• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Bidvest Noonan

Bidvest Noonan

A market leading provider of facilities services and solutions

  • Services
  • Sectors
  • About Us
    • Our Leadership Team
    • Our Credo
    • ED&I
    • Accreditation
  • Social Value
  • Contact Us
    • Get a Quote
    • Careers
  • Int
    • Ireland
    • Great Britain

Popular

Leadership, training, and technology trends in the security sector

May 24, 2021 by Carolina

Darren Martin has built highly successful and award-winning security teams. He is an industry expert with experience in protecting large and prestigious clients. We asked Darren to share his thoughts on leadership, training, and technology trends in the security sector today.

What has been your journey to becoming a Strategic Account Manager at Bidvest Noonan?

I started my security career seventeen years ago as a Security Officer, and over a short period of time I developed a strong skillset in loss prevention and risk management. By the age of 22, I had already progressed to the position of Security Manager for one of the largest luxury department stores in Ireland.

This client facing role helped me to further enhance my skills in leadership, people management, effective communication and problem solving. One of the most important things that I learned early on in my career, was that it is imperative you are a person of high integrity, and that the most successful relationships you will have with clients and colleagues are built on trust.

In my five years working in operations, I have been very lucky to have enjoyed success working in partnership with some of the best-known retailers on the high street, the largest luxury department stores and destination shopping centres, as well as popular tourist attractions and multinational corporations.

The security industry is constantly changing, especially after COVID-19. What skills do you think are most important for security professionals nowadays?

Since the start of the pandemic, the security industry has had to rapidly adapt to changing conditions. The role of the Security Officer has evolved from a uniformed deterrent at the entrance, to an ambassador for the business they represent. By showing empathy, using strong communication and customer service skills, the security professional can support the customer journey, enhance their experience, all while advising of the current safety protocols in place.

We have also seen a shift in the way that the security professional uses technology by having to incorporate occupancy counting, temperature checking and contact tracing efforts as part of their daily duties.

And for leadership? What are the essential traits for successful management in security?

I would have to say that being self-motivated, an effective communicator and people orientated are all essential traits to being successful. It is vital to be able to motivate and empower your team members, if you can enlarge their vision, insight and understanding then this is the best way for a team to build momentum and achieve their goals.

How a company can go about ‘upskilling’ its current security teams?

We are always looking for new ways to upskill our security teams. Examples of this include the roll out of a suicide awareness training programme at the start of the year, regular scenario testing events with our colleague Mark Hobden, and most recently providing access to our officers, supervisors and managers to new recognised security and risk management training programmes through our partnership with ISRM.

In my opinion Continuous Professional Development is a personal choice, and one that is very important to me in my role. I completed the Level 6 Diploma for Certified Security Management Professionals last year, and recently completed a Level 5 certificate in Corporate Risk & Crisis Management. It is vital to keep up to date with emerging global risks and threats, as well as mitigating factors and new ways of working.

What trends do you expect to see in the security sector in 2021 and beyond?

I expect to continue to see the security sector catching up with its use of artificial intelligence, this will have a real positive impact on the way that surveillance is used. Operators will become more efficient and proactive by moving to an event-based way of working, rather than continuous manual monitoring.

Companies will continue to move towards remote security solutions as they combine new technologies with traditional manned guarding techniques. Security Officers are being equipped with added tools to enable them to do their jobs more effectively. These include video analytics software for alarm detection, drones for perimeter protection and quicker response, as well as mobile monitoring solutions.

Digital transformation will continue to be a driver of change in business by allowing us to collaborate more efficiently and deliver better value. Security leaders will need to be prepared for the additional risks that this will present. Personal data will continue to be an attractive target for hackers and there will be an increase in the frequency and severity of cybersecurity incidents, particularly ransomware and phishing attacks.

Filed Under: Popular

Ready to welcome students and faculty back on campus

May 21, 2021 by Eoghan McGarry

Contract Manager, Mark McDonald, tells us how his team has adapted to Covid-19 and is equipped and ready for the return to on-campus learning very soon.

When the pandemic hit, how did your team overcome the initial challenges?

My team and I began preparing for this pandemic before the first lockdown started in early 2020. Our biggest challenge was to maintain a clean and safe environment whilst keeping all those on campus safe. Like so many universities around the world, this was unchartered territory, and an uphill battle, but something myself and my team were ready to tackle together.

From the offset, we took a proactive approach. We knew the safety of people was our priority so gaining knowledge of what we were dealing with was important for us. I organised socially distanced toolbox talks to help my team develop an understanding of what was needed. I collated and distributed material and publications from our government on measures to be taken. I also implemented frequent catch-up meetings with the team to educate and update them on the latest developments. This was all done with the aim of protecting ourselves and those around us.

