Shift start
Shift-start verification
You should always know where your staff are before your customer does. Employees check in at the start of their shift by phone call or app; if the check-in is missing, Darkbird alerts your standby team automatically – before the customer calls.
The advantages of shift-start verification
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You hear about it first
If the shift-start check-in is missing, you know immediately – not from the customer's angry call.
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Automatic escalation
If the check-in is missing, the system automatically calls your standby team and names the affected site by voice message.
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Check in by call or app
The guard confirms the shift start by phone call (automatic number match or site PIN) or via the app.
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Configurable per site
Set reporting duties per customer site and weekday: at the start of the shift, hourly and at the end of the shift.
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Seamless proof
Every check-in is logged – solid proof towards your customers.
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Protection from penalties
Spot unmanned shifts early and react before you risk losing the customer or facing contractual penalties.
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No extra hardware
Works with any phone and any smartphone – no special device needed.
'Where is your guard?' – I heard that from customers far too often as a dispatcher. Today Darkbird flags a missed shift start automatically, before the customer even reaches for the phone.
What is shift-start verification?
Shift-start verification makes sure your staff actually start their shift on time. In the security trade, your guards are spread across many – often single-person – sites; the dispatcher cannot possibly be on site everywhere at once. Reliable remote verification is therefore essential: at the start of the shift the guard checks in by calling a stored number or via the app. If the check-in is missing, Darkbird detects this automatically and alerts your dispatch – so you learn about an unmanned site immediately, not from your customer's angry call. Such a check is not harassment, but part of your duty: working hours must be documented, and shift-start verification delivers exactly that seamless record.
Frequently asked questions about shift-start verification
How does shift-start verification work?
Your staff check in at the start of the shift – by phone call or app. If the check-in is missing, Darkbird detects this automatically and alerts your dispatch.
How does the employee check in for the shift start?
By calling a number stored for the site – the caller number is matched automatically, alternatively via a site PIN. Or directly via the app.
What happens if the check-in is missing?
The system automatically calls your stored standby team and announces by voice message which site the check-in is missing from – so you can react immediately.
Can I set the reporting duties per site?
Yes. Reports can be configured freely per customer site and weekday – at the start of the shift, hourly and at the end of the shift.
Do I need special hardware for this?
No. A phone or smartphone is enough – including staff-owned devices. Special terminals are not needed.
Is this the same as the dead man's switch?
No, but related: shift-start verification checks whether the shift was started. The dead man's switch checks during the shift whether a lone worker is still responsive.
Can I use the check-ins as proof?
Yes. Every shift-start check-in is logged with a timestamp and can be retrieved as proof towards your customers.
Does this help against contractual penalties?
Yes. Unmanned shifts are spotted early, so you can react before it leads to losing the customer or contractual penalties.
See Darkbird live
No sign-up, right in your browser – pick a role and try shift-start verification.