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Photo credit: Archant 

The now not-so-novel Coronavirus. We’d all hoped it would be over by Christmas – but it seems that’s not to be. By any standards, 2020 has been and continues to be, one hell of a year, both for individuals and organisations.

But comparisons with previous cataclysmic events are a misleading distraction. We are where we are, and this, for the foreseeable, is the new reality. If we are, to borrow a phrase, “all in this together”, then we need to help and support each other; and, collectively, roll our sleeves up and get on with it.

Changing with the times

If you feel you’re still floundering, bewildered by developments you can’t control and what those events might mean for your business, take heart: so are many of your competitors! But there is a window of opportunity here – and it won’t stay open for long. You may need to change how you operate; possibly, even, what you do, what your business is; and certainly, your marketing strategy.

Companies that survive and thrive in these trying times will be those that have been fastest on their feet: quickest to adapt to the new paradigm. These companies will have reviewed their products, systems and processes and may have applied a start/stop/continue “slide-rule” to their activities: what do they want to start doing; what do they need to stop; and what do they continue with?

Three little words…

Three words that I’m hearing time and again at the moment are “purpose”, “pivoting” and “empathy”.

The first is sort-of self-explanatory – but a little elucidation never goes amiss, so to get existential: purpose is about as fundamental as it gets. Why does such-and-such a business exist? What problems, or pain points, is it here to address for its customers? Businesses that know their purpose really “get it”; and use that knowledge, that self-awareness, to create deeper connections with their clients. According to a recent report from Deloitte, purpose-driven companies enjoy higher market-share gains and grow on average three times faster than their competitors.

The second I understand to mean changing the nature of what you offer (in some cases, radically) to fit the current climate. Thus, to use an obvious example, high-end restaurants becoming takeaways – food provision might be a common denominator, but the two industries are historically very different!

However, the third is integral to successfully market your business – whatever it is or is becoming.

It’s the thought that counts

What is certain in these challenging times is that the days of marketing-as-blunt-instrument are gone. If that marketing style was already in its death throes pre-Coronavirus, then Covid has killed it stone dead; and no-one laments its passing.

What’s replaced it is a need to be much more precise. Much more targeted. Much more, in a word, thoughtful. Don’t cut your marketing spend – but consider where and how you’re spending it to get the biggest bang for your marketing buck. And it’s not just about making your money go further: make time – invest time if you prefer – to look into new channels to promote your business. Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram et al., plus other as-yet-undreamt-of social media, are free or low-cost and are there to be used. Think about how you can best make them work for your business – not just in the here-and-now, but in the long term.

And empathy is critical. The ability to make the human connection with your clients and prospects, understand where they are now, and where they want to be post-pandemic, is vital to your success in marketing to them. And that means thinking – hard – and asking questions.

Talking – and listening

In the case of existing customers, you might enjoy a business relationship going back years. Maybe you socialise together. But how well do you really know them? How has this seismic shake-up affected them – personally, as well as professionally? Where have they moved – or are they moving – from and to, business-wise? What are their hopes and dreams for the future – and their fears?

And the same goes for prospective customers. Arguably this is a little trickier – though one of the (few) positives from the pandemic is a new openness, a willingness to reach out: to talk subjectively about Covid and its effects. To compare notes – or, as one of my associates puts it, to “swap war stories”.

But the key thing is to keep asking, keep having the conversations, and dial-up the dialogue; only then will you be able to mould your marketing plans to fit your clients’ new shape. Which will shift – or mutate, just as the virus does. Ask your customers and prospects: what are they getting stuck with? Do you have a solution that can help them? If these conversations result in new target markets for you, then that can only be a good thing!

Finding a new way forward

No-one has all the answers – not when the questions keep changing. But we all need to be kinder to one another, personally and professionally. To acknowledge that these are challenging times and that we’re coping with some elements while struggling with others.

Life at the moment is riddled with uncertainty. But what is an absolute no-brainer is that “selling-to” is dead in the water. “Working-with” is where the future lies.

