As the 2024 solar eclipse approaches, Canadian businesses and commercial properties must prepare themselves from a security standpoint to ensure the safety of their premises, employees, and customers. While eclipses are awe-inspiring natural phenomena, they also bring about unique challenges that necessitate proactive measures. In this guide, we’ll delve into key considerations and precautions for businesses before and during the solar eclipse on April 8.
Controlling lighting systems
One crucial aspect for businesses to address is the management of lighting systems during the eclipse. As the sun’s light diminishes, it’s essential to have adequate lighting in place to maintain visibility and security on the premises. Businesses should consider adjusting existing lighting systems to ensure optimal illumination throughout the event. This can help prevent accidents, deter potential intruders, and maintain normal operations seamlessly.
Anticipating gatherings
With the spectacle of a solar eclipse drawing people outdoors to witness the event, businesses need to be prepared for potential gatherings around their properties. This is particularly important for establishments located in areas experiencing totality, such as Niagara Falls, Kingston, Montreal, Fredericton, and Gander. Businesses should communicate with local authorities, monitor crowd activity, and implement crowd management strategies to maintain order and security. Additionally, if businesses have outdoor areas accessible to the public, they should consider securing those spaces or providing guidance to ensure the safety of eclipse viewers.
Managing traffic impact
The influx of spectators travelling to prime viewing locations can lead to increased traffic congestion, impacting businesses’ operations. It’s advisable for businesses to plan ahead and consider potential disruptions caused by traffic congestion. This may involve adjusting staffing schedules, coordinating deliveries, or implementing alternative transportation arrangements for employees. By anticipating and mitigating the impact of traffic, businesses can minimize disruptions and maintain productivity during the eclipse.
General safety tips
In addition to specific security considerations, businesses should also prioritize general safety measures to protect their premises and personnel during the solar eclipse:
Secure valuables: Safeguard valuable assets and sensitive equipment by locking them away or implementing additional security measures.
Emergency preparedness: Review and update emergency protocols, including evacuation procedures and communication plans, to ensure readiness in the event of unforeseen incidents.
Employee awareness: Educate employees about the solar eclipse, its potential effects, and safety precautions to follow both inside and outside the workplace.
External lighting: Ensure that exterior lighting fixtures, such as parking lot lights, are operational and adequately illuminate surrounding areas to enhance visibility and deter unauthorized activity.
Surveillance systems: Test and verify the functionality of surveillance cameras and alarm systems to monitor activity and detect any security breaches promptly.
By proactively addressing these security considerations and adhering to safety guidelines, Canadian businesses and commercial properties can effectively prepare themselves for the 2024 solar eclipse. Prioritizing security and safety measures can ensure a smooth and secure experience for employees, customers, and visitors during this celestial event.
Security, Surveillance, and the Latest Tech to Safeguard your stores couple advanced hardware with computer ‘AI’ to unleash the latest in retail security
It’s been a tough couple of years in retail. Inflation continues and product & labour shortages make the future look tough. This blog lays out how the retail security system industry and particularly Wincon have risen to the challenge. This is new. Today we are harnessing the benefits of advanced innovative security hardware coupled with enhanced ‘AI’ to vastly exceed the capabilities of traditional, human-based, retail monitoring systems.
How? The latest 360-degree cameras use IR, motion sensing capabilities and networks sensors to detect people and map their presence in your retail store. The data (processed in real-time by the AI) lets you know not only where people are, but what they are doing and what their behavior indicates about their intentions. Simply browsers – or would be thieves?
Here are three exciting new technologies we recommend that will help your retail store fight crime:
Enhance your retail security systems with the new Axis M30 panoramic cameras, available through Wincon Security.
1. 3-D Cameras
See everywhere – and halt crimes in progress.
Panoramic security cameras – often referred to as 360° cameras – bring enormous viewing angles and smart technology, allowing you to track people, control your store and be proactive towards theft prevention.
