to 2 |
| Incident report sent to client | Next day, sometimes never | Real time with photo |
Scope and budget in GBP in 2026
The software includes rostering by site and shift (day, night, 12 h, 24 h), mobile clock-in with geofencing and a photo at shift start and end, patrol tracking by reading NFC tags along the route, a digital occurrence book with photo incidents, a client portal, SIA licence expiry alerts and billing calculated from hours actually delivered.
| Item | 2026 range (excl. VAT) | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Rostering + geofenced mobile clock-in | GBP 90,000 to 120,000 | 4 months |
| + NFC patrols and digital occurrence book | GBP 115,000 to 150,000 | 4 to 5 months |
| + billing, payroll export and SIA compliance | GBP 140,000 to 175,000 | 5 months |
| + client portal and 24/7 control room dashboard | GBP 165,000 to 200,000 | 6 months |
| Rugged outdoor NFC tag | GBP 2 to 5 each | Installed within days |
| Site phone (if officers do not use their own) | GBP 150 to 250 | One-off |
| Maintenance and hosting | GBP 15,000 to 30,000 a year | Ongoing |
These are 2026 order-of-magnitude estimates. Officer location data must be processed under UK GDPR, with a documented legitimate interest assessment and tracking limited to working hours.
Billed hours not delivered, in figures
Assumptions: 160 billed hours per officer per month, average charge rate GBP 24 per hour, 4 % of hours not delivered without software, 1 % with it.
| Headcount | Billed hours per month | Hours not delivered (4 %) | Annual exposed value | Residual exposure with software (1 %) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 officers | 80,000 h | 3,200 h | GBP 921,600 | GBP 230,400 |
| 750 officers | 120,000 h | 4,800 h | GBP 1,382,400 | GBP 345,600 |
| 1,000 officers | 160,000 h | 6,400 h | GBP 1,843,200 | GBP 460,800 |
| 1,500 officers | 240,000 h | 9,600 h | GBP 2,764,800 | GBP 691,200 |
| 2,000 officers | 320,000 h | 12,800 h | GBP 3,686,400 | GBP 921,600 |
This exposed value does not all turn into losses: part becomes credit notes, part service credits, the rest contract renewal risk.
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Mini case study
Daniel, operations director of a London guarding company, manages 1,200 officers across 150 sites, billing GBP 4,608,000 a month. He absorbs 6 service credits a month averaging GBP 2,500, or GBP 180,000 a year, and issues credit notes worth 1 % of revenue, or GBP 552,960. He invests GBP 140,000 in software, GBP 5,400 in 1,800 NFC tags at GBP 3, GBP 27,000 in 150 site phones and GBP 25,000 in maintenance: GBP 197,400 in year one. Outcome: service credits down 70 % (GBP 126,000), credit notes down 60 % (GBP 331,776) and two admin roles redeployed (GBP 76,000). Total gain: GBP 533,776, first-year net gain: GBP 336,376, payback in under 5 months.
FAQ
How much does security guard software cost in London in 2026?
Custom software costs GBP 90,000 to 200,000 excluding VAT depending on scope. Maintenance and hosting add GBP 15,000 to 30,000 a year.
How many NFC tags per site?
Plan 6 to 15 tags depending on site size and patrol route, at GBP 2 to 5 each. For 150 sites, the tag budget stays under GBP 12,000.
Can officers fake their clock-in?
Clock-in combines geofencing, a photo and server time-stamping, which makes fraud difficult. Equipped companies see unreported absences fall by 60 to 80 %.
Does it work when the signal drops?
Yes, clock-ins and NFC reads are stored offline and synced when coverage returns, which matters in basements and car parks. The time stamp keeps the real patrol time.
Can it handle SIA licence compliance?
Yes, each officer record stores licence number and expiry, with alerts 60 and 30 days ahead. An officer with an expired licence cannot be rostered.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your headcount, number of sites and current tools, and we will price a scope between GBP 90,000 and 200,000 with a 4 to 6 month plan. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
