A flexible manning solution that targets investment and measures its effectiveness

1. Support Services Group
Retail Security Officer Solution
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By David Stubbs
Support Services Group SSG & RDS Introduction

2. Support Services Group
Index
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................................ 3
SUPPORT SERVICES GROUP ...................................................................................................................... 5
MISSION .............................................................................................................................................................. 5
HISTORY ............................................................................................................................................................. 5
ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE ......................................................................................................................... 5
GUARDING DIVISION .......................................................................................................................................... 6
RETAIL SOLUTION OVERVIEW .......................................................................................................................... 6
SERVICE DEPLOYMENT TYPES ............................................................................................................................. 7
EMERGENCY SERVICE ......................................................................................................................................... 7
SPECIAL PROJECT ................................................................................................................................................ 8
MANAGED SERVICE ............................................................................................................................................. 8
CONTRACTED SERVICE ........................................................................................................................................ 8
INCIDENT AND ACTIVITY MANAGEMENT .......................................................................................................... 9
LIVE COMMUNICATIONS ...................................................................................................................................... 9
INCIDENT & ACTIVITY LOG ................................................................................................................................ 10
REPORTING ........................................................................................................................................................ 10
SERVICE & CUSTOMER MANAGEMENT.......................................................................................................... 10
QUALITY MANAGEMENT ................................................................................................................................... 11
COMPLAINT MANAGEMENT .............................................................................................................................. 11
ACCREDITATIONS............................................................................................................................................. 12
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Support Services Group SSG & RDS Introduction

3. Support Services Group
Executive Summary
Support Services Group was established in April 2000 as a supplier of risk and security management services
to the private and public sector, employing approximately 600 staff nationally and operating through its
divisional structure, the Group maintains a national office network based in Swindon, Derby and Glasgow
with the Group 24 hour control room located in Bristol.
The Groups Guarding Division operates three distinct portfolios: Retail, Commercial & the Rapid Deployment
Service, with an Account Manager at the helm of each. Each portfolio operates autonomously with individual
management models, service features and innovations. Additionally the company’s Rapid Deployment
Service provides internal support to the stable
portfolios ensuring industry leading attendance
rates.
Recognising that one size does not fit all SSG
have built a solution for Retailers that offers
flexible manpower deployment and pre-set
event or incident response product bundles.
This allows retailers to run day to day
requirements lean and to invest in highly
effective solutions when it’s required.
The reasons for deploying security officers
across Retail are varied from alarm set failures
to the management of violence and the
deterrent of theft. SSG’s service offering
ensures that the right expertise is delivered to suit the customer requirements.
It’s great getting security officers to turn up and we pride ourselves on maintaining industry leading
attendance rates but this is really where the work starts. It’s imperative that any investment in security
shows a clear return so SSG have devised a web
based, automated incident reporting and guard
activity management system. SSG’s device of choice
is part of the personal equipment issued to the
officer and is worn as part of their uniform.
The device has two way talk capability, so no need
for guards to have mobile phones, and an
immediate help button that gives priority contact to
our 24/7 control room.
3 To monitor activity at store RFID tags are used to label routine activity and incidents. No more lengthy report
writing for routine issues, the officer simply scans the RFID and the activity is logged. Similarly for serious
incident an initial scan of an RFID tag automatically alerts line management and pre-determined client
Support Services Group SSG & RDS Introduction

4. Support Services Group
representative through an automated e-mail escalation system. This ensures that the officer is fully
supported and that any subsequent reports are fully completed.
The system automatically generates activity reports in line with the Service Level Agreement so that contract
KPI’s are proven as being maintained, that the activity is validated; normally by the a member of the store
management team and that peaks in incident activity are flagged early allowing the management team to
react accordingly.
Undoubtedly this will allow budget holders to assess their ROI whilst providing hard data to support their
budgeting and targeting for the following years.
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Support Services Group SSG & RDS Introduction