Ten points to pandemic marketing

1. Know what business you are in. Not what you were doing pre-Covid – but NOW
2. Understand the implications of any changes you’re making – operational or fundamental
3. Don’t cut your marketing spend!
4. Think about other ways to spread your message
5. Talk – and keep talking – to your clients. And LISTEN
6. Be flexible – adapt as trading conditions change
7. Get to know where your customers are – and where they want to be
8. Be open: your clients will be too
9. Don’t assume you have all the answers. Be prepared to learn
10. Be kind!

We are nearing the end of what has assuredly been a tumultuous year. Businesses have had to adapt to a new socio-economic paradigm. In numerous cases, they have had to pivot (perhaps not the full 180 degrees), but in many cases not far short – to survive.

As we look ahead to 2021, what lessons can we take from the year just gone? And what does it mean in terms of changes to marketing strategies?

Seismic shifts in behaviour

Two big shifts that we’ve noticed this year are:

• A sea-change in buyer behaviour. This is most manifest in the retail sector, where customers, either through fear or because of the new rules, have been staying away in droves, preferring to shop online. The results are there for all to see – residential areas chock-a-block with delivery vans, and high street retailers struggling. Buyers of any product or any service are making purchasing decisions according to different criteria than was the case 10 months ago.  
• And as a result of this, a second, fundamental change: to get ahead on what those new criteria are, businesses have started talking – really talking – to their customers. Rather than developing a product or service, and then foisting it on an unsuspecting public, companies have been forced to work with their clients. To ask: “Is this what you want?” To ask: “How can we improve what we’re offering? What do you need? What do you want us to do for you?”

This has profound implications for marketing and marketing strategies. No longer is it the case that developers develop, makers make and marketers market: the whole shooting match has become much more collaborative. Intra-company communication has taken centre-stage; and market intelligence, always important, is now absolutely vital.

Embracing change

Next year will hopefully see the pandemic consigned to history. But our lives are unlikely to resume the same shape as they were before Covid-19.

For example, the way we talk to each other in a professional context has changed. Once we’re all vaccinated and restrictions are lifted, there will be a welcome return to getting together face-to-face. Still, we’re likely to carry on Zooming (other platforms are available!) due to it being quicker, cheaper, more time-efficient, and environmentally friendlier. This has massive implications for train operators, fuel companies, motor manufacturers and others. They will have to change what they offer, as their customers’ requirements change.

And this is just a “for instance”. There are myriad others – and the only way for companies to keep abreast (or preferably ahead) of those changes is to talk, and keep talking, to their customers. To reach out, grab the market’s wrist, and take its pulse. Regularly, and frequently.

But, just to prove there’s nothing new under the sun: some (smart) companies have been doing it for years…

The lego challenge

Since its foundation in 1949, Lego has been hugely successful worldwide. But as the years wore on, the Danish plastic toy brick manufacturer faced a growing problem. Environmental concerns aside, Lego is a highly durable product (which indeed has been one of its selling points) and, as is the nature of toys, often gets passed on from child to child. How, then, to stimulate new sales?

Lego adopted a multi-stranded approach: opening Legoland theme parks around the world increased brand awareness; partnerships with movie studios behind the likes of Star Wars, Harry Potter and Ghostbusters have proved very popular; and the company’s “own” films have done good business (deservedly so: The Lego Movie is hilarious.) But Lego did one thing that we can all emulate, albeit on a smaller scale: it reached out to its customers.

In 2008 the company launched Lego Ideas, an online forum where users, the children, could talk to each other, share ideas and submit their own designs for future products. The company judges the ideas that receive the most votes (10,000 is the bare minimum needed to qualify), and the winning designs go into production for a market which is, by then, pretty much nailed on.

Appropriately enough in such turbulent times, the Lego story is an example of disruptive marketing: some characteristics of which may prove relevant to your business, in the future. There’s an excellent article on that subject on the US Marketing Schools website.

Talk, listen and learn

Lego invited its customers on a journey: making them feel they have a part to play in the Lego story. And you can do the same.

Think first about your brand. Is it largely the same as it’s always been, doing largely the same as it’s always done – or has 2020 seen it evolve into something else? How do your customers feel about that? Do they like the “new you”? Your recent sales figures should prove a yardstick, but you could always ask!

