Vancouver-based Blackbird Security represents one of BC’s biggest business success stories of recent years. Since their founding in 2015, they’ve grown from servicing Lower Mainland-based clients to providing best-in-class security services to companies across Canada. How they’ve succeeded provides the blueprint for other BC small businesses.
“A pillar of Blackbird Security’s success has been our people-first approach,” said co-founder Ranko Vukovic.
“This principle has been a key driver for our success, from maintaining strong relationships with our clients to investing in our employees’ development.”
Finding a Unique Selling Point
Canada’s private security market is a tough nut to crack, with several long-tenured big companies holding a dominant position in the market. Blackbird Security needed to find its secret sauce to succeed in this space. They settled on providing a peerless customer experience alongside cutting-edge technology that allows them to do more with less.
“Nowadays, word of mouth has never been more important to a business. You only need to look at the popularity of Yelp and Google Reviews and their influence on people’s choices,” said Vukovic.
“We knew that if we provided a service our customers loved – and one that met their needs – word of mouth would spread, and it would effectively do our marketing for us.
“Security is also a budget area where clients are looking for value. We invested in cutting-edge software like our TrackTik Technology, which allows us to cover more ground with fewer resources. We learned we could provide the safety and security our clients needed by being smarter and open to using the latest innovations.”
Success Backed by Talent
Across Canada, companies of all shapes and sizes need help to hire and retain talent. While not entirely immune to the problem, Blackbird Security’s approach of building from within has seen many of its staff grow into new roles while staying part of the company’s journey.
“Blackbird Security was built from the ground up with a people-first approach at our core. Over 80% of our managers started as guards or field supervisors, which speaks to our commitment to invest in the development of employees and our desire to promote from within.
“At any company, your staff are always your greatest asset. When you create conditions that help to retain staff, this will help to ensure the continuity of your service quality and standards.”
Focused on the Future
Having expanded from BC across Canada, what does the future hold for Blackbird Security? Vukovic believes staying true to the company’s past will help to ensure a golden future.
“I remember the days when Blackbird Security was a small business. You can be nimble and respond quickly and flexibly to client requests when you’re that size. Right now, our company can provide the service range of a big business while retaining that small business-style customer service and flexibility. As long as we keep sight of that goal, I believe it will help fuel our future success.
“We aim to constantly evolve by keeping our finger on the pulse of the industry and always staying at the forefront of technology and security innovation.”
Blackbird Security is a prime example of a company that has taken advantage of market gaps while upholding its core values. The future looks bright for this BC-based business success story.
Small Business BC is Here to Help
SBBC is a non-profit resource centre for BC-based small businesses. Whatever your idea of success is, we’re here to provide holistic support and resources at every step of the journey. Check out our range of business webinars, on-demand E-Learning Education, our Talk to an Expert Advisories, or browse our business articles.
