Across the globe, security technology is playing an increasingly vital part in how organisations choose to protect their people, premises, and property.
Dependence on electronic products such as alarms and CCTV cameras has grown exponentially, with manufacturers continually developing new features to elevate themselves and their products above the competition.
With thousands of security technology components released on a monthly, weekly, or even daily basis, keeping track of every new trend, innovation, and product release has become a full-time task. That’s why we created our Engineering Centre of Excellence - a dedicated team of experts focused on ensuring the systems we design, install, maintain, and monitor are the right fit for Securitas - and your security needs.
Here are three reasons why the evaluation and testing of security technologies has a leading role in how we protect our clients today, and how we’ll protect them tomorrow.
1. Being at the forefront of new innovations and trends
The electronic security industry is evolving at speed. Over the past decade, we’ve seen huge technological advancements in areas such as data storage and CCTV camera performance, along with the introduction of new software and processes to reduce false alarms and improve the capability of detection devices.
Maintaining close partnerships with the leading industry companies is key, as that’s how we’re able to get the inside track on the latest product trends, innovations and types of security technology hitting the market. Our ability to interrogate and evaluate new examples of security technology before they become widely available means we can make confident, informed decisions on whether they will enhance our clients’ security, and operations.
2. Understanding how a security product can help overcome our clients’ challenges
The choice of products available today is staggering. There are many that claim to solve common issues for the client, but in our experience, it is not always that one product that will be the solution; it is the integration of multiple products that makes the difference.
First and foremost, we focus on listening to our clients, engineers, and technical staff. What are their security challenges? How does technology improve security? Is there a game changing product currently in development? Gathering this type of information means we can pinpoint technologies and innovations that may answer these questions.
“The way in which we identify products for testing, assessment, and commercialisation is by understanding the benefits to the client, and the very real problems that they can take away from Security Managers, Building Managers, and site staff,” says Stephen Bringhurst, Technical Director and Centre of Excellence Lead at Securitas UK.
“We’re committed to evaluating as many new and emerging technologies as possible,” notes Bringhurst, “So much so that we have established a UK Steering Committee made up of representatives from various areas of the electronic security business. The purpose of the Steering Committee is to find and engage with new technology partners, evaluate their solutions and understand the benefits and value they can provide. As Securitas is a global organisation, we can tap into experiences and resources across multiple markets.”
3. Demonstrating reliability and confidence with thorough testing and evaluation
For a manufacturer, partner, or product to earn its place in our approved portfolio, it must have met key testing and evaluation criteria covering all areas of delivery, from technical and training to sales and security technology management.
When it comes to technical evaluation, we entrust our Senior Engineers to thoroughly test a piece of equipment and analyse its performance, reliability, installation, maintenance, and integration capabilities. Only equipment that shows good all-round results will be considered suitable for further assessment.
Access to quality training resources is also a crucial consideration, as this has an important bearing on how training is delivered to our Engineering and Sales Teams, who must also be fully confident in conveying a product’s features and benefits to our clients.
Furthermore, our Service Management Team will need assurances on stock, availability and compatibility with our remote maintenance and monitoring facilities.
Once a full evaluation is complete, the learning taken by our UK Centre of Excellence is fed back into the Securitas Global Technology Review Committee - a knowledge-sharing forum that serves the whole Securitas Electronic Security (ES) business community, and supports our strategy to strengthen our position in the electronic security market. Further discussions take place here that explore factors such as:
- Vertical market and product segmentation
- Packaging, commercialisation, and standardisation of technologies
- Sharing of best practice, standard documentation, and information within Securitas
