In the middle of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska’s (BCBSNE) lobby lies a security desk where more goes on than meets the eye.
The BCBSNE employees and Frontline Security members who staff the desk handle many situations throughout the day, said Matt Witkowski, life safety specialist.
Every day is different because you never know what’s going to come up to the front desk, Witkowski said.
A typical morning for the team includes assisting visitors and helping employees who’ve forgotten their ID badges.
Once the morning rush slows down, a team member patrols Blue Cross Centre (BCC) inside and out to check for security concerns before heading back in to handle lunchtime deliveries. Then, they’re out on another patrol.
Additionally, the team monitors the company’s security badge system, which protects BCBSNE’s information by limiting where employees and visitors can go. All employees are given a badge and place it against a card reader to access different parts of the building.
“Every time a badge is put on a reader, it pops up and we can do reports,” Witkowski said. “We can actually sit there and watch who’s going through what door.”
The team participates in quarterly Aksarben Village security meetings to stay up-to-date on events and any problems while serving as a connection point between Frontline Security and other businesses.
If a problem occurs in Aksarben, the business calls BCBSNE to dispatch officers employed by Frontline.
“We get their gear checked out to them and make sure they have their cruisers filled up,” Witkowski said. “It makes it very easy to have one security company within the village and Blue Cross.”
BCBSNE’s security team handles unusual situations on a weekly basis, Witkowski said, though privacy concerns mean they can’t share the strangest parts of their days.
They can, however, use their skills to handle stressful situations.
Witkowski, a retired police officer, utilizes his communications skills to talk with people who’re having a bad day or anticipate trouble at BCC.
“We get a lot of people, especially with customer service, who come in here and the expectation is I’m going to have a bad experience. It’s going to take me all day,” Witkowski said. “Being able to see that person walk out ten minutes later with a smile on their face, knowing they had a good experience, which reflects on the entire company, is good.”
Melinda Duffy, a BCBSNE customer service representative, regularly works with the security team when meeting with members. The team lets her know when a member arrives and escorts them to her office.
“I think they do a really great job,” Duffy said.
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