How to open a detective agency in five steps and earn 12 million rubles a year by checking contractors

Relevance of the business idea

The idea is suitable for those who are constantly active and curious, and do not want to sit still and be a cog in the system.
Despite the romantic flair surrounding the profession, private investigation is rarely fraught with danger. However, there is risk here too. The activity is attractive due to its versatility and the absence of any boss behind you. Ordinary people still do not trust government agencies; it is easier for them to trust a private person. Not every case can be addressed to the police - for example, surveillance on suspicion of treason, testing a potential business partner for honesty, and so on.

Detective services are in demand in large cities—more than a million residents.

Search for colleagues

Initially, you can work in a detective agency on your own, but when the flow of clients increases, you can hire 2-4 employees. Members of your family can become detectives, but specialists can also be hired from outside.

After the detective agency becomes successful, people who were previously employees of government security firms may start working for you. The wages of such workers must be decent, which will ensure a high level of service provision. At first, there is no need to expand your staff beyond four employees.

Costs and profits

Opening an agency with an office and employees will cost 270 thousand rubles. Income minus expenses and taxes will be from 50 thousand rubles and above - it all depends on the number and complexity of cases in the current month. The business will pay for itself in about six months.

Start-up costs: approximate calculation for Perm

Monthly costs

Where and how to settle?

You may not need to set up a large office at first unless you plan to hire other employees right away. The agency can be located in a small, cozy room in a fairly crowded place, preferably closer to the city center.

In the office you will receive clients and negotiate with them, so try to make the environment personable and respectable. You may have to make some repairs. It would be good if, in addition to the meeting room, there would also be a room or hall for waiting for clients. At the start, 15–20 square meters will be enough for you. m area.

For arrangement you will need:

• tables, chairs or armchairs;
• cabinets (to store client files, magazines and other working documents);
• reception desk (depending on the situation);
• a good computer or laptop with special software;
• Internet access and telephone line, several mobile numbers;
• printer, scanner and copier (possibly in one device), fax;
• high-quality equipment for filming (camera with a good long-range lens, video camera), voice recorder;
• safe.

All other special equipment: bugs, mini-cameras and other “spy” equipment can be purchased, but remember that using this is prohibited by law.

In some cases, you may need disguise clothing, special props or makeup. A fairly large expense item is car rental, as well as personal protective equipment (body armor).

Permits and documents

Business registration

Opening a private investigation agency is a strict procedure that requires a license. You need to register yourself as an individual entrepreneur. Even if the agency employs several detectives, your assistants, each will still require a separate license.

The tax system is simplified, OKVED indicate 80 - Security and investigation activities.

List of documents for individual entrepreneur registration

• Application for state registration of an individual as an individual entrepreneur (form No. P21001)
• Copy of Russian passport
• Receipt for payment of state duty

List of documents for licensing

• Taxpayer Certificate
• Certificate of assignment of OGRNIP
• Extract from the Unified State Register of Individual Entrepreneurs
• Work book, Russian passport, TIN - copies and original to certify
• Medical certificate - according to form No. 046-1, copy and original
• Diploma of complete higher legal education - copy and original
• If there is no diploma, then a copy of the standard certificate of completion of detective courses
• Receipt for payment of the state fee for a detective license

A license is issued if the applicant meets one of the criteria:

• At least 3 years of experience working in law enforcement agencies
• Completed higher legal education
• Completed detective training courses

The license is issued for a period of 5 years by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. To speed up the process, you can contact special companies that help in obtaining.

Refusal to issue a license

Before opening a detective agency, you need to study the factors that may lead to refusal. Among the main ones:

1. If you are under 21 years old.
2. If you suffer from alcoholism, use drugs, or have mental disorders.
3. There was a previous conviction for committing a crime.
4. Dismissal from law enforcement agencies and other public service “under the article,” that is, for all sorts of discrediting circumstances.

Also, those employees who left service in the Ministry of Internal Affairs less than a year ago may be denied a license to conduct detective activities.

Selecting a room

While the license is issued, you have two months to find premises and employees. Choose an office location in a busy area with accessible transport links, but not necessarily in the very center - wherever is more convenient for you.

