Security is today’s hot buzz word and it’s a big and continually expanding “pie” full of robust slices that are all in high demand. Lucky you, that’s the industry you are in and live every day. But which slice, or slices, are you enjoying? Where might your appetite grow? Property and asset protection, access control, gun safety, surveillance, fire/smoke detection, terrorism, security guards, environmental safety, automation, remote access, network and data fortification, identity theft and cyber security are all possibilities. The list of security products and services is growing with no end in sight. 

Historically, the security industry was built on protection and safety. Property, facility and asset protection became the bedrock of security, along with personal safety and well-being. Over time, early detection became important; just look at all the sensors warning of fire, smoke, intrusion, movement and noise — including glass breakage and gun shot.

Next came respond and notify in real time to what is happening. Think of sirens going off on site, the monitoring station being notified and dispatch of the appropriate authorities — fire and/or police. Next, property management and peace of mind — whether it is a large office complex with smart/scheduled/documented access control, or a four-bedroom home with a video doorbell, smart thermostat, connected lock and three surveillance cameras. It all became possible with automation and remote management. Along with two-way audio and video capabilities that provide the ability to speak with and see the premises, all are connected. Personalization is now here as security systems communicate with mobile devices to share alerts, send photos and videos and offer talking with the premises remotely. 

The digital age has arrived and taken hold. Businesses and people are always connected and interact digitally every day, making access and data important commodities. Personal security and corporate security now extend to networks, data, information, access, identity and everything cyber. In this information era, personal, social, economic and political activities are dependent on data and communication technologies. Information is now a valuable asset and currency that must be collected and protected. This is the next big chance in security, and most opportunities include RMR. That is great news for you and your company. 

Ponder if it is time to think beyond your current piece of pie and try a new slice. Consider cyber security and protecting networks, connected devices, programs and data from unauthorized access or attacks. Read the many articles in SDM on network security or search any browser. Contemplate if gunfire detection aligns with your current offerings. (I mentioned in “CES 2019 Wrap-up: Riding the Waves” at www.SDMmag.com/ces-2019-riding-waves that works well and has good RMR.)

The latest opportunity emerging is something I call preemptive detection. It is now possible to prevent unwanted events before they occur. With sensors collecting all sorts of data, consolidating information in the cloud and machine learning analyzing it, artificial intelligence (AI) can predict, alert, protect and avoid disasters — reducing costs, insurance claims and downtime. Check out www.oneeventtech.com. I met them at ISC West and their cloud-based platform and app is propelling the security industry into the digital age with new RMR opportunities.

Do you have the people, processes and technology to try something new? If it expands dramatically, can your company handle the growth? Check out new opportunities; if it feels right, make a plan and go for that next piece of the pie.