One of the hottest topics in the industry these days is security. With ransomware seemingly running rampant with small businesses and regulatory compliance concerns ramped up to an almost fever pitch, it virtually sells itself. Every organization has some level of anxiety about the safety of its information and networks today. That new norm may not seem acceptable, but it’s driving a lot of business and revenue in the channel. IT security has become one of the true “value adds” that solution providers can build successful practices around.
What many providers fail to remember is that their customers’ protection concerns often go beyond the network. Ensuring a safe and secure workplace is just as important of a responsibility, and not something they would just hand off to anyone. They look to those they not only trust, but who have the necessary skills to support their physical security systems and strategies. Along with the continued expansion of federal, state and local data protection regulations (as well as industry standards), access control and surveillance technologies present a real market opportunity for the properly prepared solution provider.
Some still consider it a specialization best left to cabling and audio visual experts, but several factors continue to shift that perceptions. Wireless devices and cloud-based management solutions are opening the doors to new entrants, reducing start-up investments and other requirements. Convergence is making installation and long-term support more cost-effective for customers. Savvy channel professionals recognize these trends play in their favor, and are seeking new ways to capitalize on these valued business technologies.
The question solution providers need ask is if it’s a viable current or future opportunity. Have your existing clients already implemented surveillance and access technologies? Some may be using these systems to prevent unauthorized personnel from entering certain locations (human resources, data centers, IT repair facilities or storage areas) and to ensure employee safety in parking lots, offices and high-risk areas. Those basic installations are still valued. Though the equipment is readily available in electronics and discount stores, it requires a certain level of expertise to properly place and set up the cameras, program recorders and keep it all in good working condition ̶ especially when dealing with dusty warehouses, wet and snowy parking lots or other harsh environments.
In fact, the components that make up a physical security solution today fit perfectly in many channel firms’ portfolios, including:
• Access Control
• Video Surveillance
• Perimeter Intrusion Detection
• Screening and Scanning
• Image data compression and analytics
• Data storage and backup
But the equipment sale and installation is just a small part of the channel opportunity. Today’s physical security technologies strongly favor the solution provider community, with a continually expanding list of applications that can be leveraged in a variety of ways to meet the specific needs of many organizations. That’s where integration and customization skills pay off, allowing providers to truly differentiate their businesses. From connecting industry specific applications to routine surveillance solutions, such as viewing and recording customer activity in banks and retail stores, to more creative and elaborate business systems. For example, video applications can be configured to identify quality control issues in manufacturing facilities, or to measure customer traffic in grocery stores for better display placement to boost high profit sales. The options are virtually endless for a imaginative, skilled solution provider.
And, like many of today’s technical solution sets, the assessment and planning processes that occur beforehand with physical security systems are an essential element of their success. SMB organizations often lack the resources to make informed decisions with physical security and look to others for that support. Expertise in camera placement, network design (wired and wireless), and device compatibility are invaluable. Providers who specialize in hybrid systems ̶ leveraging older yet still viable equipment and infrastructure into their plans ̶ are in high demand. By keeping the total cost of new solutions affordable for their clients, and offering them a path to future upgrades, it’s often easier to close initial sales. The hybrid model creates more “stickiness” with customers, improving the odds of developing longer-term relationships and additional sales opportunities in the future.
If that sounds interesting, be sure to download the free CompTIA Quick Start Guide to Physical Security. This is basically a roadmap for channel professionals assessing the potential in the segment of the tech ecosystem, a straightforward look at the market opportunity and the things solution providers and MSPs should be doing to build viable practices. If you’re looking for the advice of successful, experienced professionals, be sure to check it out.
Brian Sherman is Chief Content Officer at GetChanneled, a channel business development and marketing firm. He served previously as chief editor at Business Solutions magazine and senior director of industry alliances with Autotask. Contact Brian at Bsherman@getchanneled.com