Small but high-quality office, just what you need

The office area is from 20 square meters. Typical requirements: compliance with fire safety, SNIPs. Provide a comfortable place for visitors, equip the office with computer equipment.

How to introduce yourself?

After opening an agency, the first serious problem is finding clients. Since no one knows about you yet, it may not be easy for you, because a reputation in this business, like in any other, needs to be developed. It is difficult to advertise yourself through public and well-known means, because you (and your employees) should not be known by sight to the general public: how will you then infiltrate or quietly collect information?

You can create a website on the Internet and thematic groups on social networks, which simply describe the types of services provided.

Of course, your best advertising will be word of mouth from satisfied customers.

Equipment

Registration

Today, in Russia, a detective agency is classified as a small business, and since the profit of this business is unstable, it is better to register a detective agency as an individual entrepreneur and choose a simplified taxation scheme for a detective agency. This business allows this because virtually no accounting transactions take place during the year. Moreover, the activity of fulfilling a client order is either not documented at all, or is carried out as a completely different job.

Well, how to declare the completion of work on the illegal extraction of information about a competing organization, and if you also describe all the actions performed step by step, then for carrying out just one order, each of the detective agency staff faces at least 5 years of imprisonment. And who will control the final amount of the detective agency's fee if a satisfied customer, instead of the promised 200,000 rubles, can pay 350,000 rubles for a job well done! Therefore, the actual amount of taxes often does not reach 3% of the total profit.

Staff

A private investigator can work alone, then he is responsible for absolutely all tasks related to conducting any cases. Establish surveillance, collect information, conduct an examination, accept clients, enter into an agreement and submit reports to the tax office about your income. Whether to hire help depends on budget, experience, and other factors.

In the beginning, many work independently, later opening an agency. Let's consider the option of renting an office. For a full-fledged team you will need:

• Secretary (office manager) - 20'000 ₽
• Legal consultant - 30'000 ₽
• Economist — 30'000 ₽
• Total — 80'000 ₽

A lawyer and an economist are needed to provide advice on legal cases and business matters, respectively. If possible, select specialists with experience and recommendations. At the initial stage, you can limit yourself to a secretary or one legal assistant.

With a good lawyer on staff, the flow of people will constantly grow

If there are other detectives in your agency besides you, we do not reflect their salaries in the plan. To work as a detective, you need a license, and for it - an individual entrepreneur, so each of your partners receives income individually and personally reports to the tax office.

Detective agency business plan

When drawing up a business plan, it is worth taking into account all the slightest nuances so that your business does not fail at the very beginning of its activities. To open your own agency, you need to have a relatively small amount of money, most of which (almost 70%) is returned to you in the first year of work, agency owners say. To get started, 10 thousand dollars is enough. Basically, you will have to spend money on expensive equipment - high-quality voice recorders, cameras, cameras, micro-cameras, cameras with long-range lenses.

To provide employees with optimal working conditions (for example, during outdoor surveillance), they need to be equipped with cars, which will also require considerable investment. In some cases, employees need protective equipment while performing tasks - gas cartridges, and even body armor.

How to advertise a business

The following advertising is suitable for a detective agency:

• Classic ATL advertising: local television, radio, newspapers, magazines
• Placing advertisements on thematic and city forums: legal, communities of various interests
• Announcements at bus stops, boards, poles

The target audience of a private detective is people who are disillusioned with law enforcement agencies. And also those who can only address a problem to a private person - checking a spouse’s fidelity, for example. On the one hand, the services are delicate, on the other hand, they also need to be advertised.

A website is a good way out of the situation. Order a small, laconic landing page and prepare it for optimization. Post a price list, contacts, cases - without mentioning the heroes of the stories, of course. You can enter into an agreement with an online agency, a freelance programmer, or hire a person on staff.

Take anonymous reviews from clients: it’s easy for them, but it’s pleasant for you and works for your reputation. Grow your business by attracting new lawyers with their client base - and get a return on your business in the form of profit and fame outside the city.

Market analysis and relevance

This type of activity is very specific, and making money will not be as easy as it seems at first glance. The relevance of opening a detective agency is that this type of business has good profitability, with relatively low competition. Setting up a business will not require large investments, and the income will be very impressive.

Little competition is characterized by the fact that today there are quite a few professionals working in this field.

