Midlands security blanket
The largest security company in the Midlands stands out from competitors in many ways – one of them being that there’s a woman who co-partners in the steering of this business. Peta Lee reports
TEACHERS, generally, stay teachers. They’re in it for the passion of passing on knowledge to young minds, the satisfaction of knowing they’re nurturing and moulding youngsters for the future.
Debbie Preston, on the other hand, has put teaching on the back burner for now, joining her husband, Gary, in his business – the gritty and often cut-throat world of security and armed response.
Howick’s Knight Security Solutions (formally Knight Alarms and Knight Force) is the biggest of its kind in the Midlands, employing about 200 staff. KSS handles alarm and CCTV installations, repairs and maintenance to alarm control panels, a 24-hour monitoring control centre, armed response, a guarding service, and a K-9 unit, and has also initiated a community not-for-profit Bobbies Patrolling Project in the Howick North area.
KSS is owned by the Prestons, and because they live in the community they really are in touch with the community’s needs. Gary, having been involved with Knight for more than 26 years, certainly has the knowledge and experience to ensure clients get the best of the best.
“It’s a competitive, challenging business,” Debbie says, “but we’re in a position to make a difference in the community, and because we can, we are. Our strength is that we run the business like a business, but at the same time, there’s a personal touch about it. When people phone, they can request to speak to Gary or me. We are extremely hands-on. I also disseminate a weekly newsletter to our client database of some 3 500 people to update them on developments and security advice.”
After 18 years as a teacher, she added, at schools like Carter High, The Wykeham Collegiate, Grace College and Howick Prep, she assisted in taking the reins of Knight’s management when she and her husband bought Knight Alarms and merged it with Knight Force which they already owned at the beginning of 2014.
“When Gary asked me to join him in taking Knight to the next level, at the end of 2013, I gave up teaching and leapt into the deep end,” she recalls.
Her strengths are installing structures, dealing with staff and clients, liaising with service providers, while Gary is the technical, operations and sales expert.
“I liaise with the clients and public, help find solutions to challenges, deal with issues needing immediate attention, research new systems and developments, establish relationships with the best in the business, and we surround ourselves with the ‘right people’ who will help us make sound business decisions.
“Don’t ask me to go and quote on an alarm system, though,” says Debbie.
Other responsibilities include following correct labour procedures and ensuring that KSS is fully compliant with the industry.
“What we’ve achieved in 14 months has been astonishing: apart from completely rebranding the company, the vehicles, signage and uniforms, we’ve also completely overhauled the administration of our business and have clear structures, employment contracts, job descriptions, client agreements, service-level agreements and so on.
We randomly polygraph our staff and also screen them to ensure they are registered with PSIRA (the regulation authority), which means we know none of them has a criminal record.”
Debbie is focused on growing the relationship between employer and employee and does not hesitate to support, interact and work with her staff.
She has also initiated the first Midlands Emergency Response and Prevention Centre (ERPC), a group of organisations forming a management core to facilitate a relationship-driven emergency response body.
“The ERPC is not a physical place: it’s us, SA CAN My911, VCAT (the Violent Crime Apprehension Team which falls under SA CAN’s not-for-profit arm), Recoveri Microdot, ER24 and Red Alert. It is a group of professional organisations who care for the Midlands community. We meet monthly to touch base and keep abreast of what’s happening in our community.”
The KSS offices are now also the Midlands base for ER24, with an ambulance and advanced life support service at its headquarters.
In-between all of this, Debbie, who is a geography specialist and is passionate about the subject, has co-authored three books for Shuter and Shooter Publishers. These include Grade 11 and 12 Top Class textbooks for the new CAPS syllabus and a Grade 12 Notebook. At the moment she’s on deadline for a Grade 11 Notebook in the series.
She is a mother to two boys, both at the local Howick Prep school, where she serves on the school governing body.
That Debbie loves what she does is obvious – even though it’s completely different from the classroom.
“Managing adults is very different from dealing with pupils,” she observed. “You really have to be diplomatic because you’re dealing with ingrained values, morals, beliefs and behaviour. A child you can still influence, mould and work with – adults are pre-moulded, which is quite challenging.”
In saying that, though, she said she had really learnt how to negotiate and diplomatically resolve issues. “I am clear about what is right and what is wrong, what we want as a business, and what our community needs. I’m very focused on that.”
She says she has learnt there is no sense in beating about the bush.
“Two years ago, I would have skirted around an issue, but now, I don’t have that time. Skirting could cost someone their life.”