Company: Picore International, Calabasas, CA
Company Description: Picore International provides a balanced approach to your security needs with our unique blend of security, behavioral sciences and threat assessments. From global security to training and investigative services, you will benefit from our thoughtful approach and cost effective solutions. Founded by Dana Picore, Ph.D., winner of the Silver Stevie, Female Entrepreneur of the Year.
Nomination Category: Customer Service & Call Center Awards Achievement Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Best Use of Technology in Customer Service

Nomination Title: Best Use of Technology in Customer Service

Tell the story about how technology has improved your customer service initiatives since the beginning of July 2013 (up to 650 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:

TEXT REDACTED FOR PUBLICATION

When Dana Picore, a veteran of LAPD with a Ph.D. in Psychology started her security company 14 years ago, she asked herself what she can do to differentiate herself from all the security companies she is competing with. Behavioral analysis was her forte after all. To find the answer, she started by researching what her competitors had in common.

What she found was this:

Obstacles: Not all established security companies actually had accountability but they all said they did! In fact, “Accountability” was the selling point security companies most often cited. But when Dr. Picore began talking to her potential clients to find out what they wanted from a security company, their answer had nothing to do with accountability but results.

Here’s the problem that “accountability” doesn’t even begin to address: most security companies think a job well done is when their security officers complete each individual task listed on post orders. That should not be the case. For example, a client might write down, “Patrol the parking lot twice a night,” but what they really want is for tenants’ vehicles to be safe from thieves, vandals, and the most insidious of parking lot offenders – parking space freeloaders.

Instead of having a task-oriented mindset, what is needed is a results-oriented mindset. Results are what clients want, after all. In the case of Picore, to set ourselves apart from our competitors, we went beyond post orders and asked ourselves what the best method is to achieve results.

First, we asked clients what results they want. What concerns them most about the safety of their property? Once we knew this, we became their security partner, and not just their security vendor.

14 years ago, business technology was not as readily available as it is today. For the most part only the VERY large companies implement technology because it’s expensive. In 2013, Picore did very well in revenue stream; 2014 was even better, and an investment in technology is why that is so.

Innovation: Our customer service was enhanced with one very important feature called Q90. It is a technology manufactured by Silvertrac but adapted by Picore to meet personalized needs of clients. The software uses a smart phone or IPAD (see photo) and cloud-based software (see videos) to implement this state-of-the-art technology.

Outcome: Our customers appreciate that we help make them look good in front of their clients. They also appreciate it when we make them look good in front of their bosses. With real-time security reporting provided by Q90, our clients can show that they are on top of – and even ahead of – security issues. Q-90 comes with the ability to turn out reports that are accurate, professional, and preventative since the best way to solve a problem is to never let it become a problem in the first place. That risk assessment capability allows one to see emerging trends on specific security issues based on previous records. Real-time security reporting also allows managers to come up with fast answers when corporate headquarters calls with questions.

Another asset of Q90 follows. One of our clients, was concerned about overnight officers falling asleep during the graveyard shift. We placed QR codes (see photo) all over the manufacturing facility. The officer would use his/her smartphone and scan the QR codes at which time a pop up box would appear providing instructions for that stop. The client gets a cloud based report proving the officer did his job combined with photos and voice notes from the officer.

A second technology update, Picore created and implemented a clever way to show customers we care with an animation video presenting our post orders (Confidential). We added value to having Picore service through this visual presentation, while adding redundancy which is key to confirm our officers understand and abide by our clients instructions. (See Similar Video & Revenues)

Upload a collection of supporting files and web addresses to our server to provide more background information to the judges. You may upload any number of attachments and URLs through the "Add Attachments, Videos, or Links to This Entry" link above. (Do NOT list your URLs below.)