Managing Your Security System as Your Business Scales

Scaling a business is an exciting time filled with new possibilities. But it can also bring new challenges that require careful consideration: even a small misstep while expanding can derail your organization’s growth. 

One important piece of any growth plan is security. An effective security strategy requires a flexible approach that responds as your business grows, technologies evolve, and trends in crime shift. As your business scales, you’ll need to reimagine the security system that best fits your business’s unique size, strengths, and challenges. 

Work with a knowledgeable security partner

The most important task you’ll undertake as you rethink your security strategy is the team you partner with. A professional partner’s experience and knowledge is your best tool in shaping and executing a strategy that protects your people and products. Whether you have a good idea of what security services your business needs or feel totally lost, your partner can help identify your greatest needs and design a strategy that’s customized to keep your business safe.

A professional security partner will:

• Know the best and most up-to-date technologies. Only a professional who works in the field daily will have a deep understanding of all the latest technology, the wide range of equipment available, and the benefits and challenges of security services for businesses of your size and scope. 
• Walk you through all your options and make recommendations based on your specific needs. An experienced security professional knows that there is no one-size-fits-all solution; look for a partner that listens to your concerns,understands your challenges, and designs a solution that addresses your considerations as your company grows. 
• Work with you to ensure compliance as your business grows. With growth comes paperwork. Every new location you open or operate from will require new permits and safety code compliance, and a knowledgeable security partner will ensure you check all the boxes as you scale.   

Focus on services designed to accommodate growth

Some security services specifically deal with large amounts of movement: of staff, visitors, vehicles, and products. If you’re approaching a growth period for your organization and expanding your physical presence, employee headcount, or visitor traffic, you should look into services designed to address these factors.

Some good options may include: 

• Access control: Access control systems help businesses manage who accesses their properties with modern technology rather than locks and keys; in an access control system, users are verified through login credentials, like pin codes or biometric scans, allowing people to move through a site safely with less hassle. Access control is ideal for a growing company as users can be verified or removed quickly from your laptop or smartphone, and it provides you with a rich trove of data on who is on your site (or sites) at any given time.
• Live video monitoring: A live video monitoring service can take monitoring responsibilities off your plate and provide wide coverage over multiple sites. With trained video monitors keeping watch on all of your locations, you can rest assured that your sites are secure while you focus on more urgent daily tasks. 

Budgeting for growth

Budgeting for a security plan shouldn’t just be about spending the lowest amount possible: you should think hard about the risks, benefits, and overall value of various security services. While your security partner will work with you to determine the best services for your business, you should consider the increased value of higher-tech options such as modern AI-powered video security. 

Traditional cameras and monitoring systems previously worked reactively to respond to incidents after they occurred. The new generation of AI-powered security technology represents a shift to a proactive approach that deters crime before it occurs, through features that:

• Detect and analyze motion, and distinguish between a potential trespasser and a harmless movement, like a passing animal.  
• Verbally warn trespassers that they’re on camera and that authorities are on their way.
• Perform advanced counting methods and report on the number of people in a space or cars in a parking lot.   

These advanced features offer previously unheard of protection, and may be worth an additional investment. 

Smart scaling with a partner that cares

No matter what your business objectives, you’ll want a strong security partner with you along the way. Contact us now to learn about how we can work with you to provide the strongest security to your people and products as your business grows.