Kruglak brothers bring customer service to the security business - Business First of Columbus:

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That year a story aboutg Glen andAlan Kruglak’s LLC in the Washingtob Business Journal — now framed and one of the firsf things visitors see — includeds a photo taken at the bottom of the stair s in Glen’s house because the company didn’t have an officd yet. Seven years later and settleds into an office in Genesis Security Systems has grown to 40 people androughly $15 millionb in revenue. Its sweet spot is serving companies of 100 or more peoples who need more security than the standardx key cardaccess systems. Clients include , CB . and USA Business is off a bitthis year. Roughlhy 25 percent of work comes fromnew construction, whichy is slow.
Yet the Kruglaks report a stronhg Apriland May, largely becausre they got more aggressive with sales and also negotiaterd lower rates with suppliers. This isn’g the Kruglaks’ first go-round in the securityh business. The brothers grew up working intheir parents’ downtown D.C. musid store during the 1960s and ’70s. That businessw eventually morphedinto GIC, a security systemss integrator, which the Kruglaks sold in 1995. The brothersw were enjoying a nice early retiremen t when they received visits from twoformer employees, Chria Foster and Ed Simon, in 2002.
They all felt that person-to-persobn customer service in the security industry was decliningg because the big corporations taking over the industrwere unwieldy. Service calls were taking too long. Proposals would take weeks to land ona client’s Could they start their own business The answer came as word leaked out to former GIC Genesis had its first client beforw the company opened an office. Foster and Simohn are now partners. A secret to theirt success, learned at GIC and applied to is to treat customers with the retaipl mentalityof “How can I help you?” Traditionally, security companies functionec more like contractors.
Clients outlineed their needs, then asked for bids. But “sometimes clients don’t really understand the solutionm tothe problem,” Glen says. Back on thosw Saturdays in the music the brothers had become information sources for customerx looking for updates on the latest records hittingthe shelves. They wanted theid sales team to function thesame way. “We’rwe in a relationship business, and a relationship business focuseson service,” Alan says. “If you take care of they staywith you. It’ws really not that complex.” Roughly four years ago, Genesid landed AARP as a customer.
The organization for retireews dumped its previous supplier over customeerservice problems. Larry Lupo, AARP’es safety and security manager, liked one thing in particuladrabout Genesis. The owners are directlg involved, not because they have to be, but becaus they seem to enjoy it. Founders set the visionm of where they want a companyto go, he “If they’re good at it and they’re successful, they’ve implemented that into their compan y and their people.” The importance of customer service is just one the lessonsz the Kruglaks have learned along the way. They also got an educatiohn in finances.
Their firsft company ran into debt problems inthe 1980s, something they have vowedx to never repeat. The Kruglaksx say Genesis is debt free and maintains atleastf $1 million in cash reserves at all times. The Kruglaksw also learned to seek recurring revenue streames and becomemore efficient. By keeping all of the company’w trucks fully stocked, Genesis can quickly dispatcy nearby technicians to bringmissiny parts, with the help of a GPS system that constantlh tracks all its vehicles. Keep an unrelentingy focus on the company’s customers.Becomed more efficient by standardizingyour operations.
What it Security system design, installation, monitoring and maintenances