Day to Day with Tom Dilley: Supporting Clients and Officers from our National Control Centre

 

A brand new feature on ConsortioSecurity.com, Day to Day goes in-depth with the people at the core of our service during a typical day in their working life.

 

This month, we get an insight from National Control Centre Manager Tom Dilley into futureproofing our on-site operations, ensuring the welfare of our officers and the buzz he gets from finding solutions to problems.

 

Based in our National Control Centre in Castle Donington, the beginning of every single one of Tom Dilley’s working days is absolutely vital for ensuring the Consortio Security operation runs smoothly, and all of our sites have the support they need. “I usually arrive shortly before 8am. Having been briefed on the night’s activities and events, one of my first tasks is to review the daily service reports received by a number of our clients, ensuring we are well informed to discuss any notable events that may have occurred. That task complete, my focus is upon forward planning to ensure sufficient resources are available to fulfil all of our commitments for the weeks to come.”

 

“In Operations, putting the work in early means reaping the rewards down the line. The minute you take your foot off the gas pedal – that’s the minute you begin to fall behind.”

 

More recently, Tom has taken to sharing his expertise with our newly appointed Operations Manager for the North, Andrew Cambridge, to ensure the smoothest transition for all of our clients and officers in the region. “My extensive experience in operations management has helped me to mentor Andrew into his new role and for him to form a broad understanding of how we work at Consortio Security.”

 

While Tom’s role requires a lot of forward planning to ensure efficiency for all of our operations staff, his responsibilities can be just as immediate when a rare exceptional event on a site requires his response. “It’s all about guiding our officers to reach the best possible resolution for the client. For example, if we saw a security threat present itself at one of our sites, I am the one tasked with supporting the officers, building up a picture of the situation, agreeing and implementing the best course of action through to a resolution and keeping the client informed.”

 

“Our officers, while exceptionally trained, can’t be expected to have memorised the perfect solution to every potential issue, especially in the heat of the moment. That’s why I’m here: supported by my own experience and that of my managerial colleagues, I can be the calm voice to advise officers on how to act to best protect our clients, their people, their property and their brand.”

 

Though Tom is primarily one of the first ports of call for our officers, he is just as available within our National Control Centre to respond to queries from our clients and their staff. “It’s a cliché, but no question is a silly question. I’m always on hand to help anyone who calls up that telephone. We are a hub of knowledge, both for our officers on the ground and for any client who wants to know anything about our service.”

 

Despite his centralised position, geographically apart from our sites and their day to day goings on, Tom Dilley is forever in awe of the bravery, confidence and tenacity of our officers. “Being a security officer is a demanding role, but all of our officers are superstars. They provide our clients with such a reassuring presence. I admire the dedication of each and every one of them.”

 

As such, ensuring the welfare of our officers is perhaps Tom’s biggest priority, both on a personal and professional level. “Our operations managers do their best to take care of their staff, and our Control Room Supervisors remain in contact with officers throughout their duties. Under normal circumstances, our officers report their wellbeing through a lone working app. But, if there is an exceptional event, there can be the need for us to speak on the phone to ensure their physical and mental health. For my own peace of mind, I will always speak regularly with any officer who has encountered any potential welfare issues. It’s the most important duty we owe to them, and we do it for all, regardless of their location.”

 

Tom’s own wellbeing, however, is enhanced by the passion he has for his role and the urgency with which he addresses the demands of the day. “I get my buzz from finding solutions. Problem solving is my bread and butter. I always aim to go home feeling like my intuition has been challenged.”

 

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