The silver bullet for our industry is not technology alone. It is in realising that technology requires people to create the differentiating factor.
This reality requires the industry to shift its focus from selling a product to providing exceptional service. Whilst our software-based artificial intelligence (AI) technology are the irreplaceable foundation, it is the superior service provided by dedicated service-oriented teams which will propel our industry into the future.
It is of great concern that many technology suppliers offer customers complete peace of mind and the total safety of their assets and people, often with no qualification.
Subsequently there are times that we have to face customers who are disappointed because, despite the “fool proof package” they bought, they had a crime related incident. They are annoyed because they were not given complete insight into the system’s capabilities and weaknesses and most importantly they feel that there was a breach of trust between themselves and the service provider.
Luckily there are ways in which we can fix the situation. We can start off by building mutually beneficial partnerships with our software providers so that, between us, we can study and understand the packages and systems inside out. As a result, we can provide clients with a realistic view of what they are buying and what the advantages and shortcomings are.
We also need keep focussed on staff training. Remote surveillance teams need to be highly specialised and this requires advanced training on the systems they monitor and operate. We need to upskill continuously to ensure that they have the right technical and interpersonal skills to drive a service culture.
Whilst there will still be false alarms, downtime and criminal incidents, clients will know that they have a security company who has their back. By managing client expectations with a highly specialised personal service, we can build lasting client relationships based on trust and truth.