Security Sales & Integration

October 2012

SSI serves security installing contractors providing systems and services; surveillance, access control, biometrics, fire alarm and home control/automation. Coverage in commercial and residential product applications, designs, techniques, operations.

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Cross-training at a central station facilitates employees to accomplish just about any task required, from data entry, to alarm monitoring, to establishing a new account or jumping in when a supervisor calls in sick. Band-aid fi xes that don't solve any problems. T e fact is a busy company never has time for training. T erefore, the only way it will ever happen is when you stop procrastinating and make the commitment. T ose who resolutely confront organizational challenges head-on can certainly make time for training! Are you continuously stirring the pot and revitalizing your team? How do you believe your answer to this question aff ects your overall success and morale? If you have a central station, how many people in that department can step up to do just about any task required from data entry, to alarm monitoring, to establishing a new account or jumping in when a supervisor calls in sick? T e same question applies for the installation and service departments, sales offi ce, main offi ce and even in your stock room. I assure you, the lack of training is being felt throughout the company and by your customers as well. Fragile morale, low enthusiasm, little sense of urgency, gossip, animosity between departments, low referrals, barely satisfactory customer service and saving many more of the customers you're losing are some of the fi res you will prevent if you will only invest in training. CUSTOMER SERVICE IS LACKING With the entry of cable companies and telecoms as well as the fi erce competition from hundreds of emerging and existing security providers, what are you doing to diff erentiate yourself from everyone selling the same products and services? How does your company culture shore up busy employees' ability to delight your customers? How does it also infl uence your internal customers? Today, many alarm companies have to run lean and mean. Plates are incredibly full and the luxury of time appears to be nonexistent. No matter what we may tell each other at industry events, customer service has become very thin to 70 / SECURITYSALES.COM / OCTOBER 2012 put it mildly. Far too many customers now believe that doing business with their alarm company is no diff erent than doing business with every huge service provider that delivers no empathy, lousy service and has far too few people available (or willing) to help them when they need it. Do you remember good, old-fashioned service? I'm talking about the kind of service that made you feel important because your needs were taken seriously and respectfully, and you were always thanked for your trust and loyalty. Technicians would show up when they promised and managers would return phone calls when they couldn't be reached. Certain businesses do consistently provide an excellent level of service. Would your customers say that about your company? T e truth is no one gets to that upper echelon of success by not making time to train. Since we ourselves are all customers too, how do you feel when someone you do business with goes over and above to delight you? Who is it? Is it a large service provider you do business with? Could it have been that customer service representative in India perhaps? Maybe it was someone at your bank who told you how much they care about you even though the recorded message already told you three or four times while you were on hold? Let's face it, customer service stinks! Whoever it is that knocks your socks off today has become the exception to the rule. If you could raise the bar on the service you provide, even just a little, imagine the positive impact it would have on your customers. Cross-training is a great place to start. How else will you ever be able to make the time to take people away from their jobs and provide training on every other critical skill they need to make doing business with your company far more attractive than doing business with all the other companies that off er the exact same products and services as you? FIND THE WILL TO ENACT CHANGE Developing and implementing a cross-training initiative is no small notion. Oftentimes it can be diffi cult to get your staff to buy in to the program. For instance, the idea might initially be met with a negative response from employees who are concerned they are training their replacements. Consider bringing in an industry professional who knows the most eff ective ways to execute an educational program schedule as well as communicate agreeable benefi ts of training. It's likely the consultant will voice similar fundamentals as the company owner would in promoting the advantages of the program to the staff . However, the impartial perspective of a company outsider can help encourage buy-in from the staff and ultimately weave the fabric of a closer knit team. In the end, it all starts with upper management and mustering the will to commit to change for the betterment of the organization. T ose who "don't make time" to hold up a mirror, identify and then take action may soon wake up and realize they're no diff erent than those alarm subscribers who "didn't have time" to install an alarm system until after the burglary already occurred. PHOTOGRAPHY ©ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/H-GALL

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