Security in a Post 9/11 Society

CASE STUDY

Resicom has witnessed changes throughout the retail industry for the past 10 years. One of the most notable changes focuses on enhanced security.  In the light of 9/11, requesting access to malls and shopping centers after hours has evolved into a complex, sometimes daunting process.  Common areas once considered public access are now looked upon as potential areas for criminal or even terrorist activity.  Consequently, restriction to these areas has increased substantially. Property owners, management, and security personnel require comprehensive information regarding not just our technicians but also regarding our company in general, where in the past such requests were simply not a part of the process.  Our task became to supply the requested information readily and efficiently, without disrupting the overall project execution or deadline.  

Scope

The scope of work needed to execute this task included:

1. Obtain all pertinent background information on our employees, subcontractors, and their technicians without violating any privacy laws.
2. Design and create a streamline identification systems for our employees and technicians.  This systems had to be be easily verifiable through our home office or 24 hour hotline.
3. Distribute all new ID’s and procedure documentation to individuals throughout the country.  
4. Establish renewal date guidelines to review all issued IDs.

Challenges

The constraints of this task included:

1. The collection of information that some individuals might consider private, and therefore be reluctant to release.  
2. Obtain proper verification of information provided ensuring government compliance, while following guidelines established by our clients.
3. Obtain consistent photos of individuals produced with different cameras, and then establish process by which to transfer photos to new identification cards.  
4. Educating all employees and technicians as to the need for such new procedures, and demonstrate the value as to how the process will improve the service and performance we offer to our clients.

Solutions

We understood increased visibility of credentials of our employees and technicians was not optional with the climate that was created after 9/11.   Our solution included:

1. Informing all employee that information obtained was a prerequisite for Resicom to continue servicing the retail maintenance industry.  
2. Obtain proper verification of information provided ensuring government compliance, while following guidelines established by our clients.
3. Obtain consistent photos of individuals produced with different cameras, and then establish process by which to transfer photos to new identification cards.  
4. Educating all employees and technicians as to the need for such new procedures, and then demonstrate the value as to how the process will improve the service and performance we offer to our clients.
5. Create forms that were easy to comprehend and complete, returnable via email and downloaded to our database efficiently.  Detailed instructions on how to obtain photos utilizing various PC and Mac programs were also provided.
6. Establishing set procedures and deadlines for when all information needed to be reviewed and when new ID’s would be issued.
7. Education of additional office staff to support and handle this new division of operations.

Summary

When unpredictable events occur, ramifications to our industry, economy and even our society result.  Resicom’s ability to adapt quickly to a new dynamic allowed us to keep operating at business as usual.  By creating a systematic approach to how we needed to gather the required security information, we where able to furnish ID’s to all employees and technicians within a few weeks.