How were you able to maintain service standards?

The joint contract managers and I formulated new strategies and schedules that would allow us to maintain our usual standard of service amidst this disruption. We introduced working pods to ensure minimal crossover and to reduce the number of close contact situations. Working closely with the client we established a new daytime role to increase touch point cleaning frequency. This new role has been the backbone of our service during the pandemic and an important factor in how we have been containing the spread of Covid-19 on campus.

Have you taken any steps to improve your response outbreaks?

From an early stage, I ensured the team was prepared for a potential outbreak on site. Ecostatic sprayers were installed to actively apply a preventative disinfectant, but they also enabled us to decontaminate infected areas if Covid-19 was identified. Several members of both team and management were trained up to use the equipment.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have decontaminated a variety of areas around campus in response to suspected cases. In our high-traffic areas, we have completed countless preventative spraying projects also.

What is your teams’ priorities for the reopening, will there be new systems and ways of working?

Our focus is to continue working closely with the client and estate services to facilitate a smooth transition back to on-campus learning. Currently, we are planning to return as per current government guidelines. This means for the foreseeable future we expect to continue our daytime touchpoint cleaning procedures, remain working in smaller groups, adhere to social distancing where possible, and wear PPE where necessary.

The rollout of a new request logging system is also currently underway. Our client will be able to raise tickets through this system which will be forwarded to our team, providing them with a real-time feed. The job can then be assigned to a team leader to complete and closeout, triggering a notification to all included on the job tree that the job is complete. This means there will be a faster response time and will minimise staff deployment to the affected area where unnecessary.

What do expect in the coming months?

Since we began our work on-site here at UCD, and particularly since the start of the pandemic, our team has had an incredible ability to adapt to change and overcome any challenges put in front of us. We have strong backing from the leadership team at Bidvest Noonan that will ensure we have the resources we need to continue doing so.

While the government guidelines may change how we work, we will adjust as required and continue to work to the best of our ability in the safest manner possible, supporting client operations across the portfolio. We will stay in discussion with the client to ensure both teams are working in tandem.  This continued support and communication has built an environment of trust and partnership and we look forward to continuing this as we welcome everyone back on campus.

Filed Under: Latest News, news, Popular

Launching our Customer Relationship Programme

May 21, 2021 by Eoghan McGarry

We are passionate about building long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with customers. We know that strong relationships can deliver success on every level, and we work hard to be the best partner we can be. This year we are investing in an ambitious new customer relationship programme to ensure that doing business with Bidvest Noonan is a fantastic experience with current and new customers:

Filed Under: Latest News, news, Popular

Welcoming Interact to Bidvest Noonan

May 19, 2021 by Eoghan McGarry

We have some great news! The CCPC has approved our deal and we can officially welcome Interact and H2O Solutions to our group. Interact is one of Ireland’s leading M&E engineering services companies and H2O Solutions is Interact’s specialist water treatment company. Both will bring so much value to our business. We are incredibly excited to welcome all our new colleagues. Their expertise will help bolster both our reach and scale.

Filed Under: Latest News, news, Popular

We’ve launched our Innovation Programme

May 19, 2021 by Eoghan McGarry

We are delighted to announce the launch of Edge, our innovation programme. Innovation is critical to our success. Our ability to challenge conventions, find better ways of working, and create greater value for clients is what sets us apart from our competition. 

Edge provides a set of tools and processes to help us:

  • Empower our teams to innovate faster,
  • Develop greater innovation skills, capabilities, and culture,
  • Grow our business by designing better solutions for clients,
  • Excel in the areas that make the biggest impact for our business.

Watch the introduction video to Edge here:

Filed Under: Latest News, news, Popular

Donating 10,000 Facemasks to The Children’s Society UK

May 13, 2021 by Eoghan McGarry

It is our honour and privilege to support organisations that do invaluable work in our society. This month, we were glad to be able to donate 10,000 facemasks to enable The Children’s Society to continue its important work. The Children’s Society helps children to escape and recover from extremely challenging situations, giving them a new start in their lives.

Filed Under: charity, Latest News, news, Popular

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to page 3
  • Go to page 4
  • Go to page 5
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 10
  • Go to Next Page »

Footer

Our Services

  • Electronic Security
  • Facilities Management
  • Industrial Cleaning Services
  • Mailroom
  • Security Services
  • Technical Services

Important Information

  • Our Registered Offices
  • Whistle Blowing
  • Privacy Notice
  • Gender Pay Gap
  • Responding to COVID-19
  • Our Anti-Slavery Policy
  • Our Carbon Reduction Plan

Connect with us

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

Get in Touch

  • Get a Quote
  • Careers
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2021 · Bidvest Noonan

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT