There are many situations where you may need to hire a private investigator. There are numerous private investigators in New York City, but you need to know which one is right for you. The last thing you want to do is spend a ton of money without reaping any of the benefits. There are several tips you should implement as you look through all your options.
See a PI License
The first thing you should ask a private investigator is to see a PI license. You can go online and see if the number is actually valid. In New York, a license proves the investigator has a minimum of three years of experience conducting investigative work. Investigators also qualify if they have at least 20 years serving as a New York fire marshal or police officer. Beau Dietl & Associates it a licensed private investigator in NYC.
Find a Full Review of Services
Finding information on a divorcing spouse and collecting evidence from an accident that took place on your property require two different approaches. Ideally, you will find a PI who specializes in several different fields. Some of the most essential services you need out of your private investigator include:
- Missing persons case
- Criminal defense investigation
- Litigation support
- Matrimonial case
- Theft
- Police liaison
- Social media investigation
- Latent fingerprints and fingerprint examination
- Forensic document examination
- Death investigation
- Polygraph testing
Look Into Experience
You want a PI who has been working for a while. An inexperienced investigator may be cheaper, but they may not have the know-how to get the job done.
Find a Fair Price
Hiring a private investigator should not be something to cheap out on. Ultimately, you get what you pay for. You should look at several investigators in your area and get a quote from each of them. It will give you a good sense of what a reasonable price is. If one of the quotes is vastly lower than the other, then it’s likely that their service is inferior.
Identify Positive Personality Traits
You should make sure the PI is a good match for you as far as personality. Here are the qualities any good investigator will have.
- Friendliness: A PI needs to be sociable to appear harmless to suspects under investigation.
- Creativity: There are various circumstances that will hinder an investigator’s ability to do the job. The PI should know how to get around these obstacles.
- Passion: Investigators should love what they do, even if it involves working late into the night.
- Persistence: Interviewing people, conducting surveillance and gathering evidence requires a lot of patience, so investigators cannot give up easily.
- Trustworthiness: You should be confident your PI will keep your information confidential.
Look at their Online Presence
A private investigation firm may need to be stealthy, but it should still have some kind of online presence. The company should have a standard website as well as social media profiles. The website should be professional-looking. You can easily tell when a company did not invest much time or money into the website, and that likely reflects the quality of work. You should look up reviews on Facebook, Yelp and Google. The company should take pride in maintaining a positive reputation with its clients.
Find Recommendations
An experienced investigator should have no problem putting you in touch with past clients who can speak to his or her work. Every PI will try to convince you they are the best, but past clients will be honest with you.
The private investigator you hire can drastically impact the results of your case. You never want to risk hiring an inferior investigator, so take your time finding the best one for your needs. You will end up spending a good deal of money on an investigator, so you want to make sure you get the best return on your investment. Beau Dietl & Associates is a professional private investigative firm in NYC. Contact us today to learn more.
