Introduction

It is a new COVID-19 world, and there is a need to evolve existing security operations to include remote options for the safety of personnel. Each country has different approaches for battling COVID-19, and is implementing protocols for businesses to follow if they want to continue operating. The security industry, due to its hands-on nature in the face of the pandemic, will need to make significant changes.

An effective tech solution can address many of the critical considerations. However, with over 60% of security operations in the APAC region still being conducted using pen and paper, as well as high costs involved in making the switch to the use of technology, resistance to change is high. Have you decided to take the necessary leap to remote operations? If so, understanding the possible pitfalls is important for navigating the transition. This article will discuss the most important considerations that you can expect to face, as well as ways to address any hurdles along the way.

Furthermore, finding the right technology is the key to transforming physical security operations. This article will provide a strong candidate that you can try for free.

Without The Luxury Of Time

COVID-19 provided an unquestionable reason to revamp security operations urgently. Changes have to be made quickly and decisively. Because of the nature of the pandemic, there’s no room for failure, especially when the health and safety of the security personnel are at stake. With no room for error, the technology platform needs to be secure and meticulously tested to ensure the safety of your personnel.

Businesses have to learn the nature of the disease and employ measures immediately. Governments have enforced measures for containing COVID-19, but business owners have to take their own share of responsibility to make the necessary changes to their operations.

More importantly, these changes have to happen as soon as possible.

Governance

Technology is key for establishing consistent communication lines. A smart tech solution allows managers to not only check in on security officers, but also track their locations. Remote security monitoring also acts as a safety net so as to ensure emergency response is sent to the security officer in distress.

As we learn more about COVID-19 over time, stable communication lines have become even more important. Security supervisors must have a way to update their team at a moment’s notice in case a development requires immediate action.

A platform that addresses governance of personnel also needs to be able to operate in low-bandwidth environments. Many places in the world do not have the best connectivity, yet they are not any less at risk. A technological platform for remote security operations needs to be able to operate in low-bandwidth environments. The nature of the industry requires maximum uptime to ensure the safety of the officers.

Unintentional Risk

In the context of COVID-19, the limitations of traditional pen and paper methods for keeping security records are becoming more apparent. If they were merely inefficient before, the analogue method needs to change for the safety of your personnel.

With the importance of physical distancing in any setting, security teams are also keeping as few personnel on-site as possible. Thus, security managers might not be available to check physical logbooks.

Updated visitor management protocols like temperature taking and visitor record-keeping for contact tracing are some of the additional steps for security personnel to go through. Negligence in keeping physical records might occur because they have more on their plate.

A digital solution is needed to keep track of security details and store them on the cloud, where managers can review them anytime, anywhere.

Employee Engagement

Security personnel remain a concern for HR departments. Part of HR’s role is to ensure the health and wellbeing of the guards, especially in their role as frontliners. A technological solution streamlines communication between security managers and their officers. Regular face-to-face reporting or briefings might not be as feasible to do in person, but these remain necessary for reinforcing company priorities and values, as well as means to check in on security personnel. While other services are available to facilitate video chats, the primary means for security supervisors to reach their officers and vice versa should work as a centralised hub so team efforts can be directed to priority matters immediately.

Access To Devices

Due to the digital aspect of remote operations, companies will need to provide officers with phones or some similar tech that will act as a medium for communication. This is a necessary expense, since the entire concept of remote operations relies on using technology to bridge the security officers with a central hub.

Security Risk Manager (SRM) is a cost-efficient suite of software that facilitates operations on mobile and desktop. It is subscription-based and will not hold the user to a predetermined time frame; they can start or halt the service as needed.

Closing Thoughts

The security industry is experiencing many changes in the face of COVID-19, and security guard management should be delegated sufficient resources for the safety of the security personnel themselves and the business as a whole. All considerations point towards a powerful and comprehensive digital solution that can be easily adopted by existing security personnel. Specifically, a suite of products that are designed to work seamlessly together, instead of individual modules. Adopting such a platform is proving to be a necessary investment if a business is to continue operations under the new normal.

Moreover, the right platform for transforming security operations from a cost center to a value hub is already out there. The technology to streamline your security operations using a cloud-based platform has been available for a while, but the potential benefits might have been outweighed by the costs until the crisis made the transition necessary.

Given that moving towards remote security operations is now integral to staying afloat in the new normal, it is up to you to find a platform that checks all of the boxes. Thankfully, such a solution is available to try for free. Security managers can explore the potential of tech-aided remote operations before making any huge investments. There is zero risk involved in doing a test run, with all the pressure of a global pandemic behind decisions that need to be made right away.