5. Support Services Group
Support Services Group
Mission
To deliver an end to end risk and security management solution capable of protecting our Clients from a
dynamic risk environment through the expert delivery of:
 Risk and Threat Analysis
 Security Strategy Development and Management
 On Site Security Management and Supervision
 Leading edge deployment and service management of an extensive Product and Service Portfolio:
o Risk Analysis and Modeling
o Security Systems, Design Modeling and Implementation
o Security Management design and implementation
o Manned Guarding
o Emergency Response & Rapid Deployment
o Remote Monitoring
o Mobile Services and Keyholding
History
Support Services Group was established in April 2000 as a supplier of risk and security management services
to the private and public sector, employing approximately 600 staff nationally and operating through its
divisional structure, the Group maintains a national office network based in Swindon, Derby and Glasgow
with the Group 24 hour control room located in Bristol.
Support Services Group employs a divisional and business unit structure designed to ensure that each part of
the Company develops excellence in their core product or service area and focuses on the specific needs of
their target Customer, while allowing the Group as a whole to deliver a total an end to end risk and security
management solution through its Preventative Technology Management System.
Organisational Structure
The Group operates the following divisional
• Risk analysis • Corporate
structure: • Risk reduction • Retail
• Cost reduction • Rapid Response
• System design • Mobile Services
 Solutions
 Guarding
 Systems Solutions Guarding
 Partners
The solutions division is the spearhead of the
Group’s approach to service, design, delivery Technical Partner
and management. Service and product delivery
• CCTV • Biometrics
is affected through the Groups Guarding and • Intruder alarms • Forensic accounting
• Fire systems • Data mining
5 Systems Divisions with specialist products and • Remote monitoring • Specialised software
services being deployed through the Groups key
strategic partner network.
Support Services Group SSG & RDS Introduction

6. Support Services Group
Guarding Division
The Groups Guarding Division operates three distinct portfolios with an Account Manager at the helm. Each
portfolio operates autonomously with individual management models, service features and innovations.
Additionally the company’s Rapid Deployment Service provides internal support to the two stable portfolios
ensuring industry leading attendance rates of over 99.5%.
.
Retail Solution Overview
Recognising that one size does not fit all SSG have built a solution for Retailers that offers flexible manpower
deployment and pre-set event or incident response product bundles. This allows retailers to run day to day
requirements lean and to invest in highly
effective solutions when it’s required.
The reasons for deploying security officers
across Retail are varied from alarm set
failures to the management of violence and
the deterrent of theft. SSG’s service offering
ensures that the right expertise is delivered
to suit the customer requirements.
Our retail solution is delivered through two
portfolios, the first our Retail portfolio where
the key competence is Retail Security and
the second our Rapid Deployment Service
where the key competence is the rapid
deployment of manpower.
Often retailers are faced with a serious incident (armed robbery, violence etc.) in a location without a
permanent guarding presence; an immediate response by deploying a well-trained guard to the location the
next time the store opens to offer a physical uniformed presence giving comfort to the store staff is what’s
required. But can it be delivered? These are exactly the knotty issues that our solution deals with; pre-set
SOP’s describing the incident type and the manpower/technical solution, the deployment timeframe and the
expected service level.
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In addition SSG have technology support bundles that include web based incident reporting with automated
escalation, 24hr monitored panic alarm system with two way guard communications, electronic (end user)
customer satisfaction surveys all reported through a web based key performance indicator dashboard.
Support Services Group SSG & RDS Introduction