When attached to a ceiling, these cameras can produce 360° images by blending separate sensors together into one unified image. Some advanced cameras empower retail owners with useful functions like people counting or heat mapping to show the flow of foot traffic within a store.
Great options to consider for 3-D cameras are the Axis M30 and M42 Dome Camera Series
These smart cameras give you constant 360 surveillance and outstanding detail, along with the ability to zoom in with a single click. Image capabilities range from up to 4 MP to 12 MP! Cameras equipped with OptimizedIR (Infrared) Illumination provide exceptional clarity and sharpness even in pitch darkness!
2. Intelligent Audio Speaker Systems
Hear and be heard for better safety and store operations
Speakers in stores too have been reimagined for today’s challenging retail environment.
Next generation, IP Speakers now allow for intelligent two-way communication, seamlessly integrating with other security systems (like 3-D cameras) to provide an integrated approach to traffic flow and theft prevention.
AXIS C1410 Mini speaker for retail security systems.
Look for two-way IP speakers with built-in microphones to allow ambient listening and talk-back functionality. You can use these for paging announcements to keep everyone informed – and to notify staff of an emergency situation, a customer service need. Speakers like the AXIS C1410 Network Mini Speaker with PIR sensor for motion detection can detect when a shopper is lingering too long in one place and subtly signal a potential situation to staff with a programmed message. The application of this tech is much more than just – “spill in aisle 4”. This can mean calling security to an area where the audio and video equipment has detected suspicious activity in an unmanned area of the store. In short, it allows you to identify theft before it happens –it may be as simple as someone standing beside a specific product too long and calling a staff member to intercede.
Anything you need – from activities triggering warning messages, or live instructions if an intruder has made an incursion. This audio technology can also be used to manage crowded areas and direct people away from potential risks.
Integrated with panoramic cameras, these ceiling audio systems Provide you with total control and awareness. Your retail managers will have eyes and ears on all areas of your facility, in a dynamic, real-time manner. Wincon will recommend a system designed around your specific needs Get more details…
3. Access Control Systems – the key to a more secure premises
Curb unauthorized entries in a touchless environment.
Better control of who gains access to your store –and where they go once they get inside — is now possible with the latest, leading-edge Access Control Systems. These systems are an integral part of any good retail security system strategy today. Also, upgrading your system has never been easier with today’s wireless technology. New cloud-based, touchless entry and retail store security systems provide superior defense, and can dramatically reduce in-store crime, while being easy to manage and use.
The latest versions are keyless entry solutions that give you total control of physical access to only authorized users. You can easily customize these systems to fit your store’s unique needs and protocols and scale up for larger facilities. They integrate seamlessly with other systems such as alarms and cameras.
When fully implemented, you can expect extraordinary control and heightened security in these areas:
Entrances & Exits – This is where it starts. Control who enters and leaves with integrated visitor access systems connected with both live and automated audio.
Sales Floor – In retail, this is the battlefield. Sensors plus AI identify aggressive behavior and send alerts to security. The speed with which threats are identified and neutralized make a huge difference between success and failure. Vandalism and shoplifting can be significantly reduced through quick detection of loitering.
Cash Areas – Access is granted only to authorized individuals in your organization
Parking areas – All-weather, vandal-proof, day/night cameras provide reliable protection, round-the-clock for both your customers and your staff. By creating a safe and fully protected environment you can gain trust and better retain both customers and valuable employees.
Storage and Loading Areas – “Out-of-sight, out-of-mind” will be a thing of the past in your loading area: access cards, QR codes, tailgating detection, license plate recognition and high-quality video recording of the loading area all mean complete security you can rely on. You can focus on selling, not guarding your receivables.
Dynamic, cloud-based security solutions are here to stay.
Wincon has been at the forefront of retail security system response for 30-plus years. As a trusted member of your team, Wincon manages your security so you can focus on managing your business.
