Break out of the box

Nov 1, 1997 12:00 PM, RUSSELL F. JONES JR.

"Value-added" is a commonly used term in the security profession. It is not a new concept, but it is increasingly relevant to many businesses in today's growing economy. Today's companies must plan now for tomorrow's growth, and security professionals must be involved in that evolution by providing programs that create value.

To clarify how security can add value to a company, do the following: * consider the mission of the company, service or product that is offered and its impact on the community; * develop a plan to support the mission by creating programs that produce a return; and * establish a monitoring program to measure the effectiveness of each program.

In the past, society perceived security as an unwanted necessity that did not contribute to the bottom line of a corporation. We, as security professionals, need to get past that mindset and be creative in our thinking by developing our ideas into practice. Today, the "company cop" philosophy is long gone as security is recognized as a viable contributor to the bottom line.

Mining resources Security practitioners are focused on protecting people, property and information. Bearing those core principles in mind, we must use the resources we have to create programs that provide value. As companies continue to merge programs, security managers can seize the opportunity to explore new ways to sell security services to anyone who will listen. Security managers should take the lead by marketing the value security lends.

Resource sharing between the private security industry and local community groups is a basic way to promote a positive image for a security program. Security is a natural arm of the community, and providing safety in-services, adopting a local school, creating bike patrols or just becoming involved in local town watch or civic groups, will create many returns. The image of the security program will be enhanced, and the positive returns for the associated company will be tremendous.

Being a good neighbor is making the effort to create a safe workplace by using minimal resources that a security department already has. Creating programs that cost very little to start is another way to add value to an organization.

* Establish a newsletter promoting safety tips or security information for staff. * Exceed the normal job description by using existing resources to monitor alarms in office buildings (for a fee) or by providing training for other departments. * Take on other responsibilities such as parking, risk management, housekeeping and telecommunications.

Performing duties that would usually be contracted out such as fire extinguisher inspections, escorting staff and visitors to the parking lot and even answering phone calls is an open door to added value for the company that security managers should welcome. Without the perception of a safe workplace, companies would have a difficult time recruiting new business and retaining existing staff.

Be resourceful Unfortunately, it is difficult to measure service functions, but a negative experience with security can be turned into a positive. For instance, if a visitor has a car broken into, security can respond, take a report, take pictures and follow up with the visitor as to the outcome. Such quick action will help create a positive impression of the officer, the department and the company, and that positive impression could translate into repeat business and help contribute to the company's bottom line.

Security managers are the experts who help companies defend themselves in liability matters. The input of security managers can limit potential losses and prevent companies from being sued. It is the responsibility of the security manager to note trends in incidents, investigate accidents and recommend programs to reduce the liability and exposure of a company. Also, the investigation function can be taken over in-house, especially if a company is self-insured, to produce timely and effective outcomes. In a worker's compensation claim, for instance, a company can hire its own investigator and not only save money, but also make money and improve the level of service.

The perception that security is a drain on company resources has to change, and the person who must initiate that change is the security manager. Determining profitability can be very difficult, but estimates can be made using empirical data to support theories. To help make cost estimates realistic, establish a working relationship with the company's business office.

Certain security functions that clearly contribute to the bottom line are virtually universal and should be promoted. Security can: * provide insurance and liability reduction; * offer contingency plans; * conduct safety surveys; and * improve the company's image overall.

A final example of a value-added program that can be established by any security operation is based on taking programs or services you perform for your own company and selling them - for a fee - to other companies. A good example is a hospital security team that offers security services, including consulting, training, compliance issues and investigations, to other organizations such as home health agencies. The money that is earned goes back to the hospital as profit, contributes to the hospital's bottom line, and validates the existence of the security program.

As companies become more reliant on security to provide valuable services, we, as professionals, need to be ready for the challenge.

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© 2012 Penton Media Inc.

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