How a Leading Security Firm Slashed Overtime by 22% and Eliminated “Ghost Shifts”
The Client Profile
Industry: Large-Scale Private Security
Operations: National footprint with hundreds of one-man and two-man remote sites.
The Challenge: Managing a massive, distributed workforce using "Excel Hell" and fragmented apps. The company struggled with payroll leakage, unverified attendance, and "ghost shifts" (shifts billed or paid but not actually worked), leading to ballooning overtime costs and client disputes.
The Problem: Visibility Gaps & Manual Chaos
Before partnering with Atex Solutions, this company operated in a data silo. Managers relied on manual paper logs and WhatsApp messages to track attendance across hundreds of sites.
Buddy Punching: Without biometric verification, it was impossible to prove who was actually on-site.
Admin Overload: HR and Finance spent 12+ hours per week reconciling manual timesheets against disputed Excel data.
Reactive Management: Overtime was only discovered at the end of the month—too late to fix—eroding the company's margins.
"We weren't managing security; we were managing paperwork. We had zero live visibility into whether a guard was at a remote post or if a shift was even covered."
The Solution: The Shepherd Integrated Platform
The company deployed Shepherd by Atex Solutions, replacing their fragmented tools with a single, "Zero Chaos" system.
1. Biometric & Ruggedized Frontline Tools
At high-traffic or remote sites, the company deployed S98 Rugged Smartphones running the Shepherd app.
Facial Recognition: Every clock-in is verified via AI-powered face ID, making "buddy punching" and "ghost shifts" a thing of the past.
GPS Geofencing: Managers using personal devices are restricted by high-accuracy geofencing; they can only clock in when physically present at the site.
2. The Command Center (Real-Time Oversight)
The Shepherd Dashboard provided a regional hierarchy view. Operations Managers could finally see a live "Site Health" map. If a guard failed to clock in for a 06:00 shift, an automated alert triggered immediately, allowing for instant replacement before the client even noticed.
3. Automated Scheduling & Payroll
The "Excel Hell" was replaced by the Live Schedule Engine.
Optimized Rostering: The system provides automated suggestions to fill gaps without triggering overtime.
One-Click Payroll: Because every second of data is "Captured, Verified, and Exported," the payrun is now 100% accurate.
The Results: Impact in the First Quarter
By moving to a verified data stream, the company saw immediate financial and operational ROI:
In the first quarter post-implementation, the impact was transformative:
| Metric | Result |
| Overtime Reduction | 22% Decrease in the first 90 days. |
| Ghost Shifts | Eliminated through biometric & GPS verification. |
| Payroll Accuracy | 100% "True Data" exports with zero manual entry. |
| Admin Time | 15+ hours saved per week for HR and Finance. |
These outcomes not only preserved margins but also positioned the company for stronger client relationships and operational excellence.
The Verdict
By moving from disconnected apps to the Atex Solutions Integrated Workforce Platform, this company transformed from a reactive operation into a data-driven leader. They no longer just "hope" their sites are covered—they have the verified data to prove it.
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