Following on with our series of blogs about the SIA Approved Contractor Scheme, Paul Ridden looks at how workforce management software can help support security companies to meet the different requirements of the accreditation. In this blog he reviews the area of Commercial Relationship Management, outlined in the criteria in section 3 of the guide.
Good commercial relationships are fundamental to any business success, whatever the industry. For the security sector understanding a client’s requirements, managing contractors and suppliers is essential to deliver the right services to meet the agreed contract.
The SIA handbook states that an approved contractor “promotes robust and transparent commercial relationships with its customers, consumers and suppliers, founded on mutual trust and respect.” While it is easy to make such a statement, breaking this down into actionable tasks and ways of working that deliver on the promise can be challenging. It requires systems and processes that can quantify and report transparently on the services delivered - and help to manage the customer relationship.
Managing suppliers to improve performance
The partnership that an organisation has with its suppliers, and how it can monitor current performance and highlight possible improvements, is specifically referred to in the guide (Criterion 3.1.2).
Drilling down into this section we have identified some key areas where workforce management software can be an indispensable tool to assist with managing contracts with suppliers. Using the software, you can store securely in one place all relevant documents required for service delivery (third party contracts, specifications, equipment and compliance checks, licences), and they are readily accessible when required.
You can build in flags and reminders for when contracts or licences require renewal, which ensures business continuity. Managing administration in this way helps build robust processes and enables easy reporting to ensure that supplier contracts meet the required standards. Nothing beats having everything that you use to deliver your services easily to hand in one place, it’s an efficient way of working that also helps compliance with industry regulations.
Responding to tenders
To win new customers for business growth a company also needs to respond quickly and accurately to tenders, detailed in section 3.2.2 of the SIA guide. Having the right evidence to demonstrate how your security company will manage and deliver services to meet a customer’s needs is vital. With the right systems and tools in place, you can confidently address the requirements set out in a tender document, whether that is cover for multiple sites, challenging locations, specific site access details or even seasonal workforce demands.
Industry experience shows that comprehensive workforce management software systems can support even the most rigorous of specification requests in a tender document. With resource planning tools helping you to demonstrate the depth and breadth of your national or regional coverage.
Automated Proof of Attendance capabilities mean that you know exactly where your security officers are 24/7 and what activities they are undertaking. It enables you to accurately record proof of shift times, and check calls, while mobile apps make it easy for officers to book on and off. Importantly, having accurate data of every security officer’s location in this way demonstrates a duty of care by ensuring the welfare and safety of officers.
As an example, Kestrel Guards was able to secure new business by demonstrating how using workforce management software would ensure that staff on duty at the customer’s site (in this case Tate St Ives) were looked after. This was a key part of the TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings, Protection of Employment) requested in the tender process.
As part of their tender submission and presentation Kestrel demonstrated how the use of workforce management by their control room and local management team would enhance and ensure effective and efficient service delivery to the Tate. Kestrel demonstrated the kind of reporting visibility customers would have and the safety net that they would be able to provide to the security team who were transferred under TUPE.
Customer relationship success
Workforce management software can also help support additional processes to differentiate service delivery for a customer’s specific needs (referred to in 3.3.1 of the SIA guide). Mobile patrols and static guarding requirements can be easily scheduled using a workforce management solution.
Workforce management software can help you to step up to the next level of service. You can create rosters that ensure only officers with the correct qualifications/certifications are scheduled for particular sites. Alarm responses can be covered, because the control room can easily identify which officer is closest to the site to be despatched. This not only ensures a rapid response with an appropriate officer, it does so at the most efficient cost.
Good customer relations rely on open communication. Keeping customers informed of service delivery, changes and issues can be managed with secure access to a customer portal. It ensures no last-minute surprises – or costs. Customers can see the services that have been delivered, queries can be raised and resolved, helping to reconcile invoices quickly.
Use of a portal can be extended to gather customer feedback and carry out satisfaction surveys. In this way you can satisfy the key points outlined in 3.3.2 of the guide, which suggests a complaints procedure is in place, or a way to enable regular customer opinion gathering is provided to review performance.
If you are currently working through the SIA Approved Contractor Scheme and would like to
discuss how SmartTask could support your business, call us or email on