Detective agencies are often opened by former internal affairs officers. Indeed, such people can carry out their work professionally and effectively, without going beyond the current legislation.

Detective agencies cooperate with law enforcement agencies and judicial authorities. With good connections, you can easily find out the information you are interested in or the results of examinations. People most often turn to private investigators with problems such as:

• searches for missing persons;
• identifying the fact of treason;
• checking the reliability of business partners;
• search for stolen property, etc.

How much does a detective's job cost?

The work will almost always be with reputable clients who will be able to pay the cost of services. Currently, every organization that is seriously involved in business presents a clear plan and price list for services. Very often, at the request of the client and for a fee, the detective speeds up the investigation process. Here is an approximate price list (minimum prices are indicated):

• Surveillance of clients in Russia – 1000 rubles per hour;
• Detection of adultery – 30,000 rubles;
• Video shooting – 5000 rubles;
• Photography – 5000 rubles.

Some tips

In our country, the services of detective and security agencies are very widely used.

1. You can open a detective agency alone and not hire employees, but you need to obtain special permission to do so.
2. Upon receipt of a license, a detective does not receive any permission to carry weapons. For self-defense, you can use a gas spray, but also only in cases where life is in danger.
3. Detectives can search not only for missing people, but also for cars, animals, and so on. It depends on what the client wants.

Any business requires certain efforts and investments of funds - no entrepreneur can do without it. To run a business professionally, you should draw up a business plan and use it to track your actions in order to go in the right direction.

Agency premises and location

Business plan for a detective agency
The office of a detective agency should be located and arranged in such a way that a client who comes to see the manager to solve problems will be predisposed to it. Geographically, the agency premises can be located both in the central part of the city and on its outskirts. At the same time, due to the specifics of the organization, a certain secrecy is desirable: if the entrance to the organization is located on a busy street, potential clients will not dare to visit it, for fear of being noticed. In addition, an organization's location that is too visible may attract unnecessary attention from government agencies.

The office can be of medium size. The main thing about it is convenience, a businesslike and presentable appearance. In this case, the client will be able to relax and have a frank conversation.

All negotiations are formalized by drawing up an agreement with the task and requirements specified in it. The contract stipulates the conditions that both parties undertake to fulfill.

Here in the office, meetings with customers are held and conversations are held about the work done. Therefore, immediately when opening an agency, you should take care of creating the appropriate atmosphere: it is imperative to have comfortable furniture in sufficient quantity to receive several visitors. The manager will need a workplace, a computer and office equipment, a closet for storing necessary things and materials and other equipment.

Many aspiring private detectives decide not to rent an office at first, working from home and meeting with clients on neutral territory. This method is possible mainly if the founder of the company is actually its only employee. If you have even a small staff, it is worth opening a full-fledged office, subsequently expanding it.

Equipment for the work of a detective agency is a separate important point of the plan. To complete orders and obtain accurate information, as well as its confirmation, you will need:

1. — professional photo and video cameras. This technique should allow taking pictures and video recording at a considerable distance, in adverse weather conditions and poor lighting, without fixing the subject;
2. — a computer with special programs for processing and studying footage. You will also need a color printer to print photos and, possibly, some additional equipment;
3. - specialized equipment for surveillance and eavesdropping - listening devices, miniature video cameras, etc. The sale of most of these devices is prohibited in Russia, so you will have to look for them on foreign websites.

At the first stages, you can purchase a small amount of equipment and machinery, then, when more orders arrive, expand the arsenal. The purchase of a safe will be required. A 24-hour alarm system is also required.

Prohibitions

But we would like to immediately emphasize so that you do not get confused: detectives do not have the same rights as law enforcement officers. They are deprived of many privileges available to the police. All that a detective is allowed to do is take photos and videos and, in some cases, look for witnesses. When searching for information, the law prohibits wiretapping phones, installing hidden video cameras on private property, special professional equipment, and much more.

Entrepreneurs who have already made money in this business admit that clients are different. To satisfy the requests of some, information collected legally is sufficient. However, there are often cases when the client wants more, and then you have to resort to tricks and break the rules. Naturally, the cost of such services increases several times. Among detective agencies there is a rule according to which evidence collected illegally is only shown to the client and immediately destroyed. They are never handed over to the client.