Just Around the Corner

• By Ralph C. Jensen
• Mar 01, 2017

You’ve seen them all over town; those little blue trucks moving from one security job to the next. Their installations and technicians are well known for using and understanding the latest technology and equipment.

However, not far from the Tyco Integrated Security (TycoIS) headquarters in Boca Raton, Fla., a premier installation is the hallmark of the company. Woodfield Distribution, LLC, (WDSrx) has been using Tyco IS for seven years as their security dealer and installer. Woodfield is a privately held company and likely not a company you’ve ever heard of. They are, however, a strong player in a huge industry.

Woodfield provides third-party logistics services in pharmaceutical drug products and also has two vaults and two cages containing controlled substances (Schedules CII-CV). This is where the best of the best security is placed. Upon recommendation from Tyco IS staff, Woodfield has deployed a layered access control system, meaning if you don’t have a need to be in a certain part of the building, you shouldn’t be getting in there.

As vice president and general manager, Joe Oliveri leads the Tyco IS team in their day-to-day business dealings, working closely with Craig Shulman, the area general manager in Florida, who oversees the WDSrx account. As WDSrx is his client and customer he takes great pride in keeping the property and premises safe and secure.

“We handle a lot of different manufacturer’s products,” said Adam Runsdorf, president of WDSrx. “Our partnership with Tyco has been beneficial to both parties. As a customer, we have a tremendous security system; one that we expected from Tyco, and one that we received.”

The Tyco IS and WDSrx partnership is truly one to be envied. Both parties stay in contact almost on a daily basis, and if a Tyco IS technician is needed, a truck is sent to the site with parts and expertise to fix any problems. According to Oliveri, Tyco IS trucks carry enough equipment to last for 30 days in service work. If other parts are needed during a service call, they are readily available sometimes the same day, or as Oliveri puts it, “in a reasonable amount of time,” meaning that if a part is needed, it might be located in a warehouse or on another Tyco IS truck.

That kind of support from the Florida, or any other office, is meaningful to the end user because the technicians will do everything possible to get the job done professionally and as quickly as possible. In fact, Tyco IS is well noted for its company area structure to share resources in any given area for service, installation and operational support. This concept of service stems from the idea that the local company representatives not only support their local clients but also the bigger picture of national accounts. This plan is set for via the company’s Global Centers of Excellence.

The Center of Excellence are meant to help global customers design and plan a security system. They are also a place where installation standards are set and met, and where the end users are assured that the technician will not deviate from the set standards.

The technician also has support as the installation is progressing; coordination through the company’s Indianapolis office monitors all installation progress. This is the solution for today, and it is working well, but make no mistake, Oliveri and his team are continuously planning for the future.

“The next big thing is always innovation,” Oliveri said. “We are constantly looking forward at our offerings. When the leadership team meets we go through our list of strategies to pick several, and then rank them.

“From there, we sort through the list and determine the short-term, medium-term and long-range projects. Our methods also must meet scientific-approved terms. We also ask that our team members, be able to continuously hit our sweet spot, which is the ability to install, work and monitor the security installation.”

The security industry has changed, like everything else, over the years, but the one constant is projecting the company image. “What you do with your decisions, will determine your future.”

Today’s security industry has changed enough that it’s not so much about the hardware, but the ever changing software. Oliveri pointed out that he and his teams have been aware of this for quite some time as they look at such trends in video verification, command and control, and the monitoring center. So, Oliveri started his one-stop shop for end users.

It is called CAST or the Customer Account Support Team. The idea: Do whatever it takes to satisfy the customer to resolve an issue on the spot.

Tyco IS also has started a centralized functions idea, where the integration staff can reach out to offices in Kansas City, Aurora, Colo., and Indianapolis. Using a smartphone, they can reach out any time, all day long, and Tyco IS is able to know where each integrator is located and what they are working on, including the progress being made. Having three reporting facilities also allows Tyco IS to spread the risk around, rather than having just one reporting center. It also enables the company, by design, to move work around the world, having reporting centers in India and Costa Rica. This allows for a more global presence in what has become a very global market.

“We all know the world is changing,” Oliveri said. “There is a need, and we see an increase in safety and security.

“However, in thinking about our local people, we expect they will help bring people in and show off our expertise. This all comes back to the Global Centers of Excellence.”

TycoIS is very much involved in conducting active shooter seminars on campuses and in the K-12 environment, also in the hospital setting, shopping malls, and instructing on the use of video. Oliveri said his people are experts on technology, equipment and more importantly, customer service. Part of the company’s mission includes community outreach, often with the FBI’s Active Shooter topic.

Also part of the company’s visibility is tradeshow participation, where TycoIS will focus more on solutions than product, and will continue to offer the expertise of getting the most for the end users money. Among those verticals supported are commercial industry, government, banking and institutional.

“We feel our expertise lies within the higher education and healthcare verticals, where we have the ability and know how to successfully integrate security solutions,” Oliveri said. “It goes without saying but our major focus is maintaining good relationships with our customers, and developing more relationships along the way.”

While some companies may be constantly looking for that one big installation, Tyco IS has the presence of mind to look just around the corner.

This article originally appeared in the March 2017 issue of Security Today.