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When sisters Gemma Moses and Rebecca Rees-Jones, pictured above, started their own security company in 2014, they knew they had something different to offer.
Both had previously worked in the security sector, Gemma as a High Court enforcement officer and Rebecca started out as an apprentice administrator.
They decided to set out on their own, believing they could provide a quality of service that wasn’t always available in their industry.
What sets RGM Security apart from other firms in the sector?
Since 2014, RGM Security has operated in Swansea. They provide specialist security services, guarding businesses and other sites in South Wales and the South West.
Gemma said: “People are often quite surprised at what we do, because we’re females in a male-intensive industry. What sets us apart from other firms in the sector is that we are very focused on delivering for our customers and our staff. We were never particularly financially driven. Our priority is to provide an excellent service for our customers and to be good employers for our team.”
Rebecca agreed that in an industry that can be quite set in its ways, there was an opportunity for a firm to come in with a fresh approach.
We have strong family values and that runs through everything we do. We’ve even walked away from contracts where we felt the clients’ values didn’t align with our own.
Rebecca Rees-Jones, RGM Security co-founder
“We want to exceed our clients’ expectations every time and look after our staff,” Rebecca adds. “We have strong family values and that runs through everything we do. We’ve even walked away from contracts where we felt the clients’ values didn’t align with our own. That’s paid off, because we started out with just one contract and six members of staff, and we’ve been growing organically ever since, largely because our reputation has spread through word of mouth.”
How working with Lloyds has helped the business
The sisters credit Lloyds with backing their vision for the business. This includes providing an Invoice Finance facility, which can provide early access to up to 90% of money owed in unpaid invoices.
That has strengthened day-to-day cash flow, paying staff promptly in cases where invoice payment terms may be as long as 60 days. And it works to boost working capital, so RGM has the capacity to bid for bigger contracts and keep growing.
The relationship with Lloyds has also helped Gemma and Rebecca take delivery of two electric vehicles this year, through Lloyds’ partners Lex Autolease and DriveElectric.
“We didn’t have the best experience with our previous bank, so we moved to Lloyds and they were awesome,” Gemma added. “We were a small business, not turning over very much and we needed all the help we could get, but nothing was too much trouble. Lloyds gave us the support we needed and there was that trust there, on both sides of the relationship. It’s been a great experience working with Lloyds.”
Lloyds gave us the support we needed and there was that trust there, on both sides of the relationship. It’s been a great experience working with Lloyds.
Gemma Moses, RGM Security co-founder
The business has shunned door work and event security in favour of static guarding for clients in sectors including education, defence, local authorities and charities providing housing for homeless people and even Ukrainian refugees. As a result, in 2023 RGM was recognised by His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of West Glamorgan for its valuable contribution to the care and support of Ukrainian refugees and for making a positive difference to their lives.
Rebecca said: “Some of the work we do, especially working with people who have experienced homelessness, can be very challenging, so we work really hard to make sure we’ve got the right person for the role with the right temperament. Staff retention is something that we’ve had to put our soul into because in this industry, you’ve got to have a bit of passion for what you do.”
Business expansion: what is next for this UK SME?
RGM’s reputation for reliability and integrity has proved to be a huge asset, resulting in winning prestigious clients including Rolex and sensitive contracts with the defence manufacturing sector and the Ministry of Defence. While growth so far has been purely organic, RGM is now considering acquisitions that could help it expand its geographical footprint. And Gemma and Rebecca are considering opening a third office in Bristol to support the firm’s expansion.
After starting out with a team of six and a single contract, today RGM has around 125 staff and a turnover of £2.5 million, with a target of achieving £4 million by 2027. That growth has been recognised by The Wales Fast Growth 50, which showcases the nation’s most rapidly expanding companies, in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
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