Guard tour software has revolutionised security management. These systems monitor security guards as they pass checkpoints — specific locations along a patrol route that are electronically verified by the software– so you can optimise your security operations. Not all guard tour programs are the same, however. Here are five problems associated with most guard tour systems on the market.
1. The Guard Tour System Lacks Transparency
Avoid systems that lack transparency. Old-style guard systems involve manual data collection, something that could result in a conflict of interest if a senior member of security staff builds reports for his or her boss. Good guard tour software, on the other hand, collects a range of accurate data about security staff, including when they start and end their shifts and when they perform patrol tours. All this information can be reviewed and verified by logging into the software, providing you with better insights into your security operations and their effectiveness.
2. The System Doesn’t Provide Real-Time Information
Some security guard equipment only provides you with data once a security guard’s shift has come to an end. To enhance your security operations, you need real-time data that tells you whether guards have passed specific checkpoints on a patrol route. This way, you can immediately contact security staff to find out why a route has not been checked.
Some programs will send you a notification — either by text or email — if a route has not been patrolled or if checkpoints have been missed. Real-time data also lets you respond to an emergency. If a security guard doesn’t complete a route, for example, it could signify a problem. Good guard tour systems protect security personnel — who are more likely to be fatally injured at work than employees in other jobs — by providing them with panic buttons.
3. The System Provides No Real Value
A guard tour system collects and displays data for patrol tours carried out within a specific period of time. However, not all software provides real value. Some programs have limited functionality, for example, or lack the features that will keep your customers and clients safe.
For a more comprehensive guard tour solution, you need an application that streamlines security patrol management. Look for software that lets you create events and assign tasks to security staff. The best applications improve guard response times as well: Sophisticated guard tour tools send you an automated text message if a guard turns up at a security checkpoint late so you can respond to the situation immediately.
4. The System Is Too Complicated
Guard tour software is meant to simplify security management. However, some tools are just too complicated to use. Programs might be difficult to set up or unable to respond to commands properly; sometimes, patrol routes need to be entered manually every time the application is used. You need a platform that executes guard tours without causing too much stress. Software should be easy to use and reduce all the manual administrative tasks that are normally associated with security management, such as filling out paper log books.
5. The System Doesn’t Segment Data
Choose a guard tour system that tracks each of your guard’s movements instead of a group of employees as a whole. This makes it easy to identify staff that perform duties in the quickest time frame and adhere to your guard tour schedule. Data for each member of staff should be centralised in one system so you can monitor each employee’s actions in one place.
It’s important to do your research before you invest in a guard tour tool. Inferior products lack transparency, provide no real value and lack real-time insights into your security operations. Other applications are just too complicated to use. Choosing the right software can increase the performance of security staff and make them more accountable.
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