Then think about your product. What are its core strengths, historically? Are they still relevant? What pain points does it address? Have your clients’ pain points changed? What changes might you need to make to your product to keep it on-point? Do you need to change how you deliver the product? Again: ask questions.

Adapt to survive (and thrive!)

2021 should be a better year for all of us, but it is unlikely to be a year of consolidation. The companies that succeed will be those that build trust: that collaborate with their clients, that adapt. That old mantra ‘sell on value, not on price’, has never been more apposite.

10 tips to adapting your marketing for 2021

• Take a fitness test. How healthy is your company and your industry? How can you get fitter?
• Look at, and learn from, your competitors. What can you emulate, and what should you avoid?
• Be alert to new markets as you alter what you offer
• Reach out. Use new media and new channels to reach new (and existing) markets
• Wherever possible: add value
• Engage with your customers. Talk, keep talking…and listen
• Be relentlessly relevant. Morph your strategy to maintain relevance as your clients’ needs change
• Change your message as need be, but always be clear
• Give your customers an easy “route to purchase”
• If it’s working – stick with it!

Stock Reduction Case Study

Reducing stock frees up cash which could be better spent elsewhere. Rather than give a list of tips of how to improve, this article demonstrates a real-life example of how stock was significantly reduced. 

It focuses on mechanical seals, an engineering component which (in my layman terms) stops things from leaking. 

The Application

A chemical manufacturer with multiple process plant where the mechanical seals supplied largely from one supplier. There was a long-term relationship with the supplier, and no intention of switching away from them for many reasons.

The Problem

• Stock levels reached £160,000
• Large diversity of seals purchased and stocked
• Use of (expensive) exotic materials

Mechanical seals are indirect goods which don’t directly add value to customers. Having such a high value of capital tied up in the stock was an inefficient use of the company’s resources.

Similarly, there was a disconnect between the seals used across the plant and what was kept in stock, meaning some applications were left without access to critical parts but others had a surplus of availability.

Additionally, the supplier had little knowledge of what we kept in stock and why, meaning we were underutilising their ability to support us.

The Solution

I formed a cross-functional team including a Reliability Engineer and the Stores Manager and two Sales Engineers from the supplier. Together, we listed all the applications on site and the specification of their seals.

We listed all the different types of seals and looked to see if any could be consolidated. From that, we compared the stocked items to the quantity of seals installed on site.

We also compared it to the items that the supplier regularly stocked at their premises. From this, we were able to build a list of what was readily available from them and how many we needed to keep in stock to cover the quantity of installed units on plant.

For seals with exotic elements we reviewed the options for stocking only the rare parts. In future, we would ship these parts to the supplier for them to make a complete unit using the additional, common parts. This would then be urgently shipped back to site for installation.

The Outcome

We had a list of all mechanical seal applications on site and an accurate Bill of Materials for spare parts.

We were also utilising the supplier much more effectively, with access to their extensive stock of parts.

The major outcome was we reduced the stockholding by £43,555 or 28%.

Hopefully, this has given insight into practical ways to reduce inventory in challenging areas. If you have any questions, feel free to give me a call on 07588 071975

The Team

St James CE Infant School is a small primary school located in Whitehaven, Cumbria. Safeguarding of both the children and staff is of the utmost importance in every aspect of their school life.

The Challenge

Michael Craig, Headteacher, needed to implement a simple and effective safety solution for St James. He’d previously used Little Green Button in another school – for added security when behavioural problems arose – and was keen to use it again having seen how effective it was.

The school needed a way to get alerts out to other staff members, without leaving the children unsupervised. This could be for any number of things – they could be sending a request out for an ice pack, or it could be for part of their lockdown procedure. Little Green Button gave them the flexibilty to continue with the day to day running of the school

The Success

Little Green Button has been successfully installed and embedded at the school. The Teachers are able to communicate effectively with each other, and the children are never left unattended.Using our simple how-to guides, they’ve implemented a process for testing their little green buttons alongside their regular fire alarm drills. Staff are happy and secure in the knowledge that their workplace is safer thanks to LGB.

