While most business owners have ways to check on staff and make sure they’re doing the right thing, this can be a little more tricky for security guard companies.
It’s not always possible to monitor guards during their entire shift, often guards are subcontracted, and you might also be wary of the legalities of tracking technology. On the other side, as a service-based business, you need to be able to see that your guards are where they’re supposed to be to ensure the job is getting done. GPS tracking has come a long way in past years, and with government legislation around its uses, it can be a game-changer for your business when implemented right.
For both the UK and Australia, there are GPS tracking laws in place to be aware of. InAustralia, these laws can differ from state to state. The common thread among all of these laws is clear, informed consent. Your guards must be aware of and consent to be tracked while on shift, otherwise you risk serious legal action. If implemented correctly, GPS tracking can be a great benefit for your business, but make sure you’re familiar with the laws in your country/state before getting started.
Perhaps the most obvious advantage, GPS gives managers real-time updates on the location of guards on shift. This means you can be 100% sure that guards are where they need to be at all times, reducing the risk of missed patrols and keeping guards accountable.
For Guardhouse, this looks like QR checkpoints throughout the shift that guards can scan to check in via the app. You can also generate occurrence logs through Guardhouse, tracking incidents, patrol completions, and any deviations to the schedule, which is documented proof that your team is completing their tasks as instructed.
One huge benefit of GPS tracking is the ability to optimise the routes your guards take. Optimised routes mean guard scan cover more ground in less time in the patrol areas that need coverage the most. Through Guardhouse, these route adjustments can be made easily, and the next guard to come on shift will have all the necessary information readily available via the app.
In the case of an incident on shift, GPS tracking helps your team respond as quickly as possible. By knowing exactly where each of your guards is when an incident is reported, you can easily dispatch the nearest guard to address the problem, getting the issue resolved quickly. In Guardhouse, our Mobile Incident Reports feature allows guards to report on incidents with time-stamped photos, videos, and notes. This, combined with the pinpoint location of everyone on shift, ensures get incidents are resolved faster and that all relevant information is available to everyone involved.
As you well know, being able to provide solid proof of service is essential for building trust with your clients in the physical security space. GPS tracking gives managers precise records of each guard’s movements while on patrol, which can be provided in a report to the customer via Guardhouse’s Customer Portal. This level of transparency will go a long way in maintaining a good relationship with your customers built on trust. Our Customer Portal also includes a ‘Read-Only’ feature, so you can choose what the customer can see – providing transparency while also maintaining control.
So, while GPS tracking has its limitations within the laws of your country/state, there are huge benefits to using it within your security business. Not only does it help you keep guards accountable, save time by optimising patrol routes, and cut down on the time it takes to respond to an incident, but it also shows your customers that you’re willing to be honest and transparent with them. If it’s time to look into GPS tracking for your security business, book a quick chat with one of our team today.
