Akita Security Systems
Akita Security Systems Ltd is a security services company based in Bedford, England, offering manned guarding, CCTV monitoring, alarm response, and K9 services. Charlie Carter switched from PARIM software to RosterElf for better value and has seen fewer roster errors and smoother team scheduling since.
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Fewer roster errors since switching from PARIM
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Better value for money than the previous platform
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Email notifications keeping the team informed automatically
"Fewer errors on rosters. My favourite things about RosterElf are the rosters and the email notifications that keep everyone informed."
How Akita Security Systems reduced roster errors and improved value with RosterElf
About Akita Security Systems
Akita Security Systems Ltd is a Bedford-based security services provider offering manned guarding, K9 security, CCTV monitoring, alarm response, and security system installation across the UK.
Managing a team of security officers across multiple sites — with varying shifts, overnight coverage, and changing client requirements — requires a roster system that is accurate, affordable, and easy to use. Akita previously used PARIM Software but found the time and cost challenges were too significant to justify continuing.
After looking at the market, Charlie Carter chose RosterElf for its value for money and feature set. The result has been fewer roster errors, better team communication through automatic email notifications, and a simpler day-to-day experience for managers and security officers alike.
Challenges before RosterElf
Time-consuming software, unjustified costs, and roster errors were creating operational friction for Akita's multi-site security workforce.
Previous software (PARIM) was time-consuming to manage for a security workforce with complex multi-site shift patterns
Cost of the previous platform was not justified by the value delivered — an ongoing expense that needed to be addressed
Roster errors creating operational issues — security officers assigned incorrectly or without clear confirmation of their deployment
Managing varied shift patterns across multiple client sites — overnight cover, weekend deployments, and changing requirements
Holiday allocation tracking that caused complications when connected to Xero — annual dates not aligned correctly with payroll processing
Keeping all security staff informed of shift changes in real time — without a reliable automated notification system in place
How RosterElf helped Akita Security Systems
- Accurate digital rostering that eliminates the manual errors that caused operational issues across security site deployments
- Automated email notifications — staff receive instant shift confirmations when rosters are published or updated, no manual follow-up required
- Digital time tracking for accurate security shift records — supporting correct pay calculations and compliance
- Team communication keeping all security officers informed of shift changes, site updates, and important notices
- Better value than PARIM — more affordable with all the features a security business needs to manage a multi-site workforce
- Purpose-built for security businesses managing manned guarding, CCTV monitoring, and alarm response workforces
What Akita Security Systems says about RosterElf
1. Time and cost — the two reasons they needed to switch
"Time consuming and cost challenges."
For a security business managing officers across multiple sites, time spent wrestling with software is time that can't go into operations. PARIM delivered complexity without the value to justify it — a combination that prompted Akita to look for an alternative.
The search criteria were clear: a platform that was simpler to manage and more cost-effective. RosterElf met both requirements, offering a feature-rich scheduling platform at a price point that made genuine commercial sense for the business.
2. Value for money — the deciding factor
"Value for money."
After looking around the market, value for money was the deciding factor. For a security business with tight margins and a workforce to manage, software costs need to deliver a clear return — and PARIM wasn't delivering it.
RosterElf provides rostering, time tracking, team communication, and notification automation in a single platform. For Akita, that breadth of capability at a better price point made the switch straightforward. The commercial case was clear — and the operational improvements that followed confirmed the decision.
3. Fewer roster errors — the operational result that matters most
"Fewer errors on rosters."
In security, roster errors aren't just an inconvenience — they're an operational risk. A missed site deployment, a double-booked officer, or a shift confirmation that never reached its recipient can have real consequences for client contracts and staff relationships.
Since switching to RosterElf, Akita has seen fewer errors. A centralised digital roster removes the manual steps that cause mistakes — and the automatic notification system means officers are confirmed on their deployments without managers needing to chase individual confirmations.
4. Rosters and email notifications — the features that stand out
"Rosters and email notifications."
Two features define the day-to-day experience for Akita: the roster builder and the automatic email notifications. Together, they address the core workflow of a security business — creating accurate schedules and ensuring every officer knows exactly where they need to be.
The email notifications are particularly valuable for a workforce that may be out on patrol or at a client site when a roster update is made. Instead of relying on managers to personally contact each officer, RosterElf handles confirmation automatically — keeping the whole team informed without the administrative overhead.
Why Akita Security Systems recommends RosterElf
Fewer roster errors
Reliable digital scheduling that removes the manual steps causing errors — critical for a security business where deployment accuracy directly affects client service.
Better value for money
Significant cost saving over PARIM with a platform that delivers all the features a multi-site security business needs — without the overhead that made the previous solution frustrating.
Email notifications
Staff always know their shifts without managers having to chase individual confirmations. Automatic email notifications keep every security officer informed the moment a roster is published or updated.
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Security business rostering FAQ
- RosterElf's rostering software is designed for businesses managing complex shift patterns across multiple sites. Security companies can build rosters quickly, assign officers to specific locations, and publish schedules that staff receive instantly — reducing errors and eliminating the manual admin that causes deployment issues.
- Yes. Akita Security Systems switched from PARIM to RosterElf and found better value for money alongside improved roster accuracy. RosterElf offers a full feature set including rostering, time tracking, team communication, and payroll integration at a more competitive price point — with a platform that is simpler to manage day-to-day.
- Yes. RosterElf's team communication tools include automatic email notifications that alert staff when rosters are published or updated. For security businesses where shift confirmation is critical — especially for overnight and weekend cover — this ensures every officer knows their deployment without managers chasing confirmations manually.
- RosterElf centralises all rostering in one digital platform, removing the manual processes — spreadsheets, copy-pasting, informal messages — that cause errors. When a roster is built digitally and published from a single source of truth, double-bookings, missed shifts, and incorrect site assignments are significantly reduced.
- Yes. RosterElf serves security businesses managing manned guarding, CCTV monitoring, alarm response, and K9 deployments. Akita Security Systems in Bedford uses RosterElf to manage their workforce across multiple client sites throughout England. The platform handles shift patterns, Working Time Regulations compliance, and team communication in one place.