Protos + Automotive Retailer

Safeguarding Operations in the Face of Natural Disasters

Background

As a leading name in the automotive aftermarket industry, this established parts provider operates thousands of stores catering to automotive repair facilities and DIY customers. Known for its extensive selection of automotive parts, accessories, batteries and maintenance products, the company continues to grow. As it expands, safeguarding its assets and ensuring business continuity, especially in areas prone to severe weather, remains a top priority.

The Challenge

Limited Security Support Following Natural Disasters

Hundreds of the client’s facilities are located within North America’s hurricane belt, encompassing regions along the Eastern Seaboard and Gulf Coast that frequently experience severe weather events and present unique challenges to maintaining uninterrupted operations.

Prior to its partnership with Protos, the client faced several challenges in managing security following natural disasters. The primary issue was the unpredictability and limited availability of security personnel immediately after such events. This scarcity often triggered intense competition for security officers and emergency security services among various businesses within the impacted region, resulting in escalated costs and delays in securing critical premises. Furthermore, the absence of structured, proactive tactics hindered the company from ensuring consistent and timely security deployments across their extensive network of stores and distribution centers. This reactive stance not only posed operational risks but also jeopardized the safety of their physical assets, including susceptible stores and essential resources like fuel trucks. The absence of a forward-thinking approach would result in delays and increased risks, including potential looting and property damage. The need for a more reliable security framework became evident to ensure timely and efficient protection of their assets.

Recently, powerful storms have impacted the company’s facilities in the region, necessitating the need for prompt and effective security response. In 2023, Hurricane Idalia made landfall in Florida, resulting in significant damage and power outages across the state, and they needed to secure compromised structures and facilitate fuel distribution. Similarly, in the preceding year, Hurricane Ian battered the Sunshine State, presenting comparable challenges, such as structural damage and operational interruptions. In 2021, teams witnessed Hurricane Ida, which imposed severe conditions that tested response capabilities.

The company needed to develop a dependable security strategy indispensable to ensuring business continuity and safety.

Solution

Security That Never Settles

The client forged its partnership with Protos in 2006. The collaboration centered on devising a proactive disaster response strategy, tailored to their expansive network.

Protos sets the standard in customized security guarding solutions, leveraging a managed service model to deliver excellence. This approach allows Protos to precisely match security vendors across the country with a client’s unique needs, providing a tailored and optimized security program.

With this vendor-managed security method, Protos has nationwide connections and introduced a methodical framework by pre-positioning resources in strategic locations well before anticipated storms. This strategy facilitated swift deployment post-disaster, mitigating operational disruptions and bolstering security measures before competitors could secure resources.

“Businesses face challenges in hurricane situations where local resources are inaccessible due to flooding, downed trees and power outages,” said Chase Petrucci, Senior Strategic Account Manager at Protos. “Cell towers are often down, making it hard to contact response teams and get them to a specific area. With this client, Protos created an emergency response program to bring in out-of- state security officers who are stationed about 45-60 minutes from the impact zone. They remain on standby in hotels or Mobile Command Centers and can be deployed 3-4 hours after the storm clears, ensuring quick support and effective response.”

Protos’ adaptability and responsiveness were instrumental in the success of this collaboration. For the last 18 years, during hurricane season, the teams have worked to strategically station guards in proximity to potential impact zones, ensuring preparedness and quick mobilization once conditions allow. This strategy has not only shielded physical assets but also bolstered community resilience by safeguarding essential services like fuel distribution. “For emergency response coverage, Protos is partnered with some of the top security providers in the area. Their teams are prepped and ready to respond to client needs when they receive the ‘go-time’ call from Protos management,” added Petrucci.

The Protos approach extends beyond conventional security practices, facilitating the integration of advanced technologies to optimize costs while enhancing safety.

Results

Adaptable Security Measures & Operational Resilience

The partnership between this client and Protos exemplifies the significance of proactive disaster response strategies in safeguarding business operations and earning community trust during natural disasters.

The company has demonstrated remarkable operational resilience in the automotive retail sector by emphasizing proactive planning and implementing adaptable security measures. By integrating refined disaster response strategies and a meticulously crafted “hurricane preparation playbook,” the company has bolstered its preparedness for potential natural disasters. This systematic approach has extended to addressing emerging challenges, particularly in safeguarding crucial fuel trucks, pivotal assets during fuel scarcity. By maintaining a delicate balance between strength and flexibility in its security protocols, the client not only mitigates vulnerabilities but also exhibits a prompt and effective crisis response.

Through preemptive planning and adaptable security measures, the organization not only mitigates risks associated with natural disasters but also establishes a benchmark for operational resilience within the automotive retail sector. Their collaborative approach with Protos underscores the value of strategic partnerships in navigating unpredictable business landscapes.

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