What if security is just the beginning?

How we view the world depends on what we look for – when it comes to the security industry, there’s an exciting shift on the horizon, says Meredith Palmer, Chief Product Officer, Gallagher Security.

Security is known chiefly for its role in protecting people and securing assets – and rightly so.

The foundations of our industry are built on letting the right people in, keeping the wrong people out and ensuring that sites and organisations are safeguarded and kept from harm.

These are essential hygiene factors that keep businesses humming and critical resources protected.

There’s an enormous amount for our industry to be proud of in that regard.

We’ve got it covered, locked and bolted.

But, a closer look at the global landscape of evolving threats reveals that once those hygiene factors are confidently managed, customers gain a sense of freedom.

And with that comes the appetite to push the boundaries of what security is capable of doing for them.

Together we can achieve much more than just peace of mind.

The realisation of this capability requires a shift in expectations and mindset from all sides. At Gallagher Security, we’ve made the shift.

In reality, security is unlocking more than ever.

Behind this evolution of the industry, the most important driver is the customer whose needs are challenging expectations and redefining what security is capable of unlocking beyond doors: True customer value.

By listening to our customers, we’re challenging ourselves to ask: What if security is just the beginning? What if security can do more?

Encouragingly, it’s already happening – from enabling the commercialisation of spaces which bring people together, to managing risks and reducing energy bills.

We’re changing gear and it’s time we acknowledged and celebrated all that’s been achieved and is on the horizon.

We’re reframing value in new ways, innovative services that will interact with and complement the shifting methods that customers use to manage their businesses.

We’re on a pathway of transformation to best serve these customers in the most effective and profitable ways.

The industry should be known not just for its protecting and securing, but for our expanded superpower: Making it easier for organisations to solve the problems that cost them time and money.

We’re committed to painting the future of what’s possible.

To keep pushing the boundaries of what security solutions deliver to make a positive difference.

From making sure people go home safely to their families each night, to helping organisations become more efficient, productive and profitable.

Growth and change

Businesses are increasingly relying on security systems to deliver broader operational benefits, reducing energy bills, meeting compliance standards and leveraging data for business intelligence; as a result, the process of selecting a system is changing from a focus on isolated features and products into a deeper conversation about choosing a long-term partner.

Security has evolved into a sophisticated ecosystem providing operational insights and business intelligence as an extension of enhanced physical security.

As new capabilities become widespread, consumers around the world will become more aware of the social, physical and monetary value these systems are delivering.

The latest speeds and feeds are commonplace as key selling points of a security system, but the allure of such features often overshadows what our customers repeatedly cite as the most important consideration when choosing a security manufacturer: Its people.

The good news? Our ability to evolve with our customers creates greater opportunities for connection. It’s these connections that get us out of bed in the morning.

Technology is only half of the equation in today’s security environment – access to people and their expertise is the other.

The closer we get to our customers, the more customer lifetime value we will deliver. Everybody wins.

When the balance of personal communication and the best in security technology is struck, the conversation changes.

The customer talks about security having shifted from a cost-centre to a value stream within their business that delivers in the long term, as opposed to being the grudge purchase that it might have been in the past.

By moulding the product to their business versus their business having to mould to a product, we can achieve business synergy and a truly customer-centric solution.

To help our customers secure their futures, we must offer new services that interact with and complement the evolving ways that people want to work.

Their sites are growing and evolving rapidly and their organisational demands are more complex than ever.

For example, understanding peak arrival/departure times and pinpointing access bottlenecks can shape decisions to adjust staffing levels and coordinate smoother hours of operation.

Occupancy and space utilisation can be monitored to help understand how buildings are being used and improve office configurations.

Integrating with building automation systems can optimise energy usage by adjusting lighting, heating and cooling based on occupancy data.

Almost every aspect of business operation is undergoing a generational change.

This is in part due to a shift from traditional on-premises delivery towards cloud-based delivery.

Hybrid working models have dramatically altered office spaces and legacy security systems and attitudes will no longer make the grade.

Truly innovative security manufacturers should thrive in this landscape with integrated solutions that are intuitive, flexible and scalable; the quality of sales service and support should lead the charge and sustain it.

Continuous feedback will also build the next evolution of solutions offered.

The demand for business efficiency, analytics, data and info that can be gleaned from our products in the field at the edge will drive business insights and key decisions.

Systems being open where it matters, having more APIs that allow the addition of more functionality to the broader ecosystem.

We’re moving from distributed real-time access control to distributed real-time decision-making.

Once a customer has a solution in place, it unlocks that freedom for them to focus on what is core to their business.

Security is just the beginning and I can’t wait to help write the next chapter.

Find out more from Gallagher Security here.

This article was originally published in the November edition of International Security Journal. Click here to read the rest of the issue.