Our network security solutions today (including cameras, audio, and access control systems) support your business operations in a dynamic and real time manner. From managing store occupancy, queue lengths, or spotting suspicious behaviour – you’ll be able to stay on top of your locations like never before.
Ultimately this means fewer losses – and more profitability through the delivery of a better customer experience.
Welcome to an age where you can no longer afford to rely on outdated passive store security. Dynamic, responsive and real time technology solutions – along with well-trained guards — will arm you for retail success – when it comes to both crime prevention, loss reduction — and optimal store operations.
Winston Stewart, CEO & Founder
For more than 30 years, Wincon Security has delivered property monitoring and protective services to retail, commercial, industrial and condominium clients across the Greater Toronto Area.You can rest assured all our security guards are fully trained, carefully vetted, and ready to be deployed to keep your assets and people protected in the post-COVID world.
‘Tis the season for spending time with family and friends and the inevitable yuletide spree of shopping and gift-giving. Suburban malls and high-street stores are jammed in the lead-up to the holidays, as Torontonians make a final festive retail push before taking a breather and preparing for Boxing Week bargain bonanzas.
Unfortunately, this is also the time of year when busy retailers must contend with wide-scale theft. Statistics show that Canadian businesses lose more than $3 billion annually to crime, including both internal (e.g., employee) and external shoplifting that eats into profits and compromises retailers’ competitiveness. Rather than tackling the problem head-on, a new Toronto Police Service pilot project is moving in a very different direction.
Toronto Police Service introduces Stop Theft
First-time shoplifters caught pilfering items within the boundaries of the city’s 51 and 52 divisions will no longer be prosecuted under the six-month Stop Theft program, an initiative that will permit private security and theft-prevention guards to effectively catch and release shoplifters after documenting their personal details, then providing them to officers at one of the two divisions participating in the program. The Toronto Police Service’s aim is to free police resources to deal with higher-priority calls.
Non-violent shoplifters who are 18 years of age or older with identification and who are accused of stealing merchandise totalling less than $1,000 are eligible for release. Police will still attend the scene if requested and reserve the right to lay charges by summons in the future, depending on the circumstances.
“It is estimated that retailers lose more than $8 million a day to store theft. What is more worrisome, however, is that today’s thieves are becoming increasingly sophisticated, therefore posing an even greater risk to the health and safety of the Canadian public.”
“What we’ve been trying to do through the modernization process is make sure that our police officers are where the public needs them the most,” Meaghan Gray, acting director of corporate communications for the Toronto Police Service, told the Toronto Star. “And maybe responding to … shoplifting calls — that can be held just as efficiently by a theft prevention officer partnered with us over the phone — allows us to reassign those officers to more pressing calls for service.”
While the efforts of police to more effectively utilize their officers’ time are laudable, the bigger challenge for retailers can be summed up in a statement last year from Diane J. Brisebois, President, and CEO of the Retail Council of Canada:
Removing a theft deterrent
Indeed, the major challenge with the Stop Theft program is that it assumes that shoplifting is limited to individuals such as thrill-seeking teens and those with mental health issues. The reality is that organized crime groups are behind much of the bottom-line killing losses plaguing retailers at all levels. Products such as razor blades and baby formula—the latter used to mask drug trafficking, or sold for a hefty profit on the black market—are two products that have long been a prime retail target for organized crime, making retail loss prevention services more worthwhile.
Retail loss prevention services are more needed now than ever.
A program such as this removes the most important deterrent to shoplifting—immediate arrest and the threat of significant prosecution. It will be an especially major problem in less-prosperous areas already dealing with high rates of both minor and major crimes.
Retailers will need to continue to invest more in loss-prevention tactics, including the use of civil demand recovery letters, which allow them to sue alleged shoplifters in civil court to recoup the cost of a stolen or damaged item, not to mention costs relating to security patrol and enforcement. It’s safe to assume that overwhelmed police won’t have the time to follow up with an accused shoplifter after an incident, even if the person has a criminal record.