The Team

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) manages the delivery of health- and human-related services for all North Carolinians. They are especially involved with helping those more vulnerable citizens – the elderly, disabled, children, and low-income families. The Department works closely with health care professionals, community leaders and advocacy groups; local, state and federal entities; and many other stakeholders to make this happen.

The Challenge

Given the often-sensitive nature of their work, the NCDHHS required a discreet escalation system that could add another level of security to their existing protocols. They needed an enterprise-level solution that could be rolled out across multiple, remote locations, as they have over 30 different sites throughout North Carolina. 

Each building needed the ability to send alerts internally, without notifying other sites (although this functionality could be configured if needed). They also required specific escalation paths for each individual building, so that named teams could be alerted in a certain order (in case the first team is unable to respond, for example).

The Success

Little Green Button was very successfully deployed and implemented across multiple NCDHHS sites. For this enterprise-level solution, we were able to offer a hands-on approach to the installation and set-up, ensuring that the software was configured alongside their complex security needs. Staff are more safe and secure at work, and they’ve now been using Little Green Button for a number of years – they are consistently happy with the level of service and safety provided.

The Team

The Criterion Theatre is one of London’s premiere West End Theatres found at the heart of the capital. With seating capacity for over 500 guests each performance, the venue caters for a huge volume of visitors each day.

The Challenge

Due to the high volume of visitors and the complex layout of the venue, staff needed a quick method of calling for support and alerting the network to an incident – even when internet or phone signal may be an issue. A potential terrorism incident in the heart of London caused a influx of members of the public seeking shelter in the building. Front line staff needed a panic alarm solution to immediately notify the network in case of future events.

The Success

Little Green Button has been implemented quickly and easily, fulfilling the theatres dedication to staff and visitor safety. Deployed discreetly on devices across the network, the team can call for assistance or raise an alert regardless of mobile signal or internet availability.

The Team

Somerset House is London’s working arts centre built on historic foundations around one of the most beautiful courtyards in Europe. Situated at the very heart of the capital, we are home to the UK’s largest and most exciting creative community and are overflowing with new ideas, young businesses and fresh perspectives.

The Challenge

The Challenge was to enhance their existing safety and security processes by empowering their security team and reception staff with a soft escalation system that they could use when required. Being in the heart of London, in a very public space, the team need to be prepared for all scenarios – and so our easy-to-implement and roll-out solution seemed ideal.

The Success

Fortunately, the team hasn’t had a live incident on site yet. However, our product was so easy to roll-out and implement that all staff had the software up and running within the first 24 hours of purchase. Using our simple how-to guides, they’ve implemented a process for testing their little green buttons alongside their regular fire alarm drills. Staff are happy and secure in the knowledge that their workplace is safer thanks to LGB.

There has been an outpouring of support for healthcare workers in the UK throughout 2020. The pandemic has changed the way people think of frontline workers and led to the creation of many campaigns designed to provide support and help for members of staff in the healthcare industry.

However, 2020 has also been an extremely challenging year for the NHS and wider healthcare sector. The pandemic itself has had serious impacts on care provision, and many areas are still identifying ways in which Covid-19 will affect them.

One key area that has unfortunately seen a sharp rise during the pandemic is workplace violence. A common issue even before the added stress of a pandemic, workplace violence is an increasingly worrying issue for many healthcare employers.

With mask-wearing requirements and social distancing measures in place and requiring enforcement, coupled with the increased pressure on the healthcare sector, violence in the workplace is something you really need to be thinking about.

Increasing violence and healthcare: the statistics

So, is Covid-19 causing an increase in incidents of workplace violence? It’s still early, but recent statistics and anecdotal evidence points to yes.

• While the NHS Staff Survey for 2020 hasn’t been released yet, in the 2019 survey 9% of staff said they had experienced physical violence in the past year, up from 14.6% the year before.
• For ambulance staff, the 2019 figure was 34% – a worrying trend as emergency healthcare becomes even more essential.
• An article published in The Lancet in May described anecdotal evidence of increased attacks in healthcare workplaces during the pandemic.
• Mental health is a crucial issue during Covid-19, with lockdown measures affecting everyone. The 2019 NHS Staff Survey saw 20.2% of staff working in Mental Health or Learning Disability Trusts affected by workplace violence, an increase of over 5% compared to the average across the NHS.
• New mask wearing guidelines are being cited as a common trigger for the increased workplace violence issues being reported.
• As the pandemic continues to take its toll, there’s a lot more stress, uncertainty and anxiety around, especially in the healthcare sector. Are you prepared for patients with potentially much shorter fuses?

