Security concerns the world over are evolving constantly. Compared to wars on the other side of the planet, your local facility may seem like a safe place – and it probably is. Day-to-day, most of us would rather think about our next dollar than our next security incident. Even so, making wise security decisions today can set you up for a safer (and more cost-efficient) tomorrow. Here are five factors that you should consider in your next security acquisition.
- Adaptability. If your system is tailor-made to handle your current security needs, be sure that it can also handle more intensive security needs if the situation demands. With clothes, it’s easier to keep adding layers to get warm than it is to keep taking them off to get cool. Security is the opposite. Removing layers on the fly is much easier than adding new protocols your system wasn’t already equipped to handle. Even if you don’t need to find knives today, could you find them if you needed to?
- Scalability. There are limits to every system, but can yours handle your growth, or does it rely too heavily on certain economies of scale? If your security cannot be expanded during the busy seasons and contracted during the light seasons, you may be in for unnecessary heartache. This can go beyond the products and services you use for security and reach into the companies you partner with and the employees you hire. Think about lead times, ease of installation, and onboarding of staff.
- Recurring costs. While there are always some recurring costs in operating a business, there can be dramatic differences between them. Employees will always need wages, but should you really be paying a subscription for your security infrastructure? If you are paying a subscription, are you aware of your total costs over the expected lifespan or contract period of the product? Can you compare it with a purchased alternative? Are you on the hook for multi-year contracts or can you make the decision to back out when you need to?
- Endurance. Flaky security leaves no one feeling safe. Be sure that the companies you work with are industry veterans. You should have confidence that others have had success with their product or service over the years, that they are not assailed with negative press, and that they will be around for service and support in the years to come. You don’t get bonus points for working with a startup.
- Transparency. Are you getting the full story on your security? The security industry is notoriously tight-lipped, but it doesn’t hurt to do a little research to see what others are saying about your next security purchase. Do the stories line up? Can the vendor or manufacturer provide clear answers to tough questions? Make sure the big numbers that you are shown match up with the actual metrics you need to see, not just the ones you’d like to see. Measure the effectiveness of your security by the security it provides, not the ideal user experience. An easy-to-use security system that fails to accomplish your security goals should not have been purchased. If you have to catch knives and guns, you cannot afford to settle for finding only guns in a prettier package.
All these factors will help your next security upgrade or development avoid unnecessary troubles down the line. A hasty or poorly considered acquisition can leave you out of hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars in budget, tie you to companies with diverging agendas, and worst of all leave you unsafe and inflexible when your security needs shift or expand. A well-considered decision empowers you to make thoughtful alterations to your security at your own pace, instead of having your plans dictated by an emergency or cumbersome contract.
Garrett Metal Detectors has been providing best-in-class security equipment to stadiums, gymnasiums, and arenas for more than 40 years, all made in the USA. If you are interested in learning more about how you can make your security future-proof, reach out to us to speak with a security expert.