Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/31490
14 GUEST COMMENTARY www.securitysystemsnews.com JANUARY 2011 SECURITY SYSTEMS NEWS IP training: Is it derailing security integrators? N IMS research analyst gives Security Systems News’ readers four ways to stay on track and prepare for the future By Ewan Lamont ew technologies are regularly being introduced to the industry and their impact is always under debate. The on-going development of technology increases the capabilities of security sys- tems and opens up excellent opportunities for integrators to sell better products with more features and upgrade older systems. However, for integrators to continue to develop their service portfolios alongside new technology, they need to be willing to invest, and this can present a number of problems. Firstly, training is an expense for both integrators and equipment manufacturers. Although it can be beneficial for both parties, there is a reluctance to pay for training; with integrators believing that the responsibility for increasing familiar- Harry meet Sally Harry is a job seeker in the Security industry. Sally is a recruiter looking to find candi- dates for security jobs. ization with a new product resides with the manufacturers, and the manufactur- ers believing that the responsibility for training technical staff belongs to the integrator. Even if manufacturers are willing to (and can afford to) finance a training schedule, integrators still have to reassign technical staff from their jobs, which is another inconvenience and expense. For a new technology to the security industry, such as wireless infrastructure and video analytics, this can be a big obstacle to widespread acceptance and can prove to be difficult to overcome. Secondly, depending on the existing skill set of technical staff, and the pace of technology change within an integrator’s market, training staff may not be an option, let alone an efficient option. Will an integrator invest in training a technician who is used to (and good at) pulling wires and working with analog equipment when they can employ an IT graduate who is already used to working with networks? The answer is probably not; it is an ineffective investment. The danger in avoiding the expense and The Meeting Place for Security Jobs and People. Find the connections you’re looking for now. www.ssncareercenter.com the associated management problems is that integrators will also avoid using new technology. The pressure to move away from analog equip- ment is reduced by its continued widespread use and legacy. And for integrators that are already comfortable using analog, but not com- fortable with IP, then the desire for them to change is not there. This approach may Research there are four ways to best protect against the issues raised above: Value the staff work in the short term as there is still a lot of analog work out there, but the fact is that the bigger projects, and an increasing number of the smaller ones, are IP, so this is not a tactic for the long term. For an integrator there are two pitfalls to be avoided. The first is to ignore the inevitable increase of IP-based physi- cal security until there is no choice but to accept it. The other is to take too many staff away from their usual roles and over-invest in training that won’t s e e wor thwhi l e returns. According to IMS Ewan Lamont “The fact is that the bigger projects, and an increasing number of smaller ones, are IP, so this is not a tactic for the long term.” —Ewan Lamont, IMS Research that you have: The experienced staff already on your payroll are a massive asset that should not be undervalued. Their experience is a great tool for the new staff to learn from whilst they are also the people with the current skills who can generate rev- enue today. Make smart hires: The best time to prepare for the future is when hir- ing new staff. Assuming that there is already a competent workforce of engineers in place then this is the perfect opportunity to start building tomorrow’s workforce. Employing a network tech- nician may be the first step towards an IP-competent technical team. Web-based training: This is an excel- lent way to minimize the disruption to the working day and also reduce the expense of training. Remote learning can be almost as effective as any face-to-face tuition and whilst there is a limit to what can be achieved remotely, the benefits far outweigh the negatives. Choose partners wisely: Not maxi- mizing the positive impact that new technology can have on the security market is a problem for both integrators and manufacturers, so it makes sense for both to work together to find a solution. Choosing a partner that shares your ethos towards training is essential and provides a working platform for both parties to build on for future success. In summary, the modern integrator has to be flexible, dynamic and find the right balance. Legacy is important, but there is no value in letting it get in the way of progress. One thing is certain though: For the integrator that is able to find the right balance between present and future there is a lot of money to be made. SSN Ewan Lamont is a research analyst with IMS Research. He specializes in remote monitoring services and security systems integration.