STAY CONNECTED WITH GUARD TOUR SOFTWARE
INCREASE THE VISIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY OF YOUR SECURITY GUARDS WITH FLEXIBLE TECHNOLOGY OPTIONS
Team Software, CALSAGA Network Partner
Using guard tour software to keep track of your security guards is increasingly becoming standard practice, especially given the importance of accountability in the security industry. There are several ways to track your people and assets, and as technology continues to march forward, you have more options than ever before. Guard tour software typically uses one or more methods to track guard location, each bringing varied benefits, and each suited to different types of security contracts and requirements.
One example of a security company implementing guard tour software to achieve operational improvements is Trust Security Services, a privately-owned, licensed security agency servicing Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia. Frustrated by expensive checkpoints, lackluster customer service and device limitations from a previous solution, Trust Security Services needed a better way to provide service to their customers.
Company leaders wanted a flexible tracking solution that would provide more visibility into their work and was backed by powerful reporting. So, they implemented Lighthouse, a workforce management platform from TEAM Software that provides complete visibility of workforces, mobile forms and workflows, and uses powerful reports to improve service delivery.
Trust Security Services’ goals when implementing Lighthouse included showing proof of work to minimize the risk of litigation, gaining a competitive advantage, providing real-time reports to improve the response time of dispatched teams, and accessing past patrol reports to check for accuracy.
To meet these goals, three key Lighthouse features work together to deliver complete visibility and accountability.
QR Code Network
A network of QR codes are located throughout the sites guards patrol. QR codes require a close proximity scan and require the user to open up an app or scanner to make that scan and are very inexpensive to implement. They can be produced automatically and sold for the price of a sticker. And, QR scanners are as ubiquitous as mobile devices.
Mobile App and Alerts
The dedicated Lighthouse security guard mobile app allows guards to scan QR codes at predefined checkpoints and passively monitors the location of guards in the background. The app is also used to record patrols, manage tasks, report issues, complete inspections and communicate with managers.
Location data is sent from the app to the Lighthouse platform in real time and allows managers to ensure both the safety of their guards and that they’re meeting their service requirements. A real-time activity feed creates faster response times and alerts for completed tasks and reported issues from the field.
Live Maps and Reports
Web-based reporting is used to monitor security services and improve performance over time. Live maps are used to quickly identify a guard’s location and assign tasks. Heat maps help ensure required patrols are being completed. Robust and centralized web-based reporting measures compliance with patrols and records tasks, issues and inspections.
By actively using Lighthouse across 12 locations, Trust Security Services was able to reach their intended goals, including winning a new contract based on visitor logs for access control built through the Tasks module in Lighthouse, saving money by switching to QR codes instead of using expensive checkpoints, and proving guards were where they were supposed to be after a theft at one of their sites prevented costly litigation.
As a security company, the solution you choose should be based on your specific applications and requirements. As guard touring technology evolves, it brings you new and innovative ways to leverage their capability to track people and assets across locations. The best guard tracking technology for you depends on the environment you’re working in and your goals. And, sometimes, it can even make sense to leverage multiple technologies across a single property.