Miscellaneous DESC

Kate

The Californian 2019 Q2 – 3 HIGH-VALUE QUALITIES OF LEADERSHIP YOU NEED NOW MORE THAN EVER

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3 HIGH-VALUE QUALITIES OF LEADERSHIP YOU NEED NOW MORE THAN EVER

Anne L. Laguzza, M.A., The Works Consulting

There are many contradictions about what leadership is and the qualities needed to be an effective leader. From below looking up, leadership appears to be a form of dictatorship.

One person presides over a larger group of people. That group must follow the directions of the leader or suffer the consequences.

True, healthy leadership doesn’t align with this structure. Instead, the framework for healthy leadership embodies three high-value qualities.

Leadership Defined:

The position or function of a leader, a person who guides or directs a group.

Notice how this definition does not say who is in charge nor does it mention title or rank. It does not mention serving authority, most skilled, loudest, tenured, or aggressive person. It only says the person who guides or directs the group.

This is great news because it means that a leader may present themselves anywhere in an organization. It also means that what matters most is the guidance a person provides not the title or pay grade they hold.

So what are the three high-value qualities embodied by someone skilled at guiding and directing others? How can you embrace them to level up your leadership ability?

High-value #1: Commitment.

With commitment, an individual knows that regardless of how they feel they will do what needs to get done. No matter what.

For example, think about a time when you committed to something significant and you didn’t want to let anyone down. You found reserves of energy, creativity, and resiliency you may not have known you had to fulfill your commitment.

High-value #2: Courage.

Courage because there will be conflicts that need immediate resolution. Conflict is inevitable and can be a healthy part of team development. Only a strong leader will face them head on to seek resolution.

Someone lacking courage will more often than not find a way to delegate, delay or defer. That of course is not leadership at all, even though it may occur more often than it should.

High-value #3: Discipline.

In today’s world discipline has become somewhat of a profane word. What comes to mind when hearing the word is either a drill sergeant or a parent disciplining a child.

While both examples make sense, the discipline of leadership is not punishment focused. Discipline is simple, do what is right not what is easy.

Discipline glues commitment to courage, for the purpose of attaining a meaningful end goal. This combination eliminates excuses and justifications leaving only the example of how to lead.

Commitment, courage, and discipline are also the high-value qualities that separate great from good. These powerful qualities take someone with mediocre skills and give them the ability to influence, guide, and achieve.

These high-value qualities are a powerful contradiction to what so many think leadership is. From those doing the ordering to those who accept those orders. Contrary to how it looks from the outside, leadership is not the many holding up the presiding few.

Leadership is the few who step up to uplift those they guide.

It is those who commit not quit. Who show courage not cowardice. Who choose discipline over comfort. Those are the ones showing the high-value qualities demanded of leadership now more than ever.

Anne Laguzza is the President of The Works Consulting. As a seasoned business executive with human resources management, leadership development, and performance coaching experience, Anne works with clients from a variety of industries to develop better systems, maximize employee productivity, and enable management to focus on business growth.

Prior to founding The Works Consulting in 2001, Anne served as the Regional Human Resources Director for a Fortune 500 distribution company where she led a merger transition team and was responsible for strategic planning, implementing new policies and procedures, workforce restructuring, compensation structures, and integrating the work cultures for over 600 employees.

In addition, Anne was formerly the Human Resources and Training Director for a start-up entertainment company where she organized and implemented a company-wide change management program that involved new company direction and strategic planning. Prior to her work in the entertainment industry, Anne served as the Regional Training Manager for a nationwide retailer where she developed and launched a multi-state training program for human resources managers as part of a corporate expansion project.

Anne earned her Master of Arts degree in Organizational Management from Antioch University, and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of California, Riverside. She is an active member of the Society of Human Resources Management, and is a board member for Harbor Interfaith Services and an advisory board member for Arthritis National Research Foundation. Anne has taught human resources and management courses at Long Beach City College and California State University, Dominguez Hills, and volunteers at non-profit organizations teaching interviewing skills to adults seeking re-entry into the workforce.

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Kate

The Californian 2019 Q2 – HEAT ILLNESS PREVENTION

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HEAT ILLNESS PREVENTION

Shaun Kelly, Tolman & Wiker, CALSAGA Preferred Broker

It’s that time of the year….not post tax season… Heat Illness Prevention season!

With the change in seasons comes the warmer weather and it is imperative (And required by Cal/OSHA) that all employers train their supervisors and employees on heat illness prevention. The safety of your employees is the responsibility of the employer and if an unfortunate event does occur, Cal/OSHA may  be investigating the event. If so, they will be asking if you have your Heat Illness Prevention Program in place. The investigation will include verification that you have provided training to your supervisors and employees.

A Cal/OSHA study identified the key role that employers play in preventing worker fatalities due to heat illness. The findings highlighted the value of training supervisors so that they can make the fullest use of their power to control safety on the job.

California Code of Regulations, Title 8, Section 3395 Heat Illness Prevention requires all employers to have a Heat Illness Prevention Program which includes the following:

Provide fresh/potable drinking water

Employers must provide employees with fresh, pure, and suitably cool water, free of charge. Enough water must be provided for each employee to drink at least one quart, or four 8-ounce glasses, per hour and the water must be located as close as practicable to the work area. Employers are also required to encourage employees to drink water frequently

Provide access to shade

When temperatures exceed 80 degrees, employees must be provided shade at all times in an area that is ventilated, cooled, or open to air and that is as close as practicable to the work area. There must be sufficient space provided in the shade to accommodate all employees taking rest. When temperatures do not exceed 80 degrees, employees must be provided timely access to shade upon request. Employees should be allowed and encouraged to take preventative cool-down rest as needed, for at least 5 minutes per rest needed.

Have high heat procedures in place

High heat procedures are required of agricultural employers when temperatures exceed 95 degrees. The procedures must provide for the maintenance of effective communication with supervisors at all times, observance of employees for symptoms of heat illness, procedures for calling for emergency medical services, reminders for employees to drink water, pre-shift meetings to review heat procedures and the encouragement of employees to drink plenty of water and take preventative cool-down rest as needed.

Agricultural employers must additionally ensure employees take, at a minimum, one 10-minute preventative cool-down rest period every two hours in periods of high heat.

Allow for acclimatization

New employees or those newly assigned to a high heat area must be closely observed for the first 14 days of their assignment. All employees must be observed for signs of heat illness during heat waves. A “heat wave” is any day where the temperature predicted is at least 80 degrees and 10 degrees higher than the average high daily temperature the preceding 5 days.

Train all employees regarding heat illness prevention

Employees must be trained regarding the risk factors of heat illness and the employers’ procedures and obligations for complying with the Cal/OSHA requirements for heat illness prevention. Supervisors must additionally be trained regarding their obligations under the heat illness prevention plan and how to monitor weather reports and how to respond to heat warnings.

Have emergency response procedures

Employers must have sufficient emergency response procedures to ensure employees exhibiting signs of heat illness are monitored and emergency medical services are called if necessary.

Have a Heat Illness Prevention Plan

Employers must have a written heat illness prevention plan that includes, at a minimum, the procedures for access to shade and water, high heat procedures, emergency response procedures, and acclimatization methods and procedures.

For your reference, linked is a sample of a Heat Illness Prevention Plan.

Shaun Kelly joined Tolman & Wiker Insurance Services in 2005.  He specializes in all lines of property and casualty insurance for industries including contract security firms, agriculture, construction, oil and gas. Shaun received a BS in Business Administration with a major in Finance from California State University in Fresno, California. He is an active member of several industry associations, including the Association CALSAGA, the Kern County Builders Exchange and the Independent Insurance Agents of Kern County. Shaun can be reached at 661-616-4700 or skelly@tolmanandwiker.com.

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Kate

The Californian 2019 Q1 – ALIANZA: BLAZING A TRAIL FOR Q BY TEAM SOFTWARE

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ALIANZA: BLAZING A TRAIL FOR Q BY TEAM SOFTWARE

Team Software Team

For small companies with distributed workforces, like the contract security industry, site level visibility, managing hourly staff and keeping communication lines open are key areas that can make or break the business. While spreadsheets, emails and texts can suffice for a while, those tools typically aren’t sustainable, growth-enabling or without complexity. For Alianza Security Professionals, a small, private security company based in Dallas, Texas, setting and delivering on high standards is the company’s competitive differentiator. By developing a distinct culture of service and accountability along with adopting security industry-focused technology solutions to support it, the up-and-coming company has gained a foothold in the Texas security market with 11 guards and more than 10 service locations.

Alianza uses Silvertrac’s guard touring solution combined with a new field workforce management toolset for small contractors called Q by TEAM Software. Q enables companies to direct, set and track the operations of their distributed workforce. As an always-on solution, Q helps manage and track productivity, open up communication and retain the employees who are making an impact. In other words, Q strongly aligns with Alianza’s strategic goals, supporting accountability in the field, more communication and, ultimately, better results.

“There are a few problems within the security industry, and they are massive. I know the pain points,” explained J.D. Torres, Alianza Principal and Founder. “Guards are asleep on the job or leaving the property. They don’t show up. They’re late, or don’t know when to show up.

“The biggest benefit of Q so far has been the scheduling piece and the ability for staff to clock in and out on site,” Torres continued. “It’s an accountability tool for them to know when they need to be on site, and I want to make sure my staff have the tools to be successful.”

A technology solution along with appropriate processes help boost the reliability and service quality of Alianza’s workforce. In addition, for Torres, simplicity is key along with a basic set of features, including the ability to communicate the schedule and see who is onsite and on time, in real time.

“The scheduling functionality is cut and dry and much simpler than the previous scheduling software I had been using,” Torres said. “Q really fits my needs right now, especially for my industry.”

With Q’s streamlined scheduling and time and attendance capabilities, Alianza can capitalize on its promise of accountability to customers. Plus, proactively managing the schedule benefits the company in many ways, including overtime prevention, better site coverage and accurate customer billing.

“This is the tool that we depend on, and I tell [our prospective customers] the value that it brings,” said Torres. “I put both Q and Silvertrac in my sales deck. I’m telling my clients what differentiates us in the market, and that’s accountability.”

Along with right-sized, industry-specific technology, Torres and partners back up their accountability promise to clients by building a culture around delivering on high expectations. According to Torres, that helps them win business when up against bigger, more established firms.

“It’s the difference between McDonald’s and Chick-Fil-A. The culture is different, and training is different, but price point is the same,” he said.

Torres explained that Alianza builds their culture and reputation through smart hiring practices, focusing on people eager to grow and pairing skills and experience with the right position.

“I have a different recruiting effort,” said Torres. “I’m not interested in someone who has worked a foot-patrol post for five years. Those people have figured out how to cut corners, and they aren’t interested in growing or moving up. I’d rather have someone who is new to the industry, and who understands what my expectations are.”

Torres and his team also see a need at sites for a bilingual workforce in the Dallas area to bridge communication gaps and ensure continuity among all services providers.

“We’re building a bilingual workforce because there’s a huge disconnect between janitorial contractors, day porter staff and the security staff due to language barriers,” he noted. “They’re handing off important things, like keys, and no one knows what the other is saying.”

Torres and his team have their fingers on the pulse of the security industry. That’s apparent through their approach to service as well as in their hiring practices. And, as an original beta  customer, Alianza has provided pivotal input and feedback on Q to ensure the solution serves the needs of the small market security contractor.

“It was a crazy kind of thing. We [at Alianza] were developing our security offering at the same time TEAM was developing the Q product,” Torres said. He also knew TEAM Software and had  used TEAM’s signature ERP software, WinTeam, before, too. So, there was a familiarity and natural alignment throughout the  beta experience.

“I felt like we had a partnership with TEAM right from the start,” he said. “TEAM seems like it’s a part of my company. That’s where the real value is. And, that’s who I want to be for my clients. I want to give them the kind of service that TEAM is giving us.”

 

About TEAM Software

TEAM Software develops financial, operations and workforce management solutions for contractors with distributed workforces of any size, with a focus on the building service

and security industries. TEAM’s efficiency-enhancing technology transforms business management and drives profitability. TEAM’s industry-specific solutions range from a complete enterprise software ecosystem to a right-sized workforce management toolset that connect key components of customers’ businesses. Founded in 1989, TEAM is an Omaha, Nebraska-based technology company with more than 400 customers all over North America. For more information, visit teamsoftware.com.

