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Digitisation during COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has forever changed how business is conducted globally. This calls for being productive even from remote locations.

The Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA) was affected by the national lockdown, closing all nine branches in accordance with the regulations. The crucial importance of the private security industry quickly became clear as the demand for the protection of shops, business and assets increased drastically during the lockdown.

PSIRA’s stakeholders faced losing out on work as a result of not being able to supply compliance documents issued by PSIRA. It therefore swiftly put its systems to work in order to respond to the needs of its stakeholders:

• Bulk renewals

More businesses made use of the bulk employee renewals procedure than ever. Physical contact between security officers and consultants in branches was kept to a minimum, as a single representative from each security company would bring in all the renewal documents for processing.

• Online appointment bookings

The online system to book an appointment at any PSIRA branch for any service has been working very well, and has changed the service landscape. PSIRA can now manage the number of customers visiting its branches and cater to their needs on a more personal level. The average weekly number of appointments has been 3481 since the re-opening of PSIRA branches on 1 June 2020.

• Mobile platforms

The PSIRA app has also gained traction with many customers making use of it to book appointments at branches, while others check training courses and status verifications for new entrants in the security industry. Security officers are also using the platform to verify potential future employers.

Since the industry has had to adapt to the new normal, PSIRA has taken to Facebook and Twitter to educate its followers on how to use these platforms.

With all the positive feedback PSIRA has received for its integrated digital approach, it seems the digital way of doing business will be here to stay – even after lockdown.

For more information contact PSIRA (Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority), +27 12 003 0500/1, info@psira.co.za, www.psira.co.za

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