Top 3 Trends Gleaned from Day 1 at ISC West 2015

ISC West 2015 opened to a packed floor, and I'm not just talking about attendees. The number of booths have increased as well, making the show room footprint a little bit bigger. And, just like we say in Texas, "bigger is better," this largeness didn't stand in the way of the normal camaraderie and friendship that is typically felt at this security event. Many heart-felt embraces were to be seen as if long-lost friends who haven't seen each other in 20 years.

When I attend security events, of course, I'm focused on products and services being represented; however, I also take another approach to soaking up all I can in a short amount of time when hundreds of security companies are contained together in one space. I look for emerging trends.

Here are the three main trends found at ISC West this year:

A New Way of Doing Business

Yet, some companies chose to embrace the power of intimate conversations as a large number of them decided to set up in meeting rooms as opposed to having a booth on the showroom floor. This provided a tranquil, relaxing venue for interactions to take place. Some even supplied much-needed nourishment, such as granola bars, and the even more needed commodity of this tradeshow: coffee.

In my opinion, this was a rather smart move and a sort of new way of doing business in a tradeshow environment. Maybe it's because we are such a web-enthralled society, but it seems people in general crave real, human-to-human interaction and these companies took care of that basic need. If you think about it, wouldn't you rather do business with someone you know?

The "New" Buzz Word of Video Surveillance

After meeting with a few different camera manufacturers, a certain word emerged from all conversations: "multisensor." Without getting too technical, this simply means that a camera has and uses more than one sensor when recording data so that it can be viewed in the highest definition possible for extreme clarity. Obviously, for security applications, the ability to identify as many details as possible in recorded data is the main goal.

What I found to be rather humorous, though, is the way in which "multisensory" was presented by each company. One claimed to be the "first" one to bring this technology to the market, while another claimed that their cameras stitched images together better than the others and still another claimed their cameras to produce the clearest images on the market.

Integrator-centric

From an integrator's perspective, it's so important that the companies they choose to do business with support them, and I don't mean just with training, marketing materials, friendly voices at the other end of the phone when questions arise. Although all of these are a must, too, integrators are searching for companies that when the inevitable happens, a product fails, the company steps up and helps instead of placing the blame on the way the product was installed or referring to a warranty that may have already passed.

I spoke with an integrator who had a very dissatisfied end-user as from day one the chosen product didn't function correctly. At his wits end, the integrator reached out to the company for help and support. Not only did the company replace the product for FREE, no out-of-pocket cost to the integrator, but the company sent out one of their own installers to install the product for the integrator as a way of directly interacting with the end user on behalf of the company with apologies and superior customer service.

Wow! Talk about not only a HUGE positive impression on the integrator, but now that integrator and the company, too, has a customer for life!

All the companies I met with claim to be extremely integrator-centric, supporting their integrators 1001%. I sincerely hope that this is what they meant.

About the Author

Ginger Hill is Group Social Media Manager.

Featured

  • New Report Reveals Top Trends Transforming Access Controller Technology

    Mercury Security, a provider in access control hardware and open platform solutions, has published its Trends in Access Controllers Report, based on a survey of over 450 security professionals across North America and Europe. The findings highlight the controller’s vital role in a physical access control system (PACS), where the device not only enforces access policies but also connects with readers to verify user credentials—ranging from ID badges to biometrics and mobile identities. With 72% of respondents identifying the controller as a critical or important factor in PACS design, the report underscores how the choice of controller platform has become a strategic decision for today’s security leaders. Read Now

  • Overwhelming Majority of CISOs Anticipate Surge in Cyber Attacks Over the Next Three Years

    An overwhelming 98% of chief information security officers (CISOs) expect a surge in cyber attacks over the next three years as organizations face an increasingly complex and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven digital threat landscape. This is according to new research conducted among 300 CISOs, chief information officers (CIOs), and senior IT professionals by CSC1, the leading provider of enterprise-class domain and domain name system (DNS) security. Read Now

  • ASIS International Introduces New ANSI-Approved Investigations Standard

    • Guard Services
  • Cloud Security Alliance Brings AI-Assisted Auditing to Cloud Computing

    The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining standards, certifications, and best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment, today introduced an innovative addition to its suite of Security, Trust, Assurance and Risk (STAR) Registry assessments with the launch of Valid-AI-ted, an AI-powered, automated validation system. The new tool provides an automated quality check of assurance information of STAR Level 1 self-assessments using state-of-the-art LLM technology. Read Now

  • Report: Nearly 1 in 5 Healthcare Leaders Say Cyberattacks Have Impacted Patient Care

    Omega Systems, a provider of managed IT and security services, today released new research that reveals the growing impact of cybersecurity challenges on leading healthcare organizations and patient safety. According to the 2025 Healthcare IT Landscape Report, 19% of healthcare leaders say a cyberattack has already disrupted patient care, and more than half (52%) believe a fatal cyber-related incident is inevitable within the next five years. Read Now

New Products

  • Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file.

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities