When I created the term GuardHomeSafe it was intended to be a hash tag expression that I would use on Twitter to help promote what in essence GuardHome is all about, and that is delivering peace of mind to our clients.
Of course this was mainly from a perspective of how we apply attention to detail to our methods of designing, installing and maintaining the security systems that we provide to our clients.
Two examples came to light this week, that in my view demonstrates that it is far more than just a simple business tool, but it is in fact inherent in everything that we do on a day by day basis.
The first relates to an IP CCTV system that we were due to install for an existing alarm client in their new home. It was the first time we had used this particular product for real, although we have set up a trial system in our offices to ensure that it delivers high quality images. We pre-configured the clients system and were soak testing it under different conditions when we noticed some rather strange anomalies in the streamed video. It wasn’t a serious problem, but enough for me to dissatisfied with the performance. We started to investigate and involved the supplier in an attempt to resolve the issue. As the day progressed it was not clear where the root cause of the problem lay, so I cancelled the installation the following day. During the course of the next day we did get to the bottom of the problem, and the system was given a clean bill of health and was installed a day late but operating perfectly. It reflects our policy of pre testing all systems prior to installation and our integrity that we will not install a product unless we have absolute confidence in its ability to deliver the performance that we have promised to our client.
Ironically this has occurred in the week that a major German car manufacturer, renowned for its integrity was found to be deliberately creating a set of artificial operating conditions to pass the emissions tests of its Diesel engined vehicles!
The second example is less about what we do before we install our systems but more about how we take our support responsibilities very seriously. Darren was due to a visit a client for the routine maintenance of their alarm system. The client is an elderly lady who lives alone. Her family are sufficiently worried about her that they have added extra features to the alarm system, such as a natural gas detector in her kitchen, in case she leaves her cooker on and a personal care alarm in case she takes a tumble in her home and can summon help. Darren arrived at the appointed time but was not able to elicit a response from the client, either from the door bell or her phone. Rather than simply walk away, and aware of her particular circumstances, he called the clients son, to try to establish if she was ok. The son arranged to have a neighbour with a key visit the property and together they went into the home. Fortunately it was empty and a bit later on the lady turned up in a taxi. She had simply forgotten the appointment. It could have been much much worse and Darren’s actions, taken based on our detailed knowledge of our clients, might have have been considerably more than a routine maintenance visit for her alarm.
This is what GuardHomeSafe really means, an intrinsic and intelligent application of customer care that transcends contractual obligations.
