Cutbacks and Consequences

One of things everyone has had to do in these challenging economic times is make choices about where to spend their money. I’m not just talking about whether or not one should go out to dinner, or buy a new pair of shoes, or go on a nice vacation… Employees have been laid off, company budgets have been slashed, and services have been discontinued.  We all know about this, and have heard the stories – but in a way I didn’t realize how far some cuts had gone. These choices have impacted many business practices – not just the bottom line.

This past week I was out with two friends – one is a nurse at hospital and the other is a domestic violence crisis counselor. I was talking to them about SOS LINK and explaining the many uses to them. My friend the nurse said, “Man, we need that on the floor.” I asked her why she thought that she would need something like that at work and she explained that due to budget cuts there was only one security office working at night at their hospital. That security guard was responsible for patrolling all of the floors AND driving around parking lots and checking on other work sites. One person for all of that.

She explained that they often ran into situations where they felt unsafe but security was unable to respond. She said that her work-life is often a series of ‘close calls.’ (To read a recent story about violence against nurses, click here.) I was shocked to hear that staff safety was not taken more seriously, but she explained that it was all about cutbacks and that patient care was (understandably) given the highest priority. Staff safety? Well, it would be nice, but…. She told me she was going to get SOS LINK and encourage her coworkers to do the same “since everyone keeps their phone on them anyway.”

The same went for my friend who works at the Domestic Violence shelter. She told me of a few stories of being trapped in uncomfortable situations – including the time when someone had broken in to the facility’s donation shed and she needed to be able to alert staff who would be coming on shift and walking right past the shed. She is going to get SOS LINK Team so that they are all connected. Again, having on site security would be nice, but it’s not a possibility for her organization. It’s company policy that workers keep their cell phones on them at all times – but having the ability to instantly take a photo of the situation and get that information to those who need it is really important. And as they say, a picture really is worth 1,000 words, isn’t it?

Be safe this weekend, everyone!

Jill

Practice What You Preach....

It’s always easier to work for a business or organization when you believe in the cause. When buying my first car from a dealership, I remember asking the salesman what he drove and he sheepishly answered (truthfully, I am sure) “not this make.” That answer made me think twice, albeit very briefly, about my impending purchase. There really is something to be said about believing and using the products you claim to represent... and I am no exception.

I was at a nightclub this past weekend in a large metropolitan city. The club was on a well-lit street and there was visible police presence at major intersections. I was with two friends (a male and a female) and we had our wits about us. I didn’t feel unsafe leaving or walking the two blocks I needed to in order to catch a taxi… until we were approached by an individual who appeared to be in some kind of distress.

The young man looked to be in his early twenties. He was telling us that he was angry that “they” had already taken him to the hospital tonight, and that he “hates hospitals.” He clearly wanted to talk about the events of the evening and about those he believed were out to get him. He followed us for a few blocks and we did what we could to remove ourselves from the situation, but he was persistent. He eventually started swearing at a car in traffic, and he lost interest in us.

In terms of staying safe, we did everything ‘right’ for a night out: no one was intoxicated; we were in an area where there were lots of people (including police); it was well-lit; we were in a group of three (one of whom was a tall, somewhat intimidating man); and we weren’t engaging in any activities that would attract unwanted attention. But when we were approached I felt uneasy, and I had my hand on my Blackberry and was ready to use SOS LINK if I needed to.  I felt better knowing that I had another tool to draw on if things did go sideways with the individual who was following us.

So, how does this tie in with the story about buying my first car? Well, I blog about SOS LINK because it’s something that I believe in, and clearly, something that I use. This isn’t a “schpeel” about some product – it’s a testament to my belief in the personal security options that my company develops and delivers. And that’s why we’re different – we’ve developed a product that everyone in the office, and our families, use. And I don’t think that anything speaks louder than that.

Until next time…. Jill 

Business Travel - Safety with Smartphones

Today I was researching women and business travel (I've been travelling a lot lately). 

I came across an article about the rising influence of female business travellers, and in it they discuss the sharp increase over the last generation in the number of women who travel for business. It has been estimated that women make up 40-50% of all business travellers in North America today, up from 1% thirty years ago. The authors reported that this increase is related to both societal and economic changes, 


"'Now, close to half of all business travelers are women.' The trend is attributable not only to the changing role of women in the economy, but also, in no small way, to changes in the economy itself.


The New York Times recently reported that 82 percent of all jobs cut since the outset of the current recession belonged to men, who are disproportionately represented in distressed industries such as manufacturing and construction." 

So, what does this mean? Well, according to the writers it means offering more spa services, yoga mats, and bathtubs... but also an increasing attention to hotel security. They note,


"Women are particularly concerned about personal safety, for instance, so the Renaissance installed brighter lighting in hallways and other common areas where guests might find themselves alone, Dobis said. Guests can even arrange to have the lights in their rooms turned on before they return from dinner or a night meeting.


'We want to make them feel safe,' she said. 'We want to make them feel secure.'" 


A blog featured on the The Economist's website was engaging in a little eyeball-rolling over the article, particularly over the reported offerings of trivial services such as personal concierges who could run out to get that perfect shade of lipstick, having additional in-room accessories such as curling irons, and supplying their females guests 'fashion tape' to "keep that blouse in place." The blogger noted,


"There's an element of silliness to this story. Women have been travelling for business for years, and both sexes need the basic things a hotel provides. Everyone wants a safe, comfortable place to sleep, wash up, and maybe get some work done."


Interesting to note that both pieces touched on safety... and I have to agree that every business traveller, regardless of gender, probably wants - and expects a "safe, comfortable place." 


It's good to know that there appears to be a conscious effort to improve hotel security. But improving security need not be limited to hotels... For example, what about:

• Parkades? 
• Airports? 
• Cab rides? 
• New cities? 
• Unknown neighborhoods?  

It's not just about improving hotel security - it's about protecting everyone's personal security, period. The use of SOS LINK products (SOS LINK Personal 2, SOS LINK Personal Plus, SOS LINK Team) will give any business traveller an additional layer of personal security when they are travelling - so spread the word!


In the words of Zahara Heckscher, "Stay Safe But Don't Stay Home!"