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Checklist for Success: Four Things to Consider When Selecting a Security Workforce Management Solution

Smooth operational processes and a reliable workforce are the main pillars of every security company. With high client expectations, a rapidly changing threat landscape, and the labour-intensive nature of the business, it’s never been more important to automate your processes.

Thankfully, several security workforce management tools have emerged to support operations. Having a transparent and accessible tool for monitoring and coordination keeps you and your teams focused and motivated to perform to their fullest potential.

We know that choosing among different software solutions can be a time-consuming process. To help ease your mind and make an informed decision, here’s a checklist of four crucial aspects to consider when selecting the right security workforce management solution for your company. 

1. Your company’s specific business and security needs

Different security workforce management solutions can help you address different business needs. Determine what your company needs are, and see if the solution you are considering can fulfil your requirements:

  • I need to plan and track security presence to conform to client expectations and industry compliance
    The solution should have features that can facilitate the monitoring of guard patrols in real-time. As a cloud-based software, it should continually capture data, serving as a reliable paper trail for investigations and providing insights to help plan new security strategies. It should provide automated guard tracking to document handover processes.
  • I need to prevent discrepancies on attendance and patrol assignments
    The solution should expedite guards’ attendance tracking by recording their credentials and timestamps conveniently on a mobile app. It should allow you to assign QR codes on several checkpoints, which can then be scanned by the guards using their mobile app.
  • I need to provide auditable, real-time reports to clients
    The solution should automate the reporting process, so that critical information is made accessible to you and your clients. Transparent reporting maintains the accountability, integrity and reliability of your security team.
  • I need to improve security guard productivity and retention
    The solution should equip security guards with the tools they need to boost their performance in the workplace, increasing their chances of retention and recognition within the organisation. 
  • I need to unload administrative work from managers so they can handle new clients
    The solution’s dashboard feature should accelerate coordination and manual reporting, so that managers can be efficient even while overseeing multiple remote operations. 
  • I need to record and track qualifications of security guards so I can assign the right personnel for the task
    The solution should allow for a comprehensive database, so that it’s easier for you to select and assign security guards with specific skill sets or qualifications to different tasks.
  • I need to monitor handover of crucial assets such as firearms and vehicles
    The solution should augment the handover process by recording proof of turnover in a centralised database, thus ensuring accountability over these assets.

2. Enhanced functionalities that would be advantageous to your company

Some security workforce management solutions provide enhanced functionalities which would be a plus for your company. These include:

  • Mobile access and location-based tracking features that enable upper management to manage several security teams around the clock. 
  • A comprehensive dashboard that offers different but relevant views for different managers. Dashboard reporting promotes accountability within the company while safeguarding sensitive information accordingly. 
  • Apps designed for different personnel roles within the security team: on-site patrol guards, mobile patrol guards and emergency responders.
  • Management-focused reporting: enabling actionable insight and determining trends through detailed reports on incomplete patrols, emergencies resolved, missing QR codes at checkpoints and the like.
  • A scalable application that caters to the number of sites or users.

3. Technology integration into your current operations

A good security workforce management software should ensure the following for seamless integration into your operations:

  • A user-friendly interface with command buttons or icons designed to serve the user’s purpose.
  • An application that operates on basic system requirements. If it’s a mobile-based app, it should be compatible with even older smartphone models. 
  • Saves data on the cloud, so all crucial stakeholders can always be in the loop.
  • Software instructions that are clearly understood even by those who are less technologically savvy, so it won’t be difficult to integrate into daily tasks.
  • Subscription packages that come with 24/7 support and onboarding to smoothen the integration process and guide the security team for optimal usage.

4. Testing the software before purchasing

The best way to learn whether the software is suitable is by experiencing it firsthand. While on the trial period, you need to experiment with its features and gauge if they are useful for operations. You should also test how well the software support team can address concerns or questions should the need arise. Determine if the software can deliver in a rapid environment where security threats can happen suddenly, and responses are needed immediately.

Final thoughts: Benefits of having a software solution

With a software solution, you can:

  • Automatically capture data, serving as a reliable paper trail for investigations
  • Derive insights to help plan new security strategies
  • Expedite guards’ attendance and job tracking
  • Provide auditable, real-time reporting to clients
  • Intelligently assign qualified personnel and equip them with the right tools
  • Accelerate coordination and manual reporting
  • Improve productivity and retention rate of security personnel
  • Augment the handover process of crucial assets

Security Risk Manager (SRM) offers a suite of rapid-response mobile and web applications to make your security operations smarter, enabling you to innovate for more efficient operations. Start a free trial today.

A 360-degree view on intelligent security – now on mobile and web

Now that you’ve seen what Security Risk Manager (SRM) can do, why not try it for yourself?

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Leslie Tan

Chief Operating Officer

Leslie Tan has held numerous senior positions within product, sales, business development, marketing, and operational teams, spanning a range of industries and in various locations across Asia Pacific.

He has an in-depth understanding of all the strategic and operations functions of a business, including how to develop a group of individuals into a highly productive, unified team.

Before joining Software Risk, Leslie worked for leading global technology and consumer brands and also owned and operated several other businesses.

As COO of Software Risk, Leslie has a broad set of responsibilities—from partnering with the CEO and management team to develop and execute strategic business initiatives, overseeing the day-to-day operations of the business, ensuring compliance with corporate governance, policies and processes, as well as taking a hands-on role in driving all aspects of products/services go-to-market and their performance.

A born and bred Singaporean, with a global mindset, Leslie is a firm believer of the importance of establishing a first-hand understanding of a client’s business to understand their key concerns and objectives and then provide them with a solution to those needs.

Dr Dennis

Chief Technology Officer

With both an undergraduate degree and doctorate in computer science, followed by 10 years of experience as a software engineer and solutions architect, Dennis brings a unique combination of research, teaching, and software engineering expertise to the Software Risk team.

He has worked on both large and small-scale projects and products, as well as consulting to the Australian Department of Defence on intelligence analysis.

Dennis’ passion for technology and solving problems, combined with his qualifications and professional experience, enable him to quickly identify how technology can solve a problem, rather than always relying on people.

He works with his team to develop smart tools that do not rely on language or technical know-how, ensuring accessibility and ease of use.

Dennis and his team of Software Risk software engineers are skilled at assessing client requirements, researching suitable technologies, designing solutions, and developing products.

With a focus on quality, security, and privacy, Dennis’ technology team ensures rigorous testing and evaluation of the features and design before delivering them to market. This commitment provides clients with the certainty that they are investing in a robust and fit-for-purpose product.

Ian Stewart

Founder
(Member of ASIS International)

Software Risk’s Founder, Ian Stewart has a wealth of experience in international executive, strategic, and operational roles across commercial and government sectors. In particular, Ian has spent:

  • Close to ten years working in risk management—including six years at a risk management and security company, providing boutique risk solutions in one of the most demanding operating environments in the world;
  • 20 years in the Australian Army; and
  • 2 years in the Australian Police Force.

Consequently, he brings significant industry experience and unique expertise to his role as Software Risk’s Founder. Ian has an innate understanding of his clients’ commercial business drivers as well as the logistics and specific demands involved in providing security operations.

It is this experience and understanding that drives his vision of using technology to keep people safe for Security Risk Manager (SRM); providing security companies and in-house security teams with an innovative, effective, and cost-efficient solution to the management of their operational needs.