An advance is the planning work a close protection team does before the principal arrives anywhere. The team checks the routes, venues, hotels, vehicles and people involved, finds the problems early, and sets up the plan so the day runs on time and without surprises.
Most of the value of close protection is in that preparation. A good advance means the principal rarely sees the security team doing anything dramatic, because most of the risks were dealt with before they arrived. If you are booking protection for an executive, a board or a family, this guide explains what the advance covers, why it is worth paying for, and what you should expect to receive. For our wider service, see close protection.
The scope depends on the trip, but a typical advance covers:
The advance draws on the same thinking as a security vulnerability assessment: find the weak points first, then decide what to fix.
Anyone planning to cause harm, embarrass or simply hassle a principal chooses the time and place. An advance takes some of that choice away. It also does a lot of quiet, practical work that protects the principal’s time:
A well-run advance should make the principal’s day easier, not more restricted. If a security plan gets in the way of the principal’s business or family time, the advance has not been done well.
Not every movement needs the same depth of planning.
A simple advance suits a low-profile trip: a private residence in the country, a familiar office, a short visit with few moving parts. It might be a few phone calls, a route check and a conversation with the people at the destination.
A complex advance suits trips with several principals, several venues, public exposure, international travel or more than a couple of days. Large conferences, AGMs, roadshows and major public events usually need a dedicated advance team working days or weeks ahead, often two or more people so they can cover more ground.
The level is set by the risk assessment for the trip, not by habit. A short trip to a high-risk location can need more planning than a week at a familiar resort.
When you book protection, you should expect the advance to produce something you can see, even if it is short:
How it is delivered depends on the job and the time available. On short-notice tasks it may be a verbal brief and a one-page plan. What matters is that the team leader can show you the plan was made before the principal arrived.
The advance is only as good as the information behind it. The people who book protection (an executive assistant, chief of staff, family office manager or corporate security lead) help most by:
Protection teams are often the last people told about a change of plan. Putting them on the itinerary distribution list from the start avoids most of the problems an advance is meant to prevent.
It is the planning work a protection team does before the principal arrives: checking routes, venues, hotels, vehicles and contacts, and dealing with problems early so the visit runs safely and on time.
As early as the itinerary allows. Simple trips may need a day or less. Complex trips with several venues or international travel are best started days or weeks ahead.
Sometimes. On small jobs the team leader often does the advance. On larger or higher-risk trips a separate advance team works ahead of the detail.
Because it is real work done before the principal arrives, often in a different place. It is also where most of the risk is reduced, so it is usually the best value part of the job.
Usually a short one. Even a familiar trip benefits from confirming routes, timings, contacts and the nearest hospital.
Planning a visit, roadshow or trip? Talk to us about close protection for your executives or family. Call 1300 651 407 (within Australia) or +61 472 708 257 (24/7 and from overseas), or contact us.
