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May 25, 2023 | Continuous Activity Monitoring

The Secret to Subscription Cash Flows for CRAs: Continuous Activity Monitoring

Let’s talk investment. CRAs provide investment guidance to employers. Ever thought of your role like that? Employees are the single largest investment that a CRA’s clients make, and they make investments in new employees continuously. The reason background checks are performed is to limit the inherent risk of investing in a new employee. But for most employers, monitoring the risk of their biggest investment stops there.

In the world of financial investments, investment firms all show the past performance of stocks and bonds in hopes that you will like what you see and invest. But they immediately warn you that past performance isn't an indicator of future success and anyone who has invested knows how true this is. Only a fool makes an investment and ignores the social, political, and economic factors that continuously shape the value of that investment.

A background check is a profile of a prospective employee's past performance, but it doesn't come with a warning that it's no guarantee that the person you hire will continue to be low risk or a good investment for the business. When you invest in a stock you continue to monitor performance in hopes that if something isn't going as you expect, you can course correct. Employees engage in all sorts of behaviors that can impact their value or create new risks for an employer. Why haven't employers adopted the same idea for employees they invest in?  

New technology called Continuous Activity Monitoring or CAM, makes it possible to continuously monitor an employee’s critical factors that impact other employees and the company. How does this technology work and how can CRAs engage clients to monitor performance to ensure the best future performance?

The Benefits of CAM

CAM is an exciting and novel approach to monitoring. It is a tool used to proactively monitor criminal data and court records to determine if someone has run afoul of the law during their tenure of employment. It is different (and better!) than arrest monitoring in that arrest monitoring is usually missing key information (such as offenses, charge data, etc.) and only highlights the initial step of a court process. CAM is a continuous process that notifies employers at each stage of a tracked case with robust data sourced from county and jurisdiction-level court record data, enabling your customers the ability to efficiently evaluate reported criminal activity related to their employees.

For employers, it’s a way to de-risk. Statistics show that 95% of companies in the US perform some type of employment background check at the time of hire. The top 3 reasons for conducting background checks are to protect employees and customers, improve the quality of hires, and protect company reputation. Running a background check prior to hiring a potential candidate is a great way to weed out the bad apples and in so doing, minimize risk, but what about after they’re hired?

In 2021, about 19% of organizations worldwide conducted background checks on an ongoing basis after the initial hiring process, according to the Professional Background Screening Association (PBSA). It’s a shockingly low number. While being generally optimistic about seeing the good in people, it’s risky to assume that just because an initial background check qualified them for the position doesn’t mean something adverse can’t happen in the future. Maintaining a strong company reputation and ensuring a safe workplace is an ongoing effort that isn’t resolved with a point of hire background check.

The solution? Continuous Activity Monitoring, or CAM. The information CAM provides helps employers ensure red flags are identified rapidly and don’t turn into something worse. It allows employers to monitor an employee’s prospective criminal activity effortlessly with real-time alerts on identifiable risks to stay one step ahead in keeping their company and customers safe.

The Proof is in the Pudding

We have a few case studies that highlight the true value Continuous Activity Monitoring can provide. In our first example, a client ran a criminal background check in FL that returned a clear on 1/4/2023. The subject was arrested on 8/3/2022 for Felony Firearm-Alter Identity and Felony Receiving Stolen Property 2nd Degree, and the case was not filed until 2/17/2023. The subject was also arrested on 2/16/2023 for Felony Possession of Controlled Substance and Misdemeanor Use/Possess Drug Paraphernalia, and the cases were filed on 3/2/2023. Had the subject been enrolled in CAM, the client would have been notified of the new criminal activity, otherwise they’d assume the subject had a spotless record for 180 days, potentially exposing other employees and the business to unnecessary risk during that time.

Similarly in this second example, a client ran court record searches in Maricopa, AZ and King, WA on 1/11/2023. The subject committed Misdemeanor Theft in Dallas, TX on 10/14/2022 and the case wasn’t filed until 1/27/2023. The client would be completely unaware of the case for 90 days, exposing the business and co-workers to potential risk, without having the subject enrolled in CAM.

For our last case, a client conducted a criminal search in Brazos, TX on the morning of 1/4/2023. A felony pending case was reported to the client. CAM returned a disposition that same afternoon of 1/4/2023 – the subject pled guilty and was given a deferred disposition with 4 years of probation. This is a perfect example that showcases how CAM equips an employer with the whole picture of the court process so they can stay informed, take proper action, avoid risk and stay safe.

CRAs Help Employers Continue to Make Sound Investments

Just like financial advisors who charge a subscription to monitor your investments and advise you on actions to take when your investments are at risk, CRAs can provide ongoing insights into employee’s risk profile for employers. With the whole story that CAM solutions provide, your customers can make informed decisions and take action as soon as actionable data becomes available. Just plug the client’s employee roster into our CAM solution’s population management module and the technology will take it from there. The CAM solution will inform you when there’s something you need to know, when it happens; and like a financial advisor, you can inform your clients. It’s one of the best ways to add revenue streams to existing services you already provide and grow your business.

Are you ready to increase the value your CRA provides and become a trusted advisor for your client’s biggest investments? Learn more about how easy it is to offer subscription CAM services. Ask for a demo today.

 

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