7. Support Services Group
Service deployment types
Services are deployed in four flavours:
1. Emegency service
a. Short notice, short run delivery of manpower
b. Examples: Alarm failures, incident response
2. Special project
a. Short notice, medium run delivery of manpower often multi-man
b. Examples: High level crime or threat response, seasonal uplift, events, refits
3. Managed service
a. Medium notice, long run delivery of manpower in a complex service environment
b. Examples: Holiday and relief cover, short hour locations (weekend only etc)
4. Contracted Service
a. Annually contracted service with Full time deployed staff
Emergency Service
When you need a guard straight away nothing else matters so we strip out all service complexity and
concentrate on deployment. Dealing with such a dynamic service deployment requires fastidious capacity
management. We split the country into 124 two digit postcodes and each is monitored weekly for:
1. Rapid same day service requests
a. 4hr deployment window
2. Rapid next day service requests
a. Up to 48hrs notice to deployment
We recruit six weeks in advance using actual orders for long term
planned work and predicted trends to forecast the volume. Each
postcode is assigned a category and capability calculations are applied.
These are:
 High volume postcodes 25% uplift capability
 Medium volume postcodes 20% uplift capability
 Low volume postcodes 10% uplift capability
 Frequent use postcodes = the highest point (last 12 weeks)
 Infrequent use = the highest point (last 6 weeks)
The results speak for themselves. We cover 95% of all customer
requests nationally with a four hour deployment window. At the onset
of any new contract every location for the customer, even if it’s not
currently guarded, is entered onto our system enabling web based
ordering and rapid processing.
The next time a store alarm cannot be set we will be able to deliver services to that store overnight. If you
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need next day cover because a member of the store staff has been threatened then our emergency response
team will deploy services to you on time.
Support Services Group SSG & RDS Introduction

8. Support Services Group
Special Project
If you have a short to medium term ad hoc
requirement, for a pre-planned event we offer a
fully supervised special project team to ensure your
service requirements are met, our staff are
managed autonomously and therefore the event
should not affect ‘business as usual’ operations.
Multiple or single man teams with an ability to
manage some service complexity (the amount
depends on the deployment window) come fully
equipped with the required PPE or other equipment
levels.
These teams can be deployed to store for short or medium run requirements, be it a seasonal uplift such as
Christmas trading or a planned project such as a store refit or new store opening.
Managed Service
Some stores may not be able to budget full time guarding but the risk profile indicates that some temporary
cover or short hours cover (weekend etc.) would be advantageous. Obviously this service needs to of the
same standard as full time cover but the short hours would mean that the guard would only be part time at
store. Additionally across the whole security
contract holiday’s need to be covered by retail
trained staff to ensure service parity.
It’s clear that a more structure approach needs to
be taken so our Managed Service option is
deployed.
The Team pre plan capacity for known weekly
deployment and ensure that the correct training
levels are met across our workforce. These are
considered priority hours and are scheduled first.
The remainder of their weekly hours are then added
to by supporting either the emergency or special
project requirements.
The security officers deployed for managed service requirements are the most senior guards working for the
Rapid Deployment Service; they have already been tried and tested.
Contracted Service
Where you have decided that the risk profile of the store warrants full time cover, perhaps even multi-man
8 then the Retail team mobilise a fixed resource, ensure equipment levels match the service specification and
that security officers are inducted through our ‘know my job’ retail training programme.
Support Services Group SSG & RDS Introduction