Why? Cash-strapped, budget-conscious police services simply lack the time and money to continue to pursue low-level crimes as they once did. The unfortunate reality is that retailers will pay the price and will need to pursue punitive litigation in an effort to deter would-be thieves—itself a potentially costly process.
Programs such as Stop Theft are designed to modernize the response to some crimes, but in doing so they tend to sow chaos and return us to a time when low-level crime was rampant. Now, unfortunately, shopkeepers need to be more vigilant than ever, treating every customer as a potential shoplifter, which is always bad for business.
Toronto police introduce new security alarm response rules
Toronto police announced a major change to their burglar alarm response policy. Specifically, they made it clear that they would no longer respond to alarms unless there was verified proof that some form of criminal activity or a threat to an individual was occurring at the time of the notification.
Up to that point, police would always send a car to any commercial or residential property where an alarm was sounded. Better to be safe than sorry, the thinking went. According to their revised guidelines, police will now only respond to an alarm if a threat can be verified by an audio or video device, there are multiple zone activations in effect—which are typical in the case of a break-and-enter with multiple burglars at the crime scene—or they have an eyewitness on the scene calling in the incident. This could include a private security guard.
Toronto police will still attend verifiable alarm calls
Why the change? Police data from 2016 show that 97 percent of security system-related calls were false alarms. “When a panic alarm button is hit, we will absolutely attend,” a police spokesperson told media “Also, if we get evidence there has been a burglary, we will also attend that call too.” Really? It’s reassuring to know that the police will attend actual crimes. Needless to say, this new policy raises several red flags to those of us in the security field. The most obvious being that some break-ins could foreseeably go unchecked because authorities deem them to be false alarms, or because their slow response allows criminals to come and go without the risk of apprehension.
The challenge for commercial property owners is that investigating issues such as potential break-ins or vandalism often takes a back seat to other, more serious crimes.
To help prevent those false alarms, police are advising homeowners and commercial property managers to update key holder information, ensure regular alarm system maintenance, change alarm batteries frequently, keep alarms free of dust and debris and educate residents, tenants, and employees on the system operation protocols.
While the policy change is understandable—having police respond to a plethora of false alarms is, of course, costly and inefficient use of resources—it discounts the possibility that actual crimes may be in progress, with verification coming only when it’s too late. Criminals, being a clever lot, will undoubtedly use these new rules to their advantage if they know the police aren’t going to respond when a standalone alarm is sounded.
Robust security is more important than ever
Most importantly, this underscores the need to maintain 24/7 protection for commercial or residential properties. That means having an active security presence and state-of-the-art monitoring systems—or, at the very least, one of those two crucial components—in place to build out a comprehensive security strategy to protect your assets. With these new rules governing what, exactly, justifies a live police response, investing inadequate security is no longer an option for commercial property or residential property owners, and that includes condominium boards.
As such, most organizations will need to re-evaluate their current alarm systems. Is it enough, or do they now need new cameras? Do those cameras need to be monitored by a security service in order to verify alarm issues? Manufacturers, integrators, monitoring centres, and the end-users need to answer these questions or risk being left behind by these new requirements.
Expect traditional police duties to be increasingly outsourced
Another notable aspect of development is that it highlights an emerging trend across North America: the outsourcing of police duties to private security providers. An important line in the Toronto Police Service’s policy change was the one noting that eyewitness verification of a security breach would warrant an on-site visit from the police. The fact that the eyewitness could be a security guard means that police understand—and perhaps even welcome—the involvement of private security firms.
We can expect to see an even greater willingness on the part of the authorities to accept third-party security help in the years ahead as police budgets are slashed or frozen, and resources are redirected to priority areas. The challenge for commercial property owners is that investigating issues such as potential break-ins or vandalism—although obviously well within the mandate of local police services—often takes a back seat to the prevention or investigation of violent crimes or other, more serious offences.
