“That’s the way we’ve always done it” is a commonly heard phrase at many security businesses. Some would say that if a process isn’t broken, you shouldn’t fix it. However, what happens if the process is broken but you don’t realize it? Processes at security dealers should be audited and actively managed. Otherwise, you may be risking (or already experiencing) significant harm to your business. (more…)
What makes a great business? Is it branding? The customer experience? A quality product? For central stations in the security and alarm monitoring industry, each business aspect plays a role and combines to create a successful business model. When focusing on the major business functions, such as marketing and sales, financial health and cash flow, etc., it is easy to overlook some of the essential operational functions that impact your bottom line. Here is why performing a process audit is important and what it reveals. (more…)
The alarm industry is rapidly evolving right now. Technology advancements outpace the speed at which many central stations make network and software upgrades for their alarm monitoring processes. IT security and consumer demand drive innovation, yet many central stations operate with disparate systems and inefficient processes. Process improvements don’t have to be cost-prohibitive, behemoth projects. Here are six ways you can improve efficiency in your alarm monitoring central station. (more…)
2021 has finally arrived, creating an opportunity to take stock of the past year and to think about how to make the future better. For central stations and alarm monitoring businesses, this is an excellent time to rethink some legacy processes and examine how new technologies are reshaping the security industry. Below are five ways you can prepare for 2021 and beyond. (more…)
2020 is finally over and the New Year has gotten underway. This has a lot of business leaders thinking about how they can ensure success for their organizations in 2021. Many security dealers have been operating the same way for years or even decades. Following a year that has been nothing short of turbulent, it is perhaps the ideal time to examine your processes, tools, and overall approach. (more…)
Bold Group is pleased to kick off 2021 with a highly-anticipated, new product designed to bring more flexibility to SedonaOffice users, their technicians, and field service management. Sedona-X™ Mobile for SedonaOffice is the future of mobile app accounting and business management software and provides SedonaOffice users access to robust customer, financial, and billing management capabilities in the field! (more…)
For many organizations, processes can be both a boon to productivity and the bane of efficiency. They are the key to success for any team of even moderate size and complexity. However, bad procedures can sap efficiency, cause frustration, and increase risk. For a security service provider, this can create an unacceptable situation. (more…)
While keeping devices and networks free from virtual clutter has always been an important aspect of operational efficiency and cybersecurity, the widespread practice of working from home has highlighted the criticality of this housekeeping task. Most home devices and networks were not designed for the rigors of everyday corporate use, much less when combined with personal pursuits such as gaming, social media, etc. The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic has alerted us to the dangers of infection on many fronts, including those from malware and unsecured networks.
However, cybercriminals aren’t the only consideration. Resource intensive applications, background processes, adware, and even uninstalled applications can slow down your computer. Performing some DIY cyber cleaning tasks to clear up your disk space can lead to more efficient performance and a better user experience. Follow these steps to streamline your computing experience. (more…)
Picture the following scenario: you’re monitoring a university campus and you receive an alarm signal for an intrusion alert in a building that houses science labs. While you are checking camera footage, another signal comes in for an access control breach – a door left ajar at an adjacent building. What you don’t know is in another area of campus, security is also getting a blue box call from a student who saw someone leave a suspicious-looking backpack next to the library windows.
Are these incidents related? Is your campus about to undergo an attack? Or, are these just random events that happen to be occurring around the same time? It’s difficult to tell because you don’t have all the information. (more…)
What does it mean to be an educator? It means we help people learn what is not yet known to them. To do that we must have a willing learner on the other side. Educators and Managers cannot do the work, or the learning, for another. What they offer are the skills, expertise, and experience. Learners themselves come to learning with their experiences and their curiosity.
I have had the pleasure of educating people since age 15 at my first job with McDonald’s and over the next 35 years, I have created training programs and trained people on process and software in many industries and around the world. I earned my Master’s degree in Adult Education and Training in 2012. Most recently, I worked as the Director of Training with Bold Group. (more…)