Private investigation firms can serve as useful resources for a wide variety of different people, organizations, and situations. But how should you choose the right one for you?
A lot of different factors will determine whether a firm is a good fit for your needs. Not every investigator will necessarily specialize in the same kind of client or have the right qualifications to handle your needs. Finding one that’s suited to your job will require you to know which factors to look at to evaluate a firm.
In this blog post, we’ll dive deeper into three of the most important of those factors, including the background and experience of the investigators at a firm you’re considering, the types of services they offer, and their credentials.
Who’s on their team?
An investigation firm is only as good as the investigators it’s composed of. That’s why step one of understanding whether a firm is a good fit for you is to determine whether the investigators you’d be working with have the right background for the tasks they’d be handling for you.
Many private investigators may come from a law enforcement background. This kind of experience reinforces many of the most important skills most investigators need to perform their work at a high level, including:
- Research and analysis
- Evidence organization
- Interviews and follow-up
Not every potential client is looking for a private investigator for matters related to a legal case, though. Some clients may want to perform as thorough of a background check as possible on a potential business associate or other relevant person ahead of a major deal or agreement.
In cases like this, investigators should also have industry-relevant experience to give them a solid understanding of what to look for and how to analyze data specific to the situation.
What kinds of services do they offer?
As not all investigators may necessarily specialize in the service area you’re looking to hire them for, not all may offer the kinds of services you need.
The broad strokes of what all private investigators do are roughly the same. The job involves gathering various types of evidence and reviewing files and records to offer insights relevant to your situation. The differences lie in how these general services are performed.
Not all investigators, for example, will offer a service like mitigation investigation assistance. This is a specialized kind of work focused on specific types of legal cases and not something that all potential clients will need. Before hiring an investigator, develop a solid understanding of what their firm actually does and whether they offer any specialized services that fit your needs.
What kinds of credentials and references can they provide?
Even if everything else seems to fit your needs, a PI firm should be able to offer certain credentials, references, and other details that mark them as a reliable service provider. Specifically, you should make sure they can show you the following before your hire them for a job:
- A private investigator license: Different states have different requirements for PI licensure, but it’s generally a better idea to choose a licensed investigator over an unlicensed one to ensure they’re following legal, professionally-accepted methods.
- Liability insurance: If anything happens to an investigator over the course of a job, liability insurance will keep you protected. You should ask a firm for proof of insurance before hiring them.
- Membership with professional organizations: Adherence to professional codes of conduct is an important thing to look for when choosing a firm. Membership and active participation in professional organizations is a helpful indicator of this.
Looking for a reliable private investigation firm to help with your legal case? Harris Investigations Inc. has the skills and experience to help. Get in touch with us now to learn more.