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039: How Guard Management Software Will Change Your SalesPitch...

The security guard industry is extremely competitive. Any proposal you make to a potential customer will likely haveto compete with a handful of similar proposals. That’s why having a unique and engaging sales pitch has become soimportant. The industry has changed a great deal in recent years, but many companies have not changed their pitchin a meaningful way.

Pre-Tech Security Industry

I got into the private security industry in the early ‘90s, and things were quite a bit different back then. First of all,there was less competition, and profit margins were much higher. Without the transparency brought about by theinternet and incident reporting software, customers didn’t have as much insight into how security companies actuallyfunctioned.

Pitching to customers became largely about appearances: crisp, clean uniforms and impressive looking patrolvehicles. On top of that, the executives would emphasize their credentials and experience.

Pretty soon, these nice margins and the high growth of the industry attracted a lot of competition, and pricesplummeted. Many companies started cutting corners, not having adequate guard management or puttinginexperienced or unqualified guards in the field.

“They didn’t have the technology at the time to do all the research and background checks,” I told Johnny on today’sepisode. “It took time, so you could give a temporary permit, but chances are it could be a bad employee.”

Client Demand Changes

With companies not having great background checks, paying low wages, and cutting corners in training andmanagement, the security industry started to get a bad reputation. Guards would show up late, leave early, and beseen eating or even sleeping in their cars when they were supposed to be on patrol.

Mandatory background checks helped somewhat, but the problem didn’t go away. Clients demanded better tools andaccountability. Companies began to computerize their Daily Activity Reports (DARs) and fax or e-mail them to clients,making communication somewhat more efficient, but that was just a small step.

Companies also began using simple accountability tools such as the Detex clock, which was basically an earlyversion of a guard tour system that could verify guards were hitting their required checkpoints on schedule.

“Now they start selling on accountability, ‘Hey, we’re using a Detex clock, we can prove that our officers are actuallygoing to be there, and we can back it up with the background checks’,” said Johnny.

Companies would quickly go over accountability tools such as Detex or, after that, GPS, and then go immediately toprice. Despite improving technology, the industry remained a race to the bottom.

Technology Changes The Pitch

So many of the qualities security companies emphasize in their proposals today are just boilerplate language thateveryone uses. Talking about experienced management, guard accountability, etc. just encourages clients who’veseen those words over and over again to flip to the back page and check the price.

Most basic security guard software out there today might help your operations and be competitive but it doesn’tnecessarily make you any different in the client’s eyes. Companies that bury that technology in the middle of theirpitch won’t have much success in differentiating their service.

What Silvertrac’s guard management software does is allow you to make the technology one of the centerpieces ofyour pitch as you show customers how it not just improves accountability, but also saves the client time and money.By showing them how you can help them better resolve parking issues, optimize customer service, and decreaseresident complaints, you transform yourself from a vendor to a partner.

Guard management software has dramatically overhauled the capabilities of security companies. With real-timereporting, precise data, and improved communication, companies can go beyond mere accountability and really goabove and beyond to deliver value to clients. Companies that can get that message across in their proposals stand amuch better chance of landing new accounts.

Topics: Business Development, Security Guard Management, Product

Written by Chris Anderson

Chris is the Founder of Silvertrac Software and has been working in the security industry for morethan 25 years. He enjoys working with our clients everyday to help them grow their businessesand really enjoy what they are doing.

Chris currently lives with his wife and three daughters in Huntington Beach, CA.