Whilst Jesus noted that “the poor will always be with you”, a modern day messiah would observe that the growing concerns about terrorism, safety and security, suggests that crime will always be with us.
In fact, with increasing demand for physical security products on the increase because of escalating criminal activities, security solutions are becoming more sophisticated and therefore complicated.
Physical security is only one element of a security management strategy, but does address issues such as intrusion detection prevention, access control, fire and safety, information management software and other security solutions related to the physical protection of businesses, industries and infrastructure.
Yet, despite the growing size of these physical security controls and devices, more and more guards are being deployed as solutions to a company’s security problems. All too often, guarding service providers sell a uniformed body in an attempt to resolve a security breach. However, if your laptop is stolen from the office, how does the deployment of a guard help you recover the lost information or the laptop itself? If a terrorist attacking a shopping centre in Nairobi, why deploy more guards, especially as they were unable to prevent or detect any terrorist activity prior to the bombing?
Likewise, security alarm service providers sell alarm systems, but with inadequate monitoring or response. In Cape Town, household burglaries are completed in under four minutes and by the time the armed response teams arrive, the burglars have left the area with your laptops, mobile phones, large screen TVs and a few cans of food.
CCTV and video surveillance service providers sell cameras and storage capacity that is not fit for purpose. The cameras are not positioned in a manner which facilitates easy viewing of people into, through and out of the premises; or, when security breaches need to viewed for forensic purposes, the pixilation of stored imagery is so appalling that neither the scene nor the perpetrators are recognisable.
Given the escalating competition within these sectors and the differing product prices, few sectors within the global security industry makes substantial profits on a regular basis. The exception to this rule is private intelligence companies that have the ability to source critical information and enable their Clients to make informed business decisions. These decisions, in turn, enable Clients to be more competitive and to outsmart others in the same industry.
Whilst guarding companies enjoyed annual growth from the post-Second World War era, the new kid on the block are private intelligence firms that not only add value to a Client’s strategic thinking, but provide insights that cannot be gleamed from the internet or newspapers.
Are you interested in expanding your information resources, maintaining high profits and adding genuine value as a service provider? If so, start or acquire a private intelligence firm.
