Deadly Pandemic, Golden Opportunity

Imagine you have a security company. You serve a large gated community and get paid handsomely for it. The residents, having paid monthly dues for a decade, are getting pissed at having to pay for something they never use. They harass security guards and go out of their way to make their job harder overall. Trucks are vandalized and people commit stupid acts because “those damn security guards should have to work for the money we pay them”.

All of the sudden, a hurricane hits followed by an earthquake. It’s an unprecedented series of unfortunate events. The government has a handle on the housing situation but is lacking in food and supply relief due to the magnitude of the problem. The gated community you serve is home to a grocery store, a hardware store, has its own water reservoir and pharmacy.

People in the surrounding areas experience mass hysteria. Store shelves are run empty, storefronts are looted, adolescents wreak havoc on local parks and common areas. You keep the community you serve safe.

There is a surplus of food and supplies in the community. Because they don’t need to stay home to protect their homes and children, the community members pool together to distribute surplus items to the surrounding neighborhoods. They volunteer to clean up debris and establish safe zones and temporary housing.

Your security company made this possible. The disaster cemented the need for a safety net and reestablished trust with the community.

When life goes back to normal, residents organize pot lucks and throw block parties to express their gratitude — members of the security company are always invited and expected to be there too. When the subject of security comes up with relatives and friends from other towns, they defend the idea of paying for it and ruminate on what could have been if they didn’t themselves.

You don’t wish for a disaster to happen and it shouldn’t have to go that far for people to realize the value you provide 24/7, but you were ready and everyone is better off because of it.

Not every scenario plays out this way (cough, cough).

Imagine instead that when disaster struck, you completely dropped the ball. You took the monthly payments from the community but did not keep up with training…