9. Support Services Group
Our retail portfolio concentrates on labour stability, service quality and effectiveness. The Service Level
agreement sets out the expected standard and
we drive all of our activity against ensuring that
that standard is met.
The management activity cycle involves the
following:
Recruitment
 Ensure the security officer meet the
basic industry standard (SIA, Vetting,
English language skills)
 Ensure the officer suits the retail
environment (customer service skills,
conflict management, physical presence)
 Ensure the officer suits the store (local issues, relationship management)
Training Management Visits
 SIA – Industry standard  Inspection visit
 Induction – introduction to SSG and to  Customer satisfaction
store location  Appraisals
 Appraisals Know my Job – Retail specific
training
 Refresher training
Incident and activity management
It’s great getting security officers to turn up and we pride ourselves on maintaining industry leading
attendance rates but this is really where the work starts. It’s imperative that any investment in security
shows a clear return so SSG have devised a web based, automated incident reporting and guard activity
management system.
By combining well tested technology, RFID, SIM, guard tour/communication system and our extensive
knowledge of the retail industry we have developed a system that provides immediate support to a security
officer that has an active incident and live data regarding their activity whilst in store.
Live communications
SSG’s device of choice is part of the personal equipment
issued to the officer and is worn as part of their
uniform.
The device has two way talk capability, so no need for
guards to have mobile phones, and an immediate help
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button that gives priority contact to our 24/7 control
room. When dealing with an incident the guard is able
to press the help button and the control room can listen
into the event and decide if further police support is
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10. Support Services Group
required. Additionally the officers line manager, control room or client can call the device and be
automatically connected – calls are auto answered so there is no way an officer can ‘screen’ their calls.
Incident & activity log
To monitor activity at store RFID tags are used to label routine activity and incidents. No more lengthy report
writing for routine issues, the officer simply scans the RFID and the activity is logged. Similarly for serious
incident an initial scan of an RFID tag automatically alerts line management and pre-determined client
representative through an automated e-mail escalation system. This ensures that the officer is fully
supported and that any subsequent reports are fully completed.
Reporting
The system automatically generates activity reports in line with the Service Level Agreement so that contract
KPI’s are proven as being maintained, that the activity is validated; normally by the a member of the store
management team and that peaks in incident activity are flagged early allowing the management team to
react accordingly.
Undoubtedly this will allow budget holders to assess their ROI whilst providing hard data to support their
budgeting and targeting for the following years.
Service & Customer Management
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Maintaining high levels of customer and staff satisfaction is essential to the continued success of the RDS
product and SSG. SSG utilise a number of systems to monitor the effectiveness of its systems. These include:
 Service monitoring dashboard
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11. Support Services Group
 Customer satisfaction surveys
 Staff concierge service
Customer satisfaction and service quality information is recorded in the field by using ipad & iphone form
technology. This data is recorded in location in front of the security staff and end user and converted into a
central performance monitoring dashboard allowing management teams to view transparent meaningful
performance information.
Quality Management
SSG operate a quality management system accredited to ISO 9001 and are ACS approved. Each year SSG
ensure that it maintains a top 5% audit score using the ACS benchmarking system.
Each account is allocated:
 Pre agreed performance measures
 Transparent reporting system
 Team based operations management
 Account manager system (ensures customer satisfaction)
 Top to bottom review schedule
The standard review schedule is as follows:
 Operations Management
o Weekly between Team Leader
 Customer satisfaction
o Account manager monthly client reviews
 Ongoing service development
o Quarterly with Divisional Director
11 Complaint Management
SSG have a 24hr helpdesk facility, an out of hour’s duty manager system and formal disaster management
plans for emergency response.
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12. Support Services Group
General Service complaints are managed/escalated as follows
Operations Manager Divisional Director
Service Manager Account Manager
Serious service issue Account failure
Minor service issues Re occuring service issues
Same day response Same day response
Response within 20mins Response within 20 mins
Corrective activity agreed Correwctive activity agreed
Corrected same day Corrected same day
within 48hrs within 48hrs
Accreditations
Support Services Group holds the following accreditations:
 Approved contractor status from the SIA
"… is a very well run company with excellent procedures in place and a
forward thinking management team. The introduction of modern technology
will assist the company in reaching its ambitious business plan. "
Approved Contractor Scheme Auditor
 UKAS ISO9001 with the recognised industry British standards of BS 7499 and BS 7858.
"The company has an excellent quality management system with good
commitment at all levels. Internal Audits and Management Reviews
demonstrate the effectiveness of the system."
Certificate Number: 5423/06
ISOQAR Quality Assurance Auditor
 NACOSS - The Company holds the National Approved Council for Security Systems Certification
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Support Services Group SSG & RDS Introduction