How to Cut Response Times With Incident Management Software

“It takes too long for us to respond to incidents on the other side of the property,” you mumble to yourself.

You’re struggling with your operation’s response times to incidents.

But, you don’t know how to resolve it.

You’re open to asking for help – but, you don’t know who to ask.

You know for a fact that there’s a problem but can’t seem to put your finger on a solution.

“Why are we taking so long to get from incident to issue to another incident?” you ask yourself.

This problem is exhausting.

You’re ready to walk off a cliff in frustration but aren’t going to give up so easily.

You just want a way to answer the equation for response times, right?

Everyone would see you as the proactive leader you know you are.

But, where do you even start?

This part is where we can help.

There is one solution that contains the requisites for faster response times to incidents that occur throughout your property.

The solution is an incident management system (IMS).

It’ll help you better manage your operation, so you can understand what it takes to reduce response times.

Keep reading; in today’s article, we’re going to show you how to cut your response times with purpose and results you’ll notice.

AWARENESS IS THE CORNERSTONE FOR FASTER RESPONSE

Why do we hold awareness so high?

You can’t manage, measure or improve what you don’t know exists.

You have incidents that occur all the time.

Depending on your current situation, responding to them can take a little longer than you’d like.

Agree?

What about the reports and all the complaints you get on the following day or days later that you never knew about previously?

• A scuffle outside of your gates occurred, and none of your security guards responded in time. They responded once the suspects already left the scene.
• Several car thefts occurred in your parking lot. Not only do you find out about this the next day, but you also learn the designated guard was not manning her post the entire day because she was responding to random issues.
• No one responded to a customer in the parking lot after her elderly father slipped on a puddle. Was the fire department called? Should Parking Operations have been on the case?

There’s only one way to overcome this problem and to become proactive.

You must use incident management software.

Now, you might already have a solution.

But, you’re probably underutilizing it.

We’ll help you expose those factors.

Then, you’ll need to address them immediately.

Do you see why increased awareness matters?

Your ‘awareness’ can lead to efficiency, or it can lead to disaster.

That’s your choice, and it requires effort.

You need awareness, and you need it now, especially if you want to improve your response times.

INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE AUGMENTS RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Incident management software is a significant aspect of proactive operations.

An IMS helps increase your awareness and achieve maximum performance.

But, you must be willing to use the system – and execute.

Proactive operations begin with questions.

Ask yourself the hard questions, but also ask the right questions.

• What are you asking when it comes to your awareness of incidents?
• What are you asking that affects response times to these occurrences?

Let’s refer to the previous section for a moment.

What is the one characteristic each of the above three incident examples has in common?

It’s resource allocation.

Proper resources were not commissioned to these areas permanently.

There’s a good chance that appropriate personnel had been at these locations and were moved.

So, here’s your problem:

• Who knows where they went and why they left their post?

No one is tracking these resources, right?

Your entire operation can experience a shortfall when personnel is not managed efficiently.

That’s why it’s vital to your effectiveness to maintain full awareness in your operation.

You can cut response times when you have full awareness.

Think about it for a moment.

How fast could you respond to a slip and fall, theft, confrontation, or allergic reaction when you know where all your resources are?

Know which team is best to respond and know this information at any moment.

1. Which team is already assigned to other incidents?
2. Who is currently on-scene?
3. Do you need to reallocate resources to maximize efficiency?

These are all questions your system can help you answer.

How?

You’ll be able to see your resources the way you need to look at them.

Having the awareness means knowing the answers.

You agree, right?

Then, you can focus on improving your response efforts.

Are you ready to improve your response times to incidents and issues?

CUT YOUR RESPONSE TIMES AS ALL PROACTIVE OPERATIONS DO

You’re doing what it requires to be a proactive operation.

Would you say you now have control of your resources?

You know where everyone is, and all information and statuses are up to date.

1. Nothing is going to slip through the cracks.
2. Your team can quickly respond to anything.
3. Our introduction scenario is a problem of your past.

Things have changed for the better.

Agree?

Your improved incident management process and software give you an upper hand.

Your operation wasn’t running efficiently before, and now you know why.

Now you can fix the problems.

With the appropriate people and solution in place, you can handle incidents you’ve missed in the past.

Your solution then enhances this process by letting you receive new incidents, prioritize, communicate, and manage them effectively.

Exciting what a little extra awareness can do, right?

It gets even better, though, because now you collect relevant data to use for reducing your response times.

We’ve said it before in past articles, response times matter.

1. Handling incidents or issues a few minutes sooner is what makes a world-class operation. It’s how you keep your customers coming back to your property. It’s Proactive Operations.
2. Faster response lessens the adverse impact of incidents on your customers, teams, and property. This enhancement protects you from future liability as well. A heart attack handled with slow response time can turn into a fatality. How would you explain this incident to the court? How heavy is that burden to carry?

Analyzing incident response times gives you an understanding of your weaknesses.

You know how to achieve increased awareness.

You also understand the importance of reaction times.

Look deeper into your data.

You can do this with confidence because you’ve strengthened your incident management and have useful data to analyze.

OK, what’s next?

It’s time to ask questions using the data you’ve obtained from your system.

Ask these questions once your operation is ready:

1. How often do you receive new incidents for dispatch into your solution? How many incidents are occurring on your property? These questions are not ones that properties always have an answer to. Do you know?
2. How quickly does your operations center dispatch these new incidents to the appropriate personnel? Is your staff focused on their responsibility or laughing with colleagues when it matters most?
3. Do your response teams arrive on scene within two, three, five, or seven minutes of receiving notification? What’s the cause for delay?
4. How long does it take each team to mitigate and then handle an incident before moving to the next?

Then, get even more specific in your analysis.

1. Is Hallway West 1 a hotspot for wet spills? Do you need additional housekeeping in this location to cover the incidents reported? Will this prevent many slip and fall incidents?
2. Has the introduction of an incident management solution improved your team’s ability to communicate critical incident details? Have arrests and ejections declined?

Use the data gained from your solution to increase your awareness and augment response times at your property.

Your opportunity for improvement is vast!

OVER TO YOU

Awareness is the starting point for optimizing your response times. Incident management software helps you organize your operation and achieve the awareness needed.

It’s how you solve the complex response time equation hindering your operation to ensure your team remains proactive for years to come.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in November 2016 and has been updated for comprehensiveness and freshness.