About Alianza Security Professionals

Alianza is a private security company licensed by the Texas Department of Public Safety, that provides integrated security, private investigation services and risk management services to corporate, individual and non-pro?t clients. Alianza leadership has been inside the industry for decades, have identi?ed the “pain points” in the industry and have worked tirelessly to separate themselves from the rest of the pack.  How? Through training, communication, coordination, execution and methodology. Visit alianzasecure.com to learn more.

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Kate

The Californian 2019 Q1 – HOW TO CUT OPERATING COSTS FOR SECURITY BUSINESSES

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HOW TO CUT OPERATING COSTS FOR SECURITY BUSINESSES

Mark Folmer, CPP, Msyl, TrackTik

When you run your own security business, there are several important investments that help you provide quality service to your clients such as training for security guards, uniforms and equipment. However, with modern management options, you can streamline your business, cut costs, deliver quality service and keep your security business profitable. Here’s how you can cut operating costs by 35% and increase profits for your security business:

Improve Service with Tracking and Data Analysis

Security companies live and die based on their ability to provide quality service to their clients. Tracking key field processes and using data analysis to improve your security performance is vital for lasting success in the security industry. By using software to track the location of security agents in real time, you’ll be better prepared to contact the nearest available operatives when additional support is needed. As you improve your team’s incident response time, client satisfaction will increase, allowing you to retain clients and gain valuable testimonials for attracting new business. Digital reporting software can also make it easier to analyze patrol and incident-related data. By matching tracking data with guard-uploaded incident pictures, video, and written comments in a digital database, it becomes significantly easier to review information so you can make informed decisions for streamlining your field operations.

Track Business Intelligence Data

Leveraging data isn’t just important for improving your team’s fieldwork. And while different security companies may value different KPIs (key performance indicators), there’s no denying that one of your top priorities should be to optimize operations and maximize your return on investment with each client. Investing in good business intelligence technology is essential for your success. With business intelligence tools and smart analytics, it becomes easier to identify common profitability pitfalls, such as inefficient employees, a high guard turnover rate, or client sites with costly overtime expenses. When your software can quickly match your accounting and scheduling data against your KPIs, it becomes easier to identify areas where change is needed. With business intelligence data at your fingertips, you can gain a better understanding of your business’s direct costs, anticipate staffing and coverage needs, and identify trends that could be hurting your profitability. With better data, you can make smarter budgeting decisions for the future.

Save Time by Streamlining Back Office Administration

Serious security business entails a large amount of documentation in the handling of your security agent workforce. That means a lot of time spent on administration and office work, covering everything from scheduling to payroll. If you can streamline these necessary processes, your team can spend less time on mundane day-to-day tasks and concentrate their efforts on delivering quality security service. When computer programs calculate, you gain efficient, controlled data that is automatically tracked and reported. Alternatively, modern scheduling software allows you to input important data regarding client needs, guard availability and certifications, reduce unbillable overtime, avoid costly errors, and other factors to automatically generate future schedules that match the right guards to the right clients, at the right site. Automating these and other similar processes will save you time and money by helping you avoid human error in schedules, payroll reports, and other documents. In addition, these reports will give you greater understanding and control over your office operations, helping you identify ways to allocate funds towards optimizing security operations. And you’ll be closer to your goals of faster, better service.

Go Paperless!

Do you have stacks of paper piling up in your office? Incident reports, contracts, invoices, schedules, and other paper documents can add up quickly. Not only do the costs of paper and other printing supplies add up over time; you’ve likely experienced the workflow issues of misplaced or lost documentation at least once (per week…). Modern back office management software allows you to replace paper reporting by digitally distributing important information to your clients, suppliers, and employees. These streamlined reports will ensure that vital information is never lost in a stack of papers so you can keep your clients happy–which is ultimately your best way to stay profitable. With digital reporting software, important information can be sent to clients and guards alike via email, text message, or push notification, creating a digital dialogue that is easily tracked and managed. As you digitally track your field operations, automate select tasks, and use intelligent data, you’ll be better equipped than ever to improve your security business operations and increase your profitability.

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Kate

The Californian 2019 Q1 – “WE DO WHAT OUT THERE?” HAVE YOU CONDUCTED YOUR POST SURVEYS YET?

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“WE DO WHAT OUT THERE?”

