Want to upgrade your business systems but too busy?
Running a security business often means wearing many hats overseeing operations, finance and sales. Your staff have to react to different demands – from sorting out a customer invoice query, arranging for a last minute roster change to accommodate an officer calling in sick, responding to alarm calls, or carrying out check calls to officers on a night shift. Not to mention sorting out the paper jam on the photocopier which always seems to happen when you do the monthly payroll.
If this all sounds familiar, then upgrading your systems is probably the last thing you feel you have time for.
Invest for success
Making time to invest in new software to run your business could give you significant time – and savings - back. Automating processes and using electronic forms to design rosters, send runsheets to officers, and calculate holiday and sickness for the payroll helps to reduce errors. With the reduction in time spent on paperwork alone and you will quickly reap the benefits from the efficiencies gained.
Workforce management software can help you streamline many of those onerous tasks that take up your day – freeing you up to concentrate on growing the business. Making time to deploy an easy to use system for staff will help day to day operations run more efficiently and deliver a fast return on your investment.
Reduce admin, improve cashflow and win more business
Here are just a few examples where workforce management software has helped security companies gain efficiencies and new business.
County Security has streamlined its back office operations and improved services to customers. Using a workforce management app to manage mobile operations and client reports saves the company over 730 admin hours per year (100 working days).
“We chose SmartTask as it could support rostering, check calls, control room, mobile services and any ad hoc work. Its usability was a big plus for our back office team and our staff on the ground.” Said Sam Noble, Director of Security at County Security
1st Choice Security is saving 5 hours on 8 hour shifts by automating night-time check calls. Previously a round of check calls during a night shift took around 40 minutes, conducted manually every hour (sometimes every half-hour). Now, check calls take just five minutes a round allowing controllers to focus on other proactive activities, such as monitoring CCTV installations.
At Guardsman Security they have replaced paper-based processes for timesheets resulting in faster reconciliation and billing for customers, reducing the invoicing cycle by 2-3 days, which has improved cashflow. Guards clock in and out electronically, ensuring accurate records of hours worked. Staff are compensated accurately for their hours worked and there has been a marked reduction in payroll queries.
Sounds good but don’t know where to start? Five top tips to help smooth your upgrade path
At SmartTask we have helped many customers transform their business with our workforce management software. Here’s a few tips to smooth the way forward:
- Make a commitment – taking the plunge with new systems isn’t easy, but if you plan your upgrade and communicate well to staff in advance (and try not to reschedule) you will make great progress.
- Focus on the benefits – make sure you continually review why you are upgrading and what the outcomes will be. There will, of course, be some challenges, but if you accept these as part of the journey and focus on the end goals it will be much easier.
- Look for a quick win – find a positive benefit that will get staff on side quickly. For example, making it easy for officers to view rosters on their phone, helping them to manage work and home commitments. Once staff have bought into the new system, they will be more positive about making an effort to get the most out of the solution.
- Be open minded to different ways of working. Listen to your vendor who has a lot of experience - sometimes a fresh outlook can really help.
- Take advantage of the training offered – after all, you don’t know what you don’t know.
If you think you are ready to work smarter with automated systems to manage your operations, call us today for a chat.