December 23, 2015, 4:00 PM
Here’s the thing: 9 times out of 10 implementing guard management software is really beneficial for a business. But there was one time when guard management software wasn’t the best solution for one of our clients.
You Think You Need Guard Management Software When … The Client is Ready to Terminate
A client called and said, “We need guard management software because the customer is questioning whether we are doing the job.”
So we visited the customer and did a demo. We showed how GPS was integrated in the guard management software and we could use a QR code at each checkpoint. We set up task assignments and memos with complete instructions for the guard. As long as the officer was doing what he was supposed to do, everything would show up fine. And the customer, who had been ready to terminate, said he would stay on because he liked the software as a management tool.
Guard Management Software Won’t Help When … You Don’t Care Whether Guards Do Their Jobs
Unfortunately, what showed up when we implemented the software was that the guards weren’t doing their jobs. We got really hands on at that point supervising the guards. But the guards knew there was no accountability within their company, and they just didn’t care.
So then our customer came back to us complaining: “Before I had Silvertrac, the client never knew what we were or weren’t doing.”
“But the client was going to terminate,” we said. “They knew.”
And ironically, they lost the contract to another one of our clients who uses the software. So ultimately, it wasn’t guard management software that ruined the business.
Here’s the thing. If you need to keep customers in the dark to retain clients, then you're a firm that shouldn't use guard management software. In your case, it will ruin your business, because it will show that the guards aren’t doing their jobs.
Guard Management Software Works When … Your Company is Ready to Show Off Great Work
Guard management software provides some transparency. Companies that do a great job get recognized for it. I love hearing that a company that started with one property has won the whole portfolio, or that a local company is going after a multimillion-dollar HOA contract because they are able to use reports to show what a good job they do.
If your guards aren’t doing their jobs, you still need guard management software. Just don’t take it to your clients. Use it yourself to supervise better right from your own computer. Get your own business better first, then you can let your clients see it.
Even a good company can tune up its services with guard management software in response to specific customer concerns. For example, if you learn that the customer is concerned about afterhours pool use, you might gather data about who is using pools after hours and what hours they’re there. That lets you manage afterhours use without having to lock 40 pools at 40 sites at the same hour, which you can’t do within your staff count.
Guard management software gives more visibility into your operations, the tools you need to improve your operations which contributes to growth.