Choosing the right security provider is key
Now, it’s important to remember that not only does your organization need security help to keep its assets and people safe, but it also needs to partner with the right security provider, one that takes an integrated approach and provides effective training to its staff. The trend of downloading security duties to private companies shines a spotlight on the processes and procedures that security firms develop and follow. How well trained are their staff? What are their employee retention rates? Is their HR department fronted by a proverbial revolving door as people come and go looking for a job rather than a career? The maturity and sophistication of firms across our industry is now under greater scrutiny than ever before.
So, too, are service providers’ embrace of technology. Everything from drones to patrol robots to leading-edge software and video camera systems are the kind of tools that will become increasingly important in the years ahead. Criminals are always getting smarter. They will find ways to circumvent even the most advanced electronics. Is your security provider equipped to keep pace?
In one sense the Toronto Police Service’s alarm response policy change has a silver lining. Over time, a greater reliance on reliable private security providers will help push out the fringe players from our industry whose inadequate services put clients at greater risk. Because when the police won’t respond without knowing that a crime is in progress, there’s simply too much at stake to put your commercial or residential property and assets in the hands of an unprofessional security firm.
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Retailers are always enamored over the holidays—malls and streets jammed with eager shoppers, cash registers ringing (or the similarly lucrative sounds of electronic sales racking up) and merchandise flying off shelves before Santa’s arrival. What’s not to love?
The lump of coal in most retailers’ stockings is the inevitable occurrence of shoplifting, which tends to spike during the festive season. Each year organizations go to great lengths to minimize shrinkage through everything from hiring extra theft-prevention staff to installing high-tech monitoring tools. High-definition cameras, the presence of trained security personnel, adding signage to deter would-be thieves and understanding your clientele—and who doesn’t fit in, while resisting the temptation to profile potential malfeasants—are all practical tactics to help mitigate the financial impact of the more than $3 billion in retail shrinkage that affects Canadian organizations each year.
But there are two largely overlooked—some might say unexpected—areas where our team begins any conversation around curbing retail theft: employee engagement and customer service.
A counterintuitive strategy
At Wincon Security, we help retailers develop comprehensive theft-mitigation strategies that include the tools mentioned above—and far more—when we develop a customized anti-theft checklist suited to your organization’s specific needs. But we also ask several business-focused questions that take that discussion to another level. The first centres around metrics such as employee turnover.
Why? Because it’s one indicator of lackluster engagement. The more workers that abandon their employer at a high frequency, the likelier they are to engage in criminal behaviour such as stealing merchandise. Despite what most retailers believe, internal shrinkage is an even greater risk than external theft. Even though many stores will inspect employee bags before leaving the premises, the fact is that employees determined to remove goods from a store can usually do so with relative ease. Yes, surveillance helps, but only to confirm when a theft has occurred.
Prevention requires a much more proactive approach.
Retail Security & Loss Prevention During the Holidays
Think culture first
We advise retailers to focus on building stronger relationships with their workers, including part-time holiday staff, and consider implementing employee-friendly measures. That can range from bumping pay rates to slightly above industry standard and improving training programs, to simple tactics such as offering recognition for a job well done or throwing team-building events. The goal is to give employees a sense of ownership and to tie them closer to the organization. Happy employees are far less likely to lift merchandise than their disgruntled colleagues.
Taking service to the next level
When it comes to providing better customer service, many organizations think that means training staff to approach all customers once they enter a store, asking them if they need help and then keeping an eye open for suspicious behaviour. These are all perfectly appropriate techniques that do help minimize theft. But retailers—particularly those catering to luxury clientele—need to do more. They need to provide great service.
That means engaging with customers, determining their needs, being present when they try on clothing or as they test merchandise, guiding them through the purchase cycle with information about the good or service on which they’re considering spending their hard-earned dollars, and making them feel truly special. Deepening that engagement, perhaps by offering to enter customers into your store’s database to provide better service in the future, or to help keep them up-to-date on new promotions, sends a message that your relationship is more than transactional. It’s about working together to satisfy their unique retail needs over the long haul.
