The Art of Providing Security as a Service

By Peter Boriskin, vice president of R&D for Tyco International's access control solutions

For years, resellers of home security systems have generated more revenue from ongoing monitoring services than from the alarm equipment itself. Today, access control integrators are moving toward a similar path with ongoing revenue streams tied to services. The emergence of security as a service in the corporate world will empower integrators to capitalize on new opportunities in the commercial space and deliver a host of customizable, value-added services to enhance customer relationships and increase their profitability.

Businesses of all sizes have realized the benefit of outsourcing IT management, allowing them to focus on their core competencies. These same benefits can be extended to a business' access control infrastructure. In a traditional security model, integrators install software within their customer's organization; the customer, in turn, programs and controls the access control system themselves. However, in turning to an outsource model for access control, these organizations retain the same powerful security capabilities without taxing internal resources. There's no need for software to be installed or maintained locally. Integrators gain recurring fees for managing the access control system while customers can easily administer their access cards remotely via a web interface.

But that's just the start. System integrators now have an opportunity to offer additional services to their customers, opening up the door to lucrative recurring revenues.

Distinguishing hosted solutions from managed solutions

Both hosted and managed services involve having a platform outside of the end user's physical facility with a vendor managing the necessary applications and hardware. However, that is where hosted solutions begin and end. Hosted solution vendors ensure the access control system is running smoothly. But when it comes to applying security policies and managing/monitoring the system, customers are left to their own devices.

Conversely, managed services extend beyond this with a variety of complementary services which may include:

• Badging
• Video, Offsite video storage
• Customized reporting
• Two-way audio
• Burglar alarm integration
• Visitor management
• Event monitoring
• Personalized surveillance / escort

A striking advantage of managed access control services is the flexibility it offers to end users. Customers can easily move from on-site access control to managed services and vice versa while retaining their technology investment. As an example, moving to a managed access control solution simply requires adding a communication module on site. Customers can maintain interoperability across systems commonly connected to access control devices such as computer networks, surveillance cameras, and other systems. This continuity affords integrators countless future revenue generating opportunities such as network access management, live video monitoring, video archiving, video analytics, and more.

Managed access control services are ideal in the following scenarios:

• Small businesses that need to manage a finite number of access points but don't have a large enough infrastructure to necessitate retaining an internal security department.
• Large, multi-national enterprises that outsource to eliminate physical security infrastructures to focus on their primary areas of expertise. Typically, these businesses want to control building access through employee-verified credentials but don't want to maintain the security infrastructure in-house to achieve this functionality. Many such businesses have already moved to a service model for various enterprise applications and are experiencing the benefits of this approach.
• Corporate headquarters looking to apply security policies universally across its facilities. In many cases, these organizations have a mobile employee base that requires access to multiple facilities. The organizations want their corporate security department to retain visibility and control over all cardholders.
• Large companies intent on keeping divisions uniform and in line with security mandates. In this scenario, the primary organization is responsible for system management and generates revenue by charging back other divisions for this managed access control.

Integrators offering managed access control services may choose from a variety of pricing models. Some may charge customers based on the number of managed access points (doors and elevators), while others may determine pricing based on the level and type of services offered. In the highly competitive security space, integrators can stand out by offering multiple tiers of services. This may range from basic options such as report generation and automatic card changes via web portals to support capabilities such as system programming, troubleshooting and concierge services.

Conclusion

Home security system integrators have long known the benefits of managed service to generate ongoing revenue streams and provide flexibility to their customers. Today, commercial systems integrators can reap the same benefits – on a much larger scale - in the corporate security world, delivering a host of services that bring peace of mind to their client base while improving their bottom line.