HAVE YOU CONDUCTED YOUR POST SURVEYS YET?

Barry A. Bradley, Esq., Bradley & Gmelich, CALSAGA Network Partner

The best way to defend your business when you are hit with a wage and hour lawsuit (whether by an individual, a class action, or a Private Attorneys General Act [PAGA] claim), is to have conducted a well-tailored post survey.  It is a tool that your account managers should implement to show that your company has gone through the mental and physical assessment of each post and shift to be compliant with the law.

In just a few minutes, a post survey will assist you in helping to determine such things as:

  • Are the officers able to be provided off-duty meal breaks?
  • If not, why not?
  • Are valid on-duty meal period consents and policies in place?
  • Are the officers taking their required rest breaks?
  • Are the rest breaks truly “off duty?”
  • Is there adequate seating in compliance with the Labor Code?
  • Is there heat illness prevention policies and procedures in place?
  • Is there potable water available?
  • In interviewing the officers, are there blind spots about which you weren’t even aware?

These are just a few of the questions that can be answered in a good survey.  Your particular situations will be different, depending upon the type of client you have and the type of security services offered.

If makes it much easier for your attorneys to defend you when we can pull out your completed site surveys to show that you made valid, good faith actions to comply with the law. In short, it makes us happy.  (And we know how you care about your attorney’s happiness – it brings you good karma!)

If you haven’t yet prepared or updated your specific policies to be compliant, or if you need post surveys prepared for your particular line of work, don’t hesitate to contact your counsel to help you. We often “train the trainer” and, in these instances, train the account managers so they know how to do these surveys on their own.

A little effort on your part will not only save you grief, but ultimately a lot of money.

Barry A. Bradley is the Managing Partner of Bradley & Gmelich LLP located in Glendale, California, where he heads up the firm’s Private Security Team and oversees the Employment and Business Teams at the firm.  A former Deputy District Attorney, Barry’s practice concentrates on representing business owners in employment, business and licensing issues, as well as defending litigated cases involving negligent security, employment and business related issues.  The firm acts as general counsel for many security companies in California.  Barry is the Legal Advisor to CALSAGA.

He has been conferred an AV-Preeminent Peer Rating by Martindale Hubbell, the highest rating attainable, and has been named a Southern California Super Lawyer for the past 14 consecutive years in the area of Business Litigation.  Barry is also the recipient of CALSAGA’s Security Professional Lifetime Achievement Award. bbradley@bglawyers.com  818-243-5200.

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Kate

THE CALIFORNIAN 2018 Q4 – SECURITY GUARD VS. SECURITY OFFICER- WHICH SHOULD YOU USE?

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SECURITY GUARD VS. SECURITY OFFICER- WHICH SHOULD YOU USE?

Kwantek Team

So, you have a position opening up in your contract security firm. Now is the time to post the job in various places using your standard job description and other boilerplate materials you use when hiring.

You know you need systems in place for this, so you arm yourself with tools like an applicant tracking software or detailed hiring spreadsheets.

The question now becomes, what should your job title be?

Security Guard or Security Officer?

Many people in the industry will tell you there is no difference in the two.

Some say an Officer is armed and a Guard is not.

Some say the Officer has greater training and/or responsibility.

As we look at today’s hiring and retention landscape, there are two main reasons you should prefer the term “Security Officer” rather than “Security Guard.”

1) “Security Officer” is Searched More Often on Indeed

Thanks to data made publicly available by Indeed, we are able to know exactly how people are searching for security jobs.

In September of 2018, “Security Officer” was searched 725,027 times.

“Security Guard” was only searched 392,036 times, nearly half that of “Officer.”

If you want your job to be seen, the first logical step is to make the title what people search the most.

But it goes deeper than just what the candidate is searching. While it might help you edge out “Guard” in the search results, Indeed is smart enough to show jobs with both titles.

Making sure you get good placement is one thing, but how many people actually click your job?

In September of 2018, jobs titled “Security Officer” received 3,688,632 clicks.

Jobs titled “Security Guard” received only 975,338 clicks.

Not only does “Officer” get nearly twice as many searches as guard, it gets nearly FOUR TIMES as many clicks.

We like to let the data speak for itself. This is one of those cases.

2) Appeal to Your Audience

The first rule of copywriting is to appeal to your audience.

