I see so many companies that jump up and down when they sign off a brand new contract, only to lose it 3 years later or worse, have it terminated mid-contract term, for a failure of service.
Why does this happen, and what can be done to avoid it?
We are all well aware that there is a disconnect between Sales, who promise the Earth to win a contract, and Operations, who have to try and deliver on those promises. Regardless of how unrealistic. There are, however, standards of service that every operations director and their team needs to focus on, to ensure that a successful client relationship is built and maintained.
Early Days
Show how much you value their custom. Have the MD/CEO take part in the first couple of progress meetings.
Train Your Staff
Make sure you site train enough officers to cover unexpected blowouts. Yes, it dents the bottom line, but utilise your bench team if you have them. It looks bad if an officer who does not know the site unexpectedly arrives to cover a shift.
Schedule Regular Visits
Get your contract/operations manager to have regular site visits and regular, at least weekly, video meetings with the client to make sure you are not dropping the ball somewhere.
Make sure that your supervisory staff/night mobile team pay regular visits out of hours, as well if applicable, and ensure that these are recorded in the site OB.
Befriend Your Client
There is little wrong with your operations management taking the client out for lunch after month 1 and 3, etc., etc. Building a close relationship with the client is priceless. Make the client a friend.
When problems arise, and they will, a friend is more likely to work with you to sort things out. If a close relationship is not there, the client is more likely to send unpleasant emails to you and the contract relationship will be damaged.
Get Your Assignment Instructions Right
Go through the assignment instructions carefully with every member of your security team and make sure they are aware and happy about their responsibilities. Make sure you know them better than your officers, and ensure that they are not generic, cut-and-paste documents.
A rule of thumb: Assignment instructions should have enough detail and content to ensure that an officer who has never been to the site before will know all that they need to do in any shift, from reading and referring to the AIs.
Ongoing
Prioritise Staff Welfare
Look after your site security officers, and take care of their welfare. If you upset one of your security officers, you can 100% guarantee that they will moan to the client, hoping that this will get them what they want. It always looks bad, regardless of the validity of the gripe or the history of the security officer.
Maintain Regular Communications
If you can’t get to the site every week, make sure that a manager arranges a call or video meeting weekly. No matter how much you tell a client that they can call you anytime for anything, issues will fester until they speak to you, so nip things in the bud and keep those comms regular.
Recognise Your Team
Big up your security team. Talk to your client about you potentially nominating them for industry awards or even company recognition. A little praise goes a long way, and demonstrating that you value the work of your officers like this goes a long, long way for a client.
Become the Expert
Be your client’s security SME. Be free to advise them on changes of legislation that may affect their business, Martyn’s Law, etc etc. Offer to provide advice and guidance on all matters physical security, and do so freely.
Be Honest and Open
When things go wrong, let your client know FAST. DO NOT wait to hear it from them! If it was the fault of security, put your hands up and take responsibility. Investigate thoroughly, and advise on what you are going to do to mitigate the chance of recurrence. If it wasn’t the fault of security, do not remain silent. Support your officers and carefully explain the circumstances.
Easy Wins
If one of your security officers deals with a tough situation well or does something praiseworthy, let the client know pronto and reward a job well done.
Showcase the contract. Feature your client and site/s in your company newsletter. Get quotes from them and pictures. It is all great PR for you and makes them feel “loved”.
Let clients know if you are going to do some on-site training with your team (toolbox talks), and talk to them about the benefits of the training provided. (Value added.)
Big on-site event coming up? Offer your company’s services to provide additional assistance.
Big local event taking place? Make the client aware, and let them know that you can provide additional assistance. Advise and provide relevant intel if possible.
Recommended Reading: How To Cover Security Shifts Within Hours
The Bottom Line
None of this is rocket science, but it is easy to let standards slip if you have ops management that is stretched or not suitably engaged. To avoid this, ensure that your management is working to their own KPIs, or better still, using OKR methodology to set and measure their success. Build that effective client relationship fast, or lose the contract to someone who will.
Delivering On Your Promises Starts With The Right Team
Winning a contract is one thing—keeping it is another. And you can’t deliver exceptional service without exceptional people. GuardPass helps security companies hire, vet, and train the right officers from day one, so your operations team can focus on client relationships instead of firefighting staffing gaps.
Discover GuardPass for hiring, vetting, and training.