Jason Choy looks at the possibilities offered by the security industry’s latest technologies and considers how facilities managers can benefit.

This is not another article about the virtue of security – why you should have it or what technology you should be using. Having worked as a facilities manager for over 10 years, I realise that security systems are just a means to an end. What’s really at stake is the fulfilment of organisational targets and objectives. With the current economic climate placing greater pressure on FMs to justify each investment, my aim is to provide helpful guidance on where today’s security systems fit into corporate needs.

Indeed, securing premises and keeping people and property safe is only the start of it. The sophistication of security systems has grown apace in recent years. Spurred on by the threat of global terrorism, manufacturers have devised a host of new technologies and improvements to existing devices. Many of these have been adapted to the commercial market and the choice of systems now available touches on the bewildering. Although often highly effective, some systems can also be extremely complex and need specialist knowledge to deliver the best return on investment.

For instance, it might surprise you to know that security can have a bearing on matters of sustainability, human resources and financial management. Being aware of the broader possibilities available with new technology will enable you to develop a solid business case for whatever you believe is needed, and give you greater confidence in making and justifying recommendations, especially when they can help senior management save money, make better decisions and reduce carbon footprint.

There are three areas of focus here: first, information about new capabilities within access control and ancillary technologies; second, how you can benefit from integrating different security systems to gain additional benefits; and finally, how to select the right partner to help you achieve your objectives and those of senior management.

Much more than access control

The latest access control systems are not just about locking/unlocking a door or viewing, recording and playing back security images. The technology can, and should, do so much more.

For example, two key trends affecting organisations and their FMs are rising costs of space (eg rent etc) and adapting to increased demand for remote working. Both create challenges for developing and planning a reliable property strategy. As organisations look for cost savings, ensuring the effective use of space is critical. With an increasing number of employees taking part in remote working, it is essential to reassess usage of work space to determine the true amount needed and times of day it is in use. This promotes better utilisation and productivity of space, quickly identifying potential cost savings.

While CCTV is typically thought of as an effective deterrent and reporting tool, software that analyses the images it captures can also be used to measure footfall in a given area, such as an office or retail floor. This data can then be used to determine the usage of space with unparalleled accuracy. This is of particular value in the retail sector, where the interaction of people with the store environment can be crucial to sales.

In the area of health and safety, best practice recommends that FMs keep an accurate register of building occupants in case of an emergency situation that requires evacuation of the premises. The most common way of gathering this data, a purpose-made visitor book, is flawed when it comes to accuracy. Visitors often fail to register that they have left a building, or have moved from one part of it to another.

The latest access control systems include features that streamline visitor and staff entry registration and automate collection of accurate data for wherever they are in a building.

An up-to-date occupancy list can be generated in an instant, helping FMs and emergency service personnel work efficiently when managing evacuations or search operations.

And in a third area of application, more than 30% of a typical building’s energy use and costs come from lighting. Significant savings can be made in this area alone, simply by linking lighting control software to existing access control systems.

Even with basic level 'intelligence', an access control system can tell when a person has entered or left an area. Used in conjunction with other technologies, a building can be made even more 'smart'. Levels of light can be adjusted according to the time of day, the location of people in a building, or even the number of people in a room. This reduces the time for a return on investment to be achieved and maximises cost savings in the long term.

In addition to reduced energy bills, using access control to manage lighting can significantly decrease an organisation’s impact on the environment by reducing its carbon footprint. For large organisations in particular, the Carbon Reduction Commitment, due to come into effect in April 2010, enforces a cap on the amount of carbon used by non-energy intensive organisations. FMs can help their managers meet this goal by recommending better use of existing access control technology.

More than the sum of its parts

Integrating security technologies can lead to benefits beyond those offered by each system when used separately. The following examples give an indication of what is possible.

Managing a large workforce is a daily challenge for HR and payroll professionals, particularly if the workplace has a mixture of full-time and part-time employees, plus contractors, interns, etc. Hundreds of millions are lost to companies each year due to inaccurate payrolls. Unfortunately many HR/payroll departments simply don’t have access to technology that allows them to reliably confirm pay claims. Fortunately this is an area where FMs can help.

Access control technology can now be fully integrated with HR systems to provide accurate records of attendance, even when that takes place outside of usual premises. Data on attendance/absence can also be used to gain useful insights on workforce behaviour:

• Hours present in work vs. output as a indicator of productivity
• Absenteeism (identifying unapproved leave) and presenteeism (a sign of workaholism)
• Optimum working hours for flexible work teams
• Performance of shift patterns.

Implementing such systems not only makes time-consuming manual timesheets and data entry a thing of the past, it permits previously unavailable levels of analysis that can make a significant difference to an organisation’s productivity, efficiency, effectiveness and long-term growth. By using security technology to help HR/payroll functions, you are effectively adding to the level of benefits that your security system delivers – speeding up its return on investment.

