Physical security isn’t an afterthought for organizations: it is critical infrastructure. Retailers, healthcare providers, municipalities, schools and all kinds of other organizations rely on security systems to keep their people and places safe. 

As the capabilities of security technology have evolved, many organizations are taking a broader view of their investments and understanding how they can deliver more value across their operations. From opportunities to modernize the workplace with tools like touchless door access to optimizing facilities planning using occupancy data or driving operational change with AI, forward-looking organizations are recognizing the benefit that a single cloud based platform for physical security can deliver across the enterprise. 

It’s important to caveat that before investing in security solutions, companies should first assess risks and threats to ensure their investment is right-sized for their needs. That means quantifying historical issues, the value of losses (or injuries), and the potential for inbound threats or security concerns. Once a security professional knows the level of investment needed and the kinds of solutions that are right for their organization, they can tackle what is often the biggest barrier: budgets. 

Here are three broader business benefits that security leaders can evaluate with stakeholders to help secure buy-in on new investments:

Insights for cross-functional partners

Visibility into how sites are being used isn’t just helpful for security teams, it can also benefit cross-functional partners in operations, compliance and even marketing. For instance, a manufacturer can leverage AI-powered analytics on their video security cameras to monitor for and send alerts when they detect abnormal or unsafe traffic patterns on their production floor, supporting their operations team’s continued focus on compliance. As technology continues to advance and systems become more integrated, there will be more opportunities for security technology to inform decision-making and day-to-day operations across all kinds of industries. 

Delivering a modern experience for employees and customers

Another significant benefit of investing in integrated security systems is an elevated employee or customer experience. Thanks to mobile access credentials, employees can easily access office spaces with a touchless entry experience. It’s easy to misplace a badge or key when one is rushing to work in the morning, but it’s rare that they would leave a phone behind — saving them the headache of contacting security to access the building. And an added bonus: security leads aren’t bogged down with updating and refreshing new badge cards every day, and can focus their attention on responding to active threats.

A secure workplace is not only an attractive feature for current and prospective employees, but also any person visiting an organization. Imagine going to see a family member who is in the hospital. A visitor walks up to the building, speaks through the hospital’s intercom system to security personnel, and checks in via the hospital’s guest system where they complete any necessary documentation — like a quick security screen — and both the visitor and the host get text alerts confirming the details of the visit. For the visitor, the experience is simple and frictionless from the minute they walk up to the building until the moment they exit. And for the healthcare staff, there’s easy visibility into everyone on the premises and reassurance that they have permission to be there.

Total cost of ownership savings

Upfront investment in cloud-based solutions can also lead to significant cost savings in the long run. Many organizations don’t take the total cost of ownership into account when evaluating physical security investments. The ongoing maintenance, security patches and headache of replacing worn-out or antiquated devices are often borne by individual sites and lost in operational budgets. Cloud based systems can eliminate that cost with centralized management and proactive maintenance, firmware and security upgrades, and alerting. These upgrades also deliver new capabilities, ensuring that the system can grow with the organization within a predictable cost.  

Investing in a cloud-based platform for physical security systems is a strategic move that can offer far-reaching benefits for employers and their organizations. By starting with a thorough risk assessment and layering on the cross-functional benefits of more capable systems, as well as the avoided cost of cloud-managed offering, security leaders can make a compelling case for change. As security threats and workplaces continue to evolve, such forward-looking investments are not only prudent but essential for long-term success and sustainability.