We’re living in one of the finest times to be a security systems integrator. New technologies are creating new opportunities that will help us grow and thrive in this changing and ever-evolving industry.

Looking ahead to the future, service will be the key to surviving and expanding in the security industry. As integrators, we don’t manufacture products. We are service companies, so whoever provides the best service wins the contract.

That’s also why integrators need to ensure that their people and their end-users are up to speed on new technologies.

IT has really made a difference in the security industry, with IT integrators creeping into security. This naturally brings challenges to security systems integrators. The convergence of IT and security has helped our industry move forward quickly. What was initially a threat has helped companies in our industry step up to the challenge. In the beginning, there was a lot of trepidation that IBM, for example, would get into security through IT capabilities and put traditional security players out of business. That threat never materialized and no one really talks about it anymore. Instead, security companies have acquired the skill set to connect security systems and components to IT networks.

One thing that has never changed despite new technologies is customer expectations. From a customer perspective, if something isn’t simple and they can’t operate it, they won’t use it. This has resulted in more plug-and-play technologies that just about anyone can connect and assemble.