When I had my security guard company, one of the questions my customers asked, and rightuflly so, was “How do you make sure that your officers aren’t someplace sleep at 2 am? How do you keep track of them?” I would confidently tell them, “We have field supervisors who do surprise spot checks on our officers so that the officers never know when they are going to get checked. That way, the officers have to stay awake.” In the early 2000’s my customers accepted that as an answer…but it wasn’t really true was it? The answer should have been “We use real-time GPS-based security guard tour tracking.”
One of the toughest things to do in the security guard industry is ensuring that your customers know that the service that they are paying for is what they are getting–especially at 2 am in the morning. If your customers are anything like mine were, they are willing to work with you on most challenges that arise out of providing security guard service, with the exception of security officers not doing their patrols.
So how do you ensure that your officers are awake alert and on the move?
When your customers ask you about how you hold your officers accountable and ensure they are performing their jobs, the incorrect answer is you have field supervisors who do random spot checks. The correct answer is you are using real-time GPS-based tour tracking. Out of the many new technology trends that have impacted the way security guard companies manage their operations, few have had a greater impact than real-time security guard tracking. Software like OfficerReports.com provides security guard companies the real-time accountability that you and your customers want, in addition to electronic reporting and time and attendance software.
What is Tour Tracking?
If you aren’t familiar with security guard tracking software, tour tracking is a system used to help security companies organize, log, and execute guard tours and patrols of their customers’ properties. Tour tracking is used to ensure that your security officers are accomplishing their assigned patrol tasks within a predefined time interval during their shift.
When you are using tour tracking software, you will designate areas at your customers’ facility that need to be checked. Those areas might be, for example, the front door, the side door, and the loading dock door. The security officer might be required to check these locations several times per shift to ensure that they are secure. Tour tracking ensures that the officer is completing those checks.
When you designate those areas within your tour tracking software, you will place some type of marker at those locations for the officer to scan when they are there. Those markers are generally either QR Codes or NFC tags.
QR Codes or NFC Tags For Tour Tracking
QR CODES:
A QR code (short for “Quick Response” code) is a type of barcode. It can be scanned using a QR scanner or a mobile device’s camera. Once scanned, software on the device converts the dots within the code into numbers or a string of characters which turns out to be the data recorded in the QR code.
The 2 biggest pros for QR codes are:
- They are extremely easy to setup.
- The OR codes are very cost-effective.
The biggest con for QR codes is that they can be easily duplicated which could enable the security officer to possibly game the system.
NFC TAGS:
NFC stands for “Near Field Communication”. NFC is a technology that allows smartphones and other devices to communicate via radio signals when they are held in close proximity to the NFC tag. At their most basic, the tags can be used as a more convenient and fool proof replacement for QR codes.
The biggest pros for NFC tags are:
-
NFC tags provides more security compared to QR codes.
-
It does not require search and pair procedures like Bluetooth and other methods to establish connectivity with your mobile device.
-
No special software is needed. Moreover, it does not require manual configurations and settings.
Drawbacks of NFC Tags:
-
NFC system can only work in shorter distances which is about 10-20 cm.
-
NFC tags are more expensive than QR codes.
-
The power consumption is comparatively more in NFC-enabled devices.
For more information on the benefits of tour tracking systems please feel free to contact us at marketing@officerreports.com.
Download our FREE eBook on Security Guard Company Marketing and Selling!
By Courtney Sparkman
OfficerReports.com is a software company that provides security guard companies with an easy way to monitor their officers, better manage their operations, and win new business. Take a tour of our software to see how we combine Electronic Reporting, Real-Time GPS based Tour Tracking, and GPS based Clock In and Out into one easy-to-use platform.