What are your workplace violence responsibilities as a healthcare employer?

As an employer, it’s essential that you understand your responsibilities to deal with and prevent workplace violence.

There are serious legal obligations on you as an employer to prevent threats and violence against your employees. You should be addressing this as part of your health and safety policies.

Within the NHS, as a response to the challenges of Covid-19, NHS England have stressed a “statutory duty of care”, and announced that by December 2020 an NHS violence reduction standard will be launched.

The Health and Safety Executive European guidance on preventing workplace harassment also applies. This details a number of key employer responsibilities, such as providing clear information on your policies to members of staff, explaining the support that’s available, and demonstrating that you’ve taken steps to prevent or control any risks.

There are lots of other legal obligations that apply across all industries and sectors. Find out more in our article on what responsibilities employers have to prevent workplace violence.

Tips and advice on preventing workplace violence

So, how do you take steps to prevent workplace violence as an employer? Here are some of our tips:

• Invest in training your staff. Proper training on de-escalation and conflict resolution can empower your staff to take ownership of safety issues. A focus on training and support on mental health for your staff will also have a big impact.
• Focus on communication. Instigate support plans, encourage reporting, and have a system of regular check-ups with staff. Make sure that these communications are empathetic and sensitive. It’s a difficult and worrying time, so your aim should be to reassure and calm staff – not stress them out.
• Identify problem areas. Receptionists and triage staff can often bear the brunt of workplace violence or threats. While your workplace violence policy must cover all employees, it’s effective to focus your resources on targeted support for those who most need it.
• Look at your security measures. Are they appropriate? Do you need to invest in additional hardware or software security measures? Make sure your security measures are up to the task.
• Think about physical changes if you can. For example, waiting rooms and reception desks could be redesigned to enhance safety. As you may be making changes to these areas anyway to enhance social distancing, now may be a good time to look at this.
• Do you have enough security staff? You may be looking at staffing levels and increased security to ensure compliance with social distancing and occupancy rules – so is now a good time to look at your security levels?

How Little Green Button can help

Our software and hardware solutions provide a fast, discreet option for duress alarms, using your existing computers and networks.

Our panic alarm software solution is robust and easy to use. You can pair it with hardware buttons or keyboard shortcuts if you’d prefer. It’s the ideal solution for receptionists and triage areas with ready access to computers.

We also offer a mobile app which is perfect for roving members of staff who might not be staffing a fixed location.

With Little Green Button’s software, it’s easy to set up specific locations, groups and escalation paths, so the right person always responds.

As part of a robust strategy to protect your employees from increasing workplace violence, Little Green Button is the perfect panic alarm solution.

If you’d like to find out more about how Little Green Button could help with workplace violence in your healthcare setting, please get in touch.

Panic alarm systems are helping to save lives in the workplace and keep staff safe on a daily basis. Whether it’s the improved speed of response to a medical emergency or making sure the right people are in the right place to help de-escalate a potentially dangerous confrontation, they have proven their worth time and again.

But with a growing number of panic alarm systems available on the market, it can be difficult to choose the best option for your workplace. This is certainly not a “one size fits all” situation.

We’ve put together a list of questions for you to consider that we hope will help you narrow down your choices so you can identify the best system for your individual circumstances.

What do you need the system for?

What are the most likely scenarios your workforce might face that you hope a panic alarm system will help with? Do you have customer-facing staff who may be exposed to tricky face-to-face conversations with disgruntled customers? Do the general public have access to your premises? Does your team work in a high risk environment where the chance of injury or sudden illness is above average? Thinking through these questions is a sensible place to start. 

Do you need direct contact with the emergency services?

Some systems can be tied into a direct response from emergency services. This may be suitable for some cases, but often situations can be resolved without having to draw on emergency resources.