On the security front, providing high-touch service sends another message: we’re on the lookout for potential thieves and we will catch those who try to leave our store without paying for merchandise. It also shifts the focus from providing what some might consider being harassing service—when a salesperson follows you around the store and won’t allow you to browse in peace—to adding value by helping them achieve their shopping goals. That could mean presenting them with interesting alternative options, such as a different style garment or a different model of electronic device, for example.
Now, you may be wondering why a security firm is providing advice on the HR and sales front. Because smart, forward-thinking security requires a holistic perspective. We’re happy to sell retailers our integrated security services, but we know through both empirical data and experience that they’re far more effective when our clients take a 360-degree view of their security needs.
Doing it the right way means looking beyond the obvious, and finding positive ways to thwart would-be thieves.
About the only positive development that can be gleaned from the recent incident at a Philadelphia Starbucks store, where two African-American men were arrested after being reported to authorities by an employee, is that it offers a teachable moment for retailers, security companies and their staff.
The two men, entrepreneurs and friends, told media outlets they were at the Starbucks to meet a business associate. As reported widely in the press, one of the men asked to use the washroom and was denied because he hadn’t made a purchase.
When the two took a seat to wait for their friend, they were approached by a Starbucks employee who asked if they needed help. The men say they replied that they were OK, and were waiting for a colleague who was joining them for a meeting. The men sat and chatted when, several minutes later, police entered the store and asked the duo to leave. They apparently refused, citing the fact that they’d done nothing wrong.
They were arrested by police and eventually released without charge. They’ve since settled with Starbucks and the city, the latter agreeing to fund a pilot program for young entrepreneurs.
The incident soon blew up into a public relations firestorm for Starbucks, which has apologized and plans to close 8,000 of its U.S. stores for a day later this month so that employees can undergo racial sensitivity training. Not surprisingly, a boycott-Starbucks movement emerged on social media calling for customers to take their latte-buying dollars elsewhere.
The situation underscores an important point that retail store owners should always keep top of mind: security is a team effort that requires training, reasonable application of policies and common sense to be effective. If not, your organization is susceptible to a Starbucks-esque disaster.
First, let’s see how this interaction could have played out.
In situations where there might be legitimate concerns as to why non-paying customers are in a store, a manager, employee or security guard can simply approach the individuals in question and ask if they need any help—or a cappuccino, perhaps? In this situation, that seems to have happened. In most cases, customers will explain their reason for being in the store—such as waiting on a friend—before placing an order, making a purchase or leaving. Situation resolved.
We help retail organizations train employees on situation management techniques
In this case, it seems an overzealous Starbucks employee opted for the nuclear option and called the police even after the men explained their intentions.
If customers are in any way belligerent—and if the store does, indeed, have a policy restricting seating to paying customers—it’s a simple matter of pointing out the policy and then giving the individuals time to leave. If that doesn’t work, it’s all about de-escalating the situation to avoid conflict.
Again, in most cases, a simple explanation of policy will defuse a situation. That’s assuming that the policy is clearly displayed on the front door or prominently behind the counter—and that can be the first part of the problem.
Many retail organizations fail to define and display their policies clearly so that customers and even staff understand how they will be applied. Whether the Philadelphia Starbucks store had a sign declaring that customers must make a purchase before taking a seat is also unclear, although media reports indicate that the store did maintain such a policy.
If that is the policy, it should be displayed prominently and in writing. That also begs the question as to whether such a policy makes sense from a brand perspective. For an organization such as Starbucks that prides itself on maintaining an open-door, laissez-faire atmosphere for people to spend time and converse, it probably doesn’t.
