In article two of this series, we discussed the importance of maintenance planning and disaster recovery for your security management system. Planning for maintenance costs assists with budgeting and cost containment.  Implementing a disaster recovery plan ensures the safety of your premises, people and assets. A lifecycle management program can help you with these critical aspects of your system and more.

What else can a lifecycle management program do for you?

System Audits

As part of your lifecycle management program, your account manager will review your current product implementation to see if it continues to meet your needs. The account manager will gather statistics on your system, for example, number of cardholders and event activity, to use as your baseline for the following year when the manager will re-gather the statistics to provide a previous year comparison. The information allows you to identify trends over time so if there are significant changes, you can plan for expansion if necessary or resolve if issue-based.

A detailed record of custom integrations is kept on file and reviewed annually. The account manager identifies potential system size limitations and works closely with you to resolve the issues or plan for expansion. Your account manager will generate a post-audit system installation report to provide you with accurate data so you can make informed decisions.

As end users learn how to maximize their security systems for optimum performance through regular use and auditing, they often expand their system or learn how to be more efficient. When you invest in a professional services and lifecycle management program, your account manager will work closely with you to determine your next course of action to ensure you are maximizing your system.

Look for part four of Five Ways to Optimize your Security Management System in the next Security eNewsletter.