Do you need an audible alarm?

For some scenarios, it’s important that a loud, audible alarm sounds to alert all members of staff that action is needed. However, in many cases, discretion is called for. Being able to silently call for help without drawing attention to the fact can prevent an aggressive member of the public feeling further aggravated.

Do you need a mobile app-only system, or would a desktop option also be helpful?

Some panic alarm systems are purely mobile-based. Whilst this can be really helpful, particularly for remote workers, there are some drawbacks. What if someone doesn’t have their phone with them, or the battery dies? What if you work somewhere where mobile phones are not permitted? A desktop option would be a better solution here.

But remember to compare the detail around desktop systems too. For example, will it still work when a computer is in screensaver mode and password protected? This ensures a colleague can raise an alert from any computer on the system, not just their own, potentially saving critical seconds in the event of an emergency.

How does the system identify someone’s location?

GPS tracking integrated into a mobile app can be very helpful in locating remote workers. But within an office environment, being able to narrow an alert to a particular office may be enough.

What is the connection technology?

Whilst most panic alarm systems these days are wireless, some may rely on having Wi-Fi or mobile signal. Whilst this is sufficient in most connected societies, there are still some instances where these signals can fail. If this is a likely scenario for your workers, check out other options including satellite, Bluetooth, or a hardwired system.

Is the system scalable?

Workforces do change over time. How easy would it be to add new personnel to your panic alarm system? How will this impact the overall cost? You don’t want to outgrow your system soon after having installed it.

Are updates free?

As with all technology, any panic alarm system worth its salt will be evolving and improving over time. Check that you will have access to the latest updates without having to pay for an upgrade each time. Otherwise, you may quickly be left with an out-of-date system.

What is the ongoing support like?

Reading reviews of systems and checking out the level of online support available is a good place to start. How easy is it to reach the support team? How responsive are they? Is there someone you can talk to if you have any problems? There’s nothing more frustrating than trying to get help with technology and meeting nothing but silence in return. In the worst scenario, it can render your entire system next to useless.

Is there a free trial?

One of the best ways to help finalise your decision as to which is the best panic alarm system for you is to trial it. Many companies will offer a free trial before you have to commit. This gives you the opportunity to see first-hand how the system works, put it through its paces and gather feedback from your colleagues.

The importance of getting it right

Choosing the wrong accounts package for your company can lead to frustration, wasted time and perhaps wasted money. But choosing the wrong panic alarm system can have much more serious implications. If a member of your team is unable to get the help they need when they need it, health and safety may be put at risk. So, it’s important to take the time to ask all of these questions before rushing into a buying decision.

If you have any questions about whether Little Green Button might be the best panic alarm system for you, please do get in touch. A member of our support team will be happy to help. And we offer a free 21-day trial too!

You wouldn’t install a fire alarm and not test it – it’s no different with Little Green Button. We always recommend scheduling regular test alerts to check that everything’s working as it should, and to help train your staff about what to do in an emergency. 

Why should I run a test alert?

• If any buttons are grey, you will need to investigate. It may be that there is currently no-one available to respond, or that the button is not connecting to other buttons. If an alert is not raised on a particular device, check that there aren’t any other buttons sharing the same location name.
• A practice run allows everyone to understand how they can help in a panic situation, and gives them peace of mind that they can raise an alert and get assistance if they should need it.
• Testing can help to flag up where Little Green Button may not be installed if you have recently replaced or upgraded any PCs.
• Overall, a proactive approach means you can be prepared, so that if a real-life alert does occur, everyone knows what to do and has confidence in your agreed procedure for an alert.

How do I run a test alert?

We understand that every organisation will want to use Little Green Button slightly differently, and it’s completely up to you how you decide to make it part of your day-to-day, working life. Having said that, here’s some tips we’ve learned from over a decade of our users running alerts through Little Green Button.