From a retail security view, we help organizations train employees on client and situation management techniques all the time. Our main focus is always reminding them that they work in a service industry. As such, their primary objective should be maintaining positive interactions with customers (or potential customers), at all times. That means designing policies that are logical, easily applicable and designed to maximize client goodwill.
Does your store really need a buy-before-sitting policy? If not, don’t consider implementing one in the first place. If the answer is ‘yes,’ under what circumstances should the policy be applied?
Part of that training is focused on helping employees turn negative interactions into positive ones. That takes the right tone, supported by a smile and perhaps even a bit of levity to ease the mood. This is where common sense comes into play. Identifying potential problem situations, or even threat levels, takes a trained eye. Individuals who mean to cause trouble tend to display uncannily similar traits from body language to vocal tone. But the vast majority of people don’t fall into this category. In fact, the average retail employees will likely only have a handful of negative customer interactions throughout the course of their retail careers.
The basic principle is that if a person doesn’t fit the profile of a potential troublemaker, they probably aren’t.
Managers must also be trained in the fine art of de-escalation, and be prepared to build a culture of security vigilance that’s founded on the common sense that I mentioned above. If managers are quick to push the panic button, it sends a message to staff that every unfriendly or unwelcome interaction is a reason to involve police.
On that note, we should remember that—with the exception of extreme circumstances—if police become involved in a customer interaction, something has gone very wrong at the store level. Calling for police back-up should be a last resort for your store staff or security personnel unless a crime has been, or is being, committed.
The Starbucks incident is unfortunate, but at the very least it serves as a reminder that employee security training is essential. We can only hope that the coffee giant devotes part of its full-day seminar on racial sensitivity to security policies, as well.
This blog is part of our ongoing Wincon Team blogging initiative, designed to keep our employees up-to-date on company and security-industry news and developments
Ever wondered what makes a great company?
I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately as we celebrate our 25th year in business. A great deal of our success can be attributed to strategic thinking, great systems and operations management, excellence in service delivery and, of course, all of you—as I mentioned in another article in this newsletter, people are our strength.
I’ve known that for a long time, of course, but reflecting on what our employees mean to Wincon Security prompted me to dig a little deeper. Specifically, what makes our security firm different from the scores of others currently operating across the Greater Toronto Area? Well, we certainly deliver leading-edge commercial property services that, in my view, outmatch those of our competitors.
As an integrated solutions provider, we also leverage technology better than anyone else in the business. Whether we’re analyzing the benefits of drone technology to patrol properties or helping clients select the biometric entry systems to suit their security needs, we’ve successfully evolved our company and adopted a technology-first approach, all while using human expertise and experience to keep our clients’ properties safe and secure. Few other firms have pivoted quite as effectively.
But there’s a competitive advantage that we have at Wincon Security that no other firm has: our employee culture.
For a company like ours, culture is everything. But what, exactly, is an employee culture? It’s probably best described as the attitude or the philosophical approach that helps carry the company forward. It’s compromised of the personality of every employee and incorporates everything from workplace policies to strategic business objectives, to name only a few key components. It’s the DNA of a business.
Proud of our Toronto Security Guard & Experts
A recent Harvard Business Review article underscored the importance of culture, particularly as it pertains to maintaining strong employee engagement:
… disengagement is costly. In studies by the Queens School of Business and by the Gallup Organization, disengaged workers had 37% higher absenteeism, 49% more accidents, and 60% more errors and defects. In organizations with low employee engagement scores, they experienced 18% lower productivity, 16% lower profitability, 37% lower job growth, and 65% lower share price over time. Importantly, businesses with highly engaged employees enjoyed 100% more job applications.
Our DNA is unique in that it’s not only characterized by some great people, but also incredible dedication and extraordinary entrepreneurialism that runs throughout our organization. I’ve lost count of the number of times that a member of our team has approached me to share thoughts on how we might deliver our services more effectively, to highlight a challenge they’ve encountered or an opportunity we should seize upon to help drive revenue growth. That kind of communication is not only helpful, it’s incredibly important if we’re going to keep working towards building a bigger, better Wincon.
