Satisfaction with SIA licensing “hits record high” among employers

Satisfaction rates among individual licence applicants remained high at 89%, despite having fallen slightly from 91% in 2024. Similarly, the number of individual applicants who hold a favourable view of the SIA was also 89%.

The key drivers behind the high satisfaction levels include the simple and straightforward application process and the clear information provided about next steps, with the number of individual applicants having to contact the SIA during their application remaining consistent at around 30%.

This reflects the continued value of the guidance the SIA provides for its myriad customers through online ‘how to’ videos, website information and regular communications, all of which help to support customers through the licensing journey.

Employers particularly value the low effort required on their part and the timely responses from the SIA’s Business Support team. The 2022 redesign of the Business Support team as part of the SIA’s revised contact strategy has certainly generated impressive results over the years, with employer satisfaction rising in every survey since then.

Commitment to excellence

Iestyn David, head of licensing and service delivery at the SIA, commented: “It’s very pleasing to continue witnessing such high levels of satisfaction among our customers. We were not only able to maintain many of the high results from our last survey, but satisfaction among employers has also reached a record high. This is testament to the hard work of the SIA teams and our commitment to excellence as an organisation.”

David added: “We’ve continued to build on the feedback we receive from these surveys each year. To have maintained such strong results demonstrates that we’re prioritising the right areas, which is helping us continue to deliver a quality service for our customers.”

The survey was conducted back in June and July this year and involved 741 interviews with individuals who had recently applied for an SIA licence in addition to 59 interviews with employers who had recently submitted applications on behalf of their employees. The research measures customer satisfaction with the SIA’s online licence application service and management of customer contact.

The SIA commissioned the independent research as part of its commitment to understanding customer needs and continuously improving service delivery. The findings will continue to inform the private security industry regulator’s strategic planning and licensing delivery.