Out of sight often means out of mind. We don’t see someone, so we forget about that person. It happens in relationships and in business.
One good principal for developing sound business relationships is to spend time with those organizations and individuals that are important to your operations. United Airlines ran a brilliant ad many years ago, where the President brings out tickets for all his sales reps, and says to them that they’re all flying to meet with their most important customers. The point was: They’d lost touch. Because they hadn’t seen their customers, they no longer connected. Business was lost.
When it comes to working with our police departments, many of us in the security industry don’t take the time to get to know their local officials. While we all have to focus on the bottom line, and drive sales for our companies, we also must make time to get to know our local police chief because that relationship could be critical when it comes to a central focus of our industry: Police response to alarms.
Knowing your police chief, being able to pick up the phone and give him a call because you’re on a first-name basis, is crucial. Think about something you just read in your newspaper. It doesn’t sound right, and it has implications for public safety, and your company. If you know your chief, you can call or email him and expect a rapid response. If you don’t, your communication can fall into that file of “I’ll get around to it when I have time,” which could be two weeks down the road, and after a decision is made that crucially affects your bottom line. You don’t want this.
That’s why SIAC developed a program this year, encouraging security companies and their owners and managers, to meet with their local police department or sheriff’s office. It’s called “Visit Law Enforcement Month, and was rolled out in Pittsburgh at ESX in June. We gave a presentation at that time, and are re-emphasizing now this initiative.
The history of SIAC shows that when there is communication between local dealers and law enforcement agencies, they are more willing to work with the industry on responsible alarm policies. In this ever-changing industry, it is critical to maintain a positive relationship with law enforcement and continue to enhance our communications.
To assist in communicating with law enforcement, SIAC has also prepared letters, handouts, CD’s, Power Point presentations, and other materials that can easily be customized with the name of your company or industry group. These materials can also be found on SIAC’s Website at www.siacinc.org.
Stop by our site, then stop by to see your chief. You’ll benefit and so will he or she. Who knows, you might make a lifelong friend?