Another aspect of our culture that I find striking is the level of care that we have for each other. I would say that without a single exception, all of the employees that we now have in our organization are not here simply for a pay cheque. They want to make a difference, and they have the backs of their co-workers. That’s an impressive aspect of any culture, and one I’m proud to say is a defining feature of ours.
When we faced a challenge with a rogue operations manager in recent months, our team rallied together. We identified the problem together. We stayed strong during a lengthy investigative process together—and emerged even stronger as a group. Most importantly, we didn’t tolerate behaviour that wasn’t indicative of our cultural values.
That’s right, we share values as an organization. While we all have our own personal opinions and values, our culture is defined by characteristics such as hard work, a determination to help each other succeed and a commitment to doing right by our clients, in every engagement. We treat each other with empathy, respect and compassion. We help each other learn and grow as people and professionals; and we celebrate our successes as a team while learning from any mistakes that might occur along the way.
Not many companies can lay claim to such a strong culture—but we can. Our goal in the coming year is to find ways to strengthen those bonds through training, smart recruitment and sound management. It’s going to be a great year and I’m very proud that all of you are dedicated to helping fuel our success.
This blog is part of our ongoing Wincon Team blogging initiative, designed to keep our employees up-to-date on company news and developments
It’s amazing just how quickly 25 years can fly by.
Back in 1992, I founded Wincon Security with very little experience in the industry. What I did have was an inkling that commercial property security services could be delivered more effectively. So, I took what little knowledge I had and set out on an incredible journey. A quarter-century later, we’ve grown to become one of the Greater Toronto Area’s most respected security firms. We may not be the biggest, but I certainly think we’re the best.
Sure, I’m a little biased, but I think you would all agree that we do a great job keeping our clients’ properties safe and secure—not to mention putting a smile on their faces.
This year we’ll be celebrating 25 years in business by continuing to recognize our long-time employees and top performers, announcing exciting new initiatives and continuing to expand our footprint across the security industry. Despite a few headwinds in the form of new government regulations and related pressures, I know we’ll continue to grow Wincon and further solidify our position as a leading security service provider. And we’re going to communicate all of these great new developments to all of you in a new employee newsletter—starting with the one you’re reading here.
As part of this process I’ve been thinking a great deal about the many contributing factors behind our success as a company. We’ve made some smart strategic decisions and have gradually pivoted to becoming an integrated solutions provider, leveraging cutting-edge technology wherever possible to find new ways to secure our clients’ properties. Those are all important decisions that have undoubtedly fueled our growth.
But after a great deal of thought and reflection, I came to realize how we do business was less important than why we do it. We’re here to help keep businesses and residents safe. And that’s only possible thanks to your hard work. The real secret to our success aren’t just systems and processes—it’s people.
That’s especially true in our industry. On a daily basis, our guards and support staff liaise with our clients, as well as directly with the general public in retail and residential environments, for example. We’re on the frontlines responding to security calls, assisting condominium and apartment residents, helping retailers minimize shrinkage, and providing strategic advice to our clients as they seek to mitigate risk and guard against any potential disasters that might affect their properties. And those are only some of the services we provide!
But doing that well takes dedication, determination to provide the highest levels of service, collaboration and innovation. That’s what each and everyone one of you brings to the table, often in your own unique ways, allowing our team to positively impact our clients’ businesses. Some of you have strengths in different areas, of course, but you all share a passion for what you do, while bringing the utmost professionalism to the job every day.
As an entrepreneur, I’ve learned that you can’t build a successful company on a concept. Whether you’re making widgets or providing services to the public, your people are always going to be your greatest asset. I’ve always known this to be true, of course, but as we celebrate 25 years I’ve been reminded just how much all of you mean to our company.
Keep up the great work and let’s strive for another 25 outstanding years of service!