Your audience (your current and prospective employees) wants to feel respected and important.

Put simply, “Officer” has an implication of greater responsibility than “Guard.”

Implications aside, perhaps you actually believe there to be a fundamental difference between the two titles.

Here’s the reality…

A good guard, officer, or watchman is alert and observant.

They are ready and able to defuse a situation with words rather than weapons.

They are helpful to others and they follow rules of the management and client.

All of these responsibilities are those of an officer, and labeling them as such works to enhance their sense of self-worth and pride in their job.

When making this decision, we ask ourselves: what’s the goal?

Is the goal to be “right” in a semantics discussion?

Or is our goal to attract the best and most talent and keep them employed on our teams?

At Kwantek, we much prefer the latter, therefore “Security Officer” is the title we recommend.

If you insist on there being a difference between the two, consider using “Senior Security Officer” and “Security Officer” job titles. The difference could mean greater retention and/or more applicants.

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Kate

THE CALIFORNIAN 2018 Q3 – 5 SMART KPIs FOR YOUR SECURITY OPERATIONS

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5 SMART KPIs FOR YOUR SECURITY OPERATIONS

Mark Folmer, CPP,  TrackTik

This is a no-brainer: Why does a client prefer to work with a security services provider that can measure their own performance?

Because those numbers give your client the peace of mind that comes with knowing their business has been secured in the way agreed to.

So naturally, as an owner or manager of a professional security service solutions provider, you want to have key performance indicators (KPIs) for your business in order to measure performance and efficiency.

 

Choose your KPIs with care

checklistNow KPIs come in a slew of varieties. Today, let’s  focus on those related to your field service operation. So let us assume that the fact-finding questions you ask about your client’s needs, assets, risk profile, etc., lead you to this conclusion: Onsite guards and mobile guard patrols are part of a cost-effective solution to the client’s situation.

Being slightly obsessed (your business or life partner uses other words) with efficiency, you understand the value of adopting a Computer Assisted Dispatch (CAD) solution: It ensures your field security patrols and responses are coordinated as efficiently as possible.

If you are forward thinking, you have linked your CAD solution to a security workforce management platform (that also includes a security guard tour system). Having this software allows you to fully automate your KPIs and also drive up field service business by offering data-supported Service Level Agreements (SLA) to your client.

Since you have taken the time to invest in the best training and equipment for your mobile teams, now you want to know how well they are doing. Consider these five smart KPIs for your field operations:

 

1. Completion Rate

Having spent time with your client analyzing security requirements, your ultimate goal is to achieve 100% of the site visits promised.
That number means that the client is receiving what they want and you can invoice all that has been agreed to.

2. Response Time

Measuring response time is the ultimate efficiency measure. So you want to respond as quickly as possible. It goes without saying that responding within the agreed-to response time is critical.

3. Overtime

You set your staffing levels based on the anticipated volume of calls and service delivery. That said, you want to minimize the unbillable overtime incurred by shared service units in order to be profitable and get a precise view of your productivity.

4. First-Time Fix Rate

By equipping mobile staff with all the information they need to properly access and respond to a site, you are driving first-time fix rates. Limiting the need to send additional or multiple units means you are more efficient.
Providing all the information your staff needs means that they are more accurate, can take appropriate action while onsite and can provide the client with a detailed incident or activity report.

5. Client Satisfaction

Have you ever had a client ask the operations center, “When will the response unit be onsite?” If your system is properly automated, you will be able to answer that question very easily, and support your client’s peace of mind.
Other items that can propel client satisfaction include: accurate invoices, incident reports sent to the right people and reports that accurately and richly provide details of any incident.

 

Stick to SMART KPIs

clockIf you wish to identify other KPIs specific to your business, ensure that the objectives are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-sensitive). Keep in mind that less is more. Having too many KPIs can be difficult to manage and lead to more confusion.

The items in the list above have focused on client and business owner satisfaction. It is worth mentioning that fair and clear KPIs can also motivate staff. In fact, using KPIs to align staff performance with business success is an alternate way for driving team performance and engagement.

Building your business based on clear and measurable performance indicators will drive client satisfaction, employee performance and build up your business’ reputation.

