RiskUKApril2017

Opinion: Physical Security as a Service
The ongoing shift in consumer focus may
feel a little surprising at first as the security
industry – much like any other technology
sector – has concentrated on ‘shifting boxes’ for
quite a long time now. This was especially the
case when proprietary systems were the norm.
If an end user wanted more services, they
bought a new product. From a basic sales point
of view, this was both simple and economic for
manufacturers and installers alike.
However, a determined move towards
integrated and open technology has
transformed the way in which security
consumers now view their purchase. It’s no
surprise as this has proven to be the case with
any form of consumer technology. When the
option to source from different providers
increases, so too does customer choice and
interest in the physical product becomes
eclipsed by the overall solution realised.
This is certainly evident with smart devices
and IT. Cloud services have put the onus on
what the result looks like, with the device the
user chooses losing much of its significance.
We’re also starting to see this in areas that
nobody would have predicted in the past, such
as the automotive industry, for example.
People in big cities don’t want the expense
and hassle of owning – and parking – their own
cars anymore. Unless you use your car every
day, it makes more sense to rent one by the day
or week specifically for those moments when
you need to venture beyond the confines of
public transport. For some, at least, the
automobile has become a service item with the
end result – ie a specific journey – assuming a
greater importance than the type and
specification of the vehicle being used.
Service without stress
At the crux of all this is the demand from
consumers to identify the service need and for
suppliers to provide the easiest and most costeffective
solution.
Equally, when it comes to specifying a
security solution, the operator doesn’t
necessarily want to know the full details of
what’s going on ‘under the bonnet’. Rather,
they’re more concerned that it ‘does the job’.
Any sensible security buyer – ie the
practising security or risk management
professional – will be focused on their specific
security requirements and the business drivers
that need to be addressed (such as the
protection of buildings, assets, data and
employee safety) and that the chosen solution
suits their budget. This is actually where
service becomes key. For their part, customers
need an expert on hand capable of addressing
All Part of the (Physical
Security) Service
There are signs that the way in which we all buy our products
and services is changing. The concept of buying and owning
a service product is increasingly looking antiquated, as
consumers focus more and more on the outcomes rather than
the tools needed to achieve them. As the physical security
industry becomes more integrated and offers true open
systems, John Davies suggests there’s every reason to
assume our sector will follow this trend
their requirements with all of these parameters
firmly in mind, and with a view to removing the
stress of finding ‘the right product(s)’.
In the past, specifying and using an
unsuitable solution could be difficult at best,
and potentially disastrous at worst. From an
economic point of view, it’s also a challenge to
finance a big install then try to accumulate
resources again for the upgrade when the
incumbent solution has reached its ‘end-of-life’.
It’s far more sensible to moderate the costs
of security investments by paying a monthly or
annual fee that’s predictable and for which a
budgeted sum may be readily set aside. This is
where buying ‘Security Assurance as a Service’
makes complete sense.
Benefits for customers
While the idea of procuring and servicing
physical security on a subscription basis may
seem groundbreaking and will undoubtedly
involve a change of mindset for many
traditional security buyers, there are some very
John Davies:
Managing Director of TDSi
11
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