• Some users dedicate a time each week to run an alert practice, so that all staff know it is a practice and have it marked in their diary. On the other hand, you may prefer to set a different time each week or month, so that it feels more like a real life scenario.
• Before the alert- staff should be adequately trained on what to do if the alert is raised. Little Green Button should be installed on all relevant devices.
• During the alert- make sure your testing schedule allows for each button to be pressed, so that you know each relevant device can raise an alert. And also, ensure each device can respond to an alert too. You should check that each Little Green Button installation is correctly configured for its location.
• After the alert- a team debrief is a good idea- it allows you to make any necessary changes to your procedures, contact Little Green Button support team if necessary, and it helps everyone to feel safe in an emergency situation.

  If you have any questions at all – head to our Contact page. 

Care homes have a clear responsibility to keep their residents, staff and visitors safe. However, they face a unique set of challenges which make this remit complicated, difficult and potentially expensive.

What challenges do care homes face when it comes to protecting its people?

Care homes can often be spread over a larger area. There may be multiple ways in and out of the building. This is essential for fire safety and allowing residents access to outside space, but also presents multiple vulnerabilities for intruders to expose. With large amounts of expensive equipment and medication on site, care homes can represent a desirable target for unscrupulous thieves.

Many of the residents within a care home will be particularly vulnerable. Due to their age or medical conditions, it’s not unusual for slips, falls or medical emergencies to occur. A swift response to such incidents is absolutely critical. Some conditions, such as dementia, can increase the risk of unpredictable, and sometimes violent, behaviour which can threaten residents, visitors and staff alike.

There is a strong desire to maintain an “open door” policy within care homes. The aim is to achieve a good standard of living which feels as close to “home” as possible, rather than having restrictions in place which make the environment feel more akin to a hospital or facility. Visitors are often encouraged to come and go, visiting their loved one when they like. However, this can be difficult to monitor.

The number of professional visitors – GPs, hairdressers, entertainers – as well as large proportions of temporary or bank care staff also means there are new faces in and out of the building with some regularity. Some of these people may not be fully aware of individual care needs or personalities, with the potential to cause accidental upset. Some will not be equipped with the skills needed to deal with an unexpected situation in such a specific setting.

There are added challenges too when residents are taken on day trips, away from the equipment and backup that the care home itself will have available. Is it possible for the home’s security measures to extend to cover remote visits?

What security options are there for care homes?

One of the main challenges for care homes when assessing security options is striking the right balance between ensuring safety whilst maintaining the freedom of residents and visitors. Options include:

Access control systems – restricting access to the home, or certain areas within in using a swipe card system, for example.

Visitor logging – from a simple paper-based system, to a PC-based log which takes photographs of visitors.

CCTV – recording the outside of the building, with the option to also mount cameras internally.

Panic buttons – with options for fixed, PC-based or app-based for staff and visitors to raise an alarm when they need help or backup.

ANPR – to capture the number plates of all visitors. Visitors could be asked to pre-register so automated access is only allowed for recognised vehicles.

Intruder alarms – particularly for doors which are designed for emergency access only and for protecting the setting at night.

Perimeter protection – to prevent unauthorised access to the setting by those with criminal intent.

There are pros and cons to all of these options. The downside of options like CCTV and access control systems, for example, is that they may feel intrusive to residents and visitors. Any alarm system which relies on raising an alert by creating loud noises or obvious visual cues runs the risk of unnecessarily upsetting a wider group of residents, causing a situation to escalate rather than helping to control it. And some of these options may be prohibitively expensive, particularly for homes with limited budgets.

Ultimately, an effective security strategy is likely to include a combination of measures whose potential impacts, both positive and negative, will need to be assessed on a case by case basis.

Why care homes are turning to our Little Green Button

We mentioned panic buttons as one of the options above with good reason. We’ve had more and more care homes embrace Little Green Button as an effective part of their security plan.

It offers a customisable solution that can be tailored to each facility. The interface is very intuitive, and the network can be expanded simply so temporary staff can add the app to their mobiles, enabling them to quickly summon an extra pair of hands if needed with minimal fuss and no training. There’s no big noise, it just provides the reassurance that should there be a medical emergency, some unsettling behaviour or any concern over a suspicious guest, backup can be called discreetly. It also works off-site, so those remote visits are covered too.

If you’re a care home owner looking to upgrade your current security system, our team is on hand to answer any of your questions and give you a demo of our panic button software.