Mark Folmer, CPP, MsyI
Vice President, Security Industry
mark@tracktik.com
Twitter: @markfolmer

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Kate

THE CALIFORNIAN 2018 Q3 – CHANGE IS HERE

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CHANGE IS HERE

Steve Reinharz, President, Robotic Assistance Devices, Inc.

‘Change’ is one of the most overused words and concepts in most every industry. It gets people’s attention; it clicks and is therefore a powerful word for promoters to use. People generally are fearful of change because it challenges the stability that so many seek.

Change is opportunity and risk. Opportunity of being part of the ‘next big thing’ and risk that if you miss out it could be catastrophic. And although it’s an overused word I’m going to use it here: Our guarding industry is finally being changed by emerging technologies.

Historically we haven’t had much ‘real’ change in guarding because of the nature of guarding itself. Since the ‘sell’ of guarding is a human at a location(s) there has been little ability to innovate. Instead, much of the industry has been trading a similar commodity service and there’s been few opportunities to do anything other than compete on price in a race to the bottom. Naturally there are many exceptions; I’m simply talking about the part of the market with these characteristics.

But finally, for better or for worse, real change is here and we are going to have separation between adopters and resistors. And as always the adopters will prevail. Adopters can be characterized as more forward-thinking, risk-taking and engaged than resistors.

A parallel example is what happened in security integration industry in the late 90s. DVRs and IP based solutions started to emerge. Adopters thrived and resistors struggled. Same thing for many industries that had significant technologies introduced.

For guarding the revolutionizing technology is called ‘robots’. I write it like that because until the technology is perfected and given a real name we’ll call them ‘robots’. Someone once told me that ‘a robot is a robot until it’s called a washing machine’ which illustrates the point that immature technology gets a unique name and industry once it proves itself. But it will get better and it will get better faster.

Today’s rolling robotic solutions are far from perfect and in many cases have questionable usefulness but let this be notice that the technology is rapidly improving and the change is here today. Stationary artificial intelligence solutions are here today and proving themselves incredibly useful. In five years I expect this industry’s service offerings to be considerably more complex, lower cost, higher profit and better performing.

Change will bring opportunity and risk. Early adopters are noticing, learning more and experimenting with these new technologies. They’ll be the winners from this period of significant change that has started.

 

Steve Reinharz is the founder and President of Robotic Assistance Devices (RAD). A proven, seasoned leader in the physical security industry with 20+ years of experience holding various roles in multiple disciplines, Mr. Reinharz has led RAD to create and launch a successful line of artificial intelligence powered solutions specific for the guarding and concierge industries.

Mr. Reinharz’s experience is multi-faceted in that he’s been an end user, created and managed his own security integration firm and held various other industry roles. Mr. Reinharz speaks and works panels at ISC East and West and ASIS.

‘Force-multiplication’ has been the hallmark of Mr. Reinharz’ career. Specifically using technology to improve client security. Mr. Reinharz credits almost two years of work performed with the LAPD as the basis for many of the technological innovations he has launched.

Mr. Reinharz has called Orange County, California home since 1995 but grew up in Montreal and Toronto. He earned a dual-BS  in Political Science and Commercial Studies and currently resides in San Juan Capistrano, CA with his wife and children.

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Kate

THE CALIFORNIAN 2018 Q1 – REGULATION CORNER: CHANGE OF CORPORATE OFFICERS

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REGULATION CORNER: CHANGE OF CORPORATE OFFICERS

David Chandler, President

Did you know?

If you are currently operating your PPO as a Corporation, remember that you MUST notify the Bureau of a change of your corporate officers within 30 days. 7582.19 (a)

All new corporate officers, or new partners in a partnership, must submit a Personal Identification Form as well as a Live Scan (to CA DOJ) prior to any involvement in any operation related to security. The Bureau must approve before you can begin working with the corporation or partnership.  19 (b)

In a General Partnership, if one of the partners leaves (disassociation for any reason) a NEW application must be submitted (due to the change in the general partnership). A new PPO number will be issued pending approval by the Bureau. 7582.23 ©

Please periodically check with the Secretary of State to confirm the information for your organization is the same as the Bureau has on file, including the address of record. Corporations must submit the names of the CEO, CFO and Secretary as well as any other corporate officer who will be active in the business to be licensed. 7582.7 (i)

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