What Dealers and Integrators Should Watch For
Businesses of all sizes are interested in enterprise-level security
- By Hank Monaco
- Jan 01, 2015
Security solutions are playing an increasingly important role in business
operations as organizations are realizing the significant value these
technologies can provide. Solutions that were once considered valuable
only in terms of offering improved physical security are now being leveraged
to gain key insights for improving business and operational efficiencies.
Innovations in security technology will continue to evolve in 2015 and beyond.
There are four security trends that will be key, not only to the advancement
of the industry, but also to the solutions being offered to end users and
the value proposition they provide to businesses.
Increasing Demand for Video as a Service
The implementation of cloud-based solutions will continue to increase in
popularity in 2015 as companies identify unique ways to address their growing
security needs while also being budget-conscious.
Businesses of all sizes are looking to implement enterprise-level security
systems, but many do not have the enterprise-level budget resources to do so.
A comprehensive security solution can be costly, not only to purchase the essential
equipment, but also to host the necessary data and employ the proper
resources for consistently monitoring systems on-site. These factors will continue to drive companies toward cloud-based solutions like video surveillance
as a service (VSaaS), in order to meet their security needs while reducing the
complexity, cost and resources necessary to support a more comprehensive
security solution.
VSaaS offers a new level of sophistication, accessibility and convenience
for business owners. Businesses can remotely and securely access live and archived
video content anytime, anywhere, via any web-enabled device whether
stationary at the home office or on-the-go. The capability to view and manage
video content from multiple locations on one device will enable businesses to
save resources and more effectively deploy personnel to meet security needs.
Additionally, a cloud-based approach allows dealers and integrators to offer
customers a flexible and scalable solution that can grow along with a company’s
increasing security needs and budget, without compromising the level
of security provided. As centralized video storage continues to move to the
cloud, we fully expect cloud-based solutions to grow exponentially.
Using Security Solutions to
Garner Business Intelligence
Beyond the traditional benefits of having an integrated security solution,
businesses are increasingly relying on technology to provide valuable insights
that can be incorporated to improve both business and operational efficiencies.
Using physical security solutions to garner business intelligence is gamechanging
in the way that it dramatically increases the return on investment
of the technology, as well as the powerful operational, performance and customer
analytics it delivers.
Insights from well-designed video systems, which allow companies to capture,
save and export video segments, range from preventing theft to informing
staffing resources and ensuring corporate policy compliance. The combination
of email and text alerts, as well as mobile access to video content – both
live and historically captured—provides awareness of after-hours access, entry
into sensitive areas, and the activation of video sensors at all hours.
Combining the information collected from a comprehensive video surveillance
system with complementary technologies can also help inform decisions.
The key insights video surveillance provide businesses can assist in
improving overall operations in critical areas like loss prevention, workplace
violence, and the physical security of the facility.
For instance, retailers can utilize item-level security in combination with
video surveillance and analytics to learn more about their customers. When
combined, these technologies enable retailers to gain important insight about
what drives or deters well-intentioned shoppers when making purchasing
decisions. Through this data, retailers can become better educated on how
thieves are defeating the security system and how to protect against loopholes
in their security program.
Additionally, the integration of video surveillance, analytics and item-level
security is providing insight on customer-facing issues, like what times of day
are most highly trafficked, and if more staff is required to be on the floor –
which can help improve the customer experience.
This business-driving intelligence allows various departments to work
smarter cross-functionally within an organization by providing insight on
customer experiences, marketing and merchandising initiatives. Information
is the new high-value currency for businesses and an integrated security solution
can provide the insight necessary across all levels of an organization
beyond physical security.
Convergence of Physical and
Cyber Security Solutions
The physical and cyber security needs of businesses will continue to converge
as demands and regulations for end-to-end solutions, like comprehensive access
management technologies, continues to rise.
For instance, financial institutions must adapt security measures to the rapid
change of traditional banking habits. Over 50 percent of deposits are made at
ATMs, not at branches, and as Pew Research found 51 percent of American
adults bank online, with 32 percent conducting transactions via a cell phone.
The changes in banking habits necessitates advanced technology solutions
like anti-skimming technologies and video surveillance for ATM locations to
protect customers’ information and mitigate risks, and to protect against new
threats to financial institutions as customers change the way they bank.
These shifts in behavior require an evolution of the technologies and solutions
employed to safeguard the business while meeting new customer demands
and maximizing the return-on-investment for their security solutions.
Mobility and the Connected Business
By 2018, Business Insider Intelligence estimates that nine billion devices will
be connected to the Internet of Things. Companies of every size are looking to
integrate intelligent, multi-use solutions to solve real-world problems. These
solutions offer benefits ranging from operational efficiencies and improved
customer service, to innovation and increased security.
This increasingly mobile lifestyle has created the “connected business”
model which necessitates that business owners have access to security controls
while on-the-go, which in turn enables them to better manage their business.
To that end, the security industry will need to empower the connected
business to remotely access video surveillance, access controls, intrusion detection
systems and much more.
These new customer needs will challenge the industry to facilitate remote
security management and full building control through a comprehensive
technology portfolio that provides mobile access from anywhere, anytime via
any internet-connected device. Mobile security applications, combined with
cloud-based solutions like hosted or managed services, will help evolve the
industry by providing increased flexibility, improved productivity, enhanced
security awareness and peace of mind.
The security industry is prime for disruption in 2015 and beyond, with an
increasing demand for new, cloud-based and mobile technology solutions
packaged with the evolving needs of customers. Additionally, businesses are
looking at traditional security technologies to provide added value to help
better inform businesses-driving decisions. Dealers and integrators have the
opportunity to serve as true partners, providing new insights and guidance
organizations need to implement end-to-end solutions which will meet
their current and future security needs, as well as leverage the technology
for new purposes.
This article originally appeared in the issue of .