Wider IT systems present another potential area of problem (or opportunity). Many organisations allow individuals to work throughout their premises, providing them with access to valuable data, storage and networks via wireless access points. As information technology becomes more advanced, so do the tools used by hackers who try to infiltrate wireless networks.

Unfortunately it is difficult to prevent wireless signals 'leaking' beyond the walls of a company and into the outside world, so standard encryption technology combined with a physical security system may be the answer.

By integrating these two systems, an employee wishing to log in to the corporate network wirelessly can be prevented from doing so unless they have already been authenticated by the access control system, confirming their physical presence on site. This enables staff to continue working wirelessly without any additional security checks, while those not identified and present within the premises are permanently locked out.

This simple yet effective integration shows how building security can add value and improve the effectiveness of IT security, and with relatively little add-on cost.

A growing role for CCTV

Managing remote sites can be quite a challenge for most FMs, especially if they cover far-flung national and international territories. Even more challenging are situations where sites are routinely unmanned.

By linking existing CCTV and access control systems, the two can work effectively together to save time, money and improve efficiency. For example, unmanned locations can be monitored remotely from head office. Contractors and service personnel can still visit these locations without anyone present; they simply arrive and use the intercom, which is linked to CCTV. If the control room operators are happy with the person’s credentials they will then remotely open the door for them. This saves time and resources, yet ensures that contractors can still provide essential services.

A further benefit is that FMs and security managers should be able to dial into any of their sites from anywhere around the world, saving travel costs and time. Security managers will be pleased by an additional level of protection; for instance, should a user be barred from a given area and still attempt to gain entry, the camera on the door would begin recording evidence. It also serves to add to a visual audit trail/event log.

In the world of CCTV we have seen huge advances in the sophistication and affordability of the hardware, with high-resolution colour images and night-vision becoming almost standard features. The power is now shifting from hardware to software. Much improved quality of images means that analysis of the data can be used to automate 'intelligent' decisions that determine actions to be taken that will improve security.

Productivity improvements can mean that more cameras can be deployed with fewer people viewing them. Until recently, a single CCTV operator needed to be alert at all times and could only view a limited number of screens at the same time. Now software does most of the work, alerting the operator to respond in only suspicious circumstances.

Different industries can benefit in different ways. Retailers can use the technology to reduce shrinkage (theft) as well as monitor shelf space layout and the effectiveness of merchandising. In the transport sector, CCTV analytics can be used to monitor passenger flow through terminal areas and platforms. This eases congestion in areas allowing a more seamless service experience for passengers and ensuring minimal delays. From a safety perspective, the ability to automatically monitor platform areas allows management to regulate the flow of passengers, which means less overcrowding and reduced risk of accidents.

Card power

People in many organisations are used to carrying some sort of smartcard in order to gain access into and out of premises. The same card can also be used for other applications, helping to manage and reduce costs.

For example, linking the card with control of photocopiers and other resource-hungry office machinery means that costs can be accurately allocated to the right departments, giving the finance team greater clarity in being able to apportion cost with confidence.

Another application is using the card as a cashless payment device for vending machines and cafeterias. No cash on-site means greater security and transparency with catering providers, with the option of taking payment directly from staff salaries. No cash also means reduced waiting time and therefore increased productivity during busy parts of the day.

Choosing the right partner

While the richness of today’s security technology can deliver great benefits, it has caused too many security systems contractors to become fixated on the technology itself. All too often the underlying needs of their client – the FM and his/her boss – are overlooked.

I frequently come across FMs who have been taken down a path that fails to take account of both present and long-term needs, and forgets to consider low-cost yet high-value additional investments that will deliver valued flexibility, data and quality of service to end users.

The key is to avoid falling victim to a supplier who:

• Recommends technology just because it makes their life easier when it comes to implementation
• Fails to justify their recommendation to you
• Makes a recommendation that does not meet your requirements/expectations
• Tries to make a fast buck.

Some things can’t be anticipated, but for those that can you should demand a proactive service that forces your supplier to think about you and your organisation’s needs rather than their own. Only then can you determine if your supplier is here for a 'quick win' or a long-term and mutually beneficial partnership. Ask yourself:

• Do they demonstrate a good knowledge of the security systems they are recommending?
• Do they attempt to learn and understand your organisation and what goes on in it every day?
• Can they readily explain the difference between one brand of security technology from the next, even if they only represent one brand?
• Are they honest about what the systems they are selling can and cannot do? Are they willing to point you towards other suppliers when they themselves are unable to meet your needs?
• Can they show evidence of case studies and testimonials from other clients? Can you contact those companies personally?
• Will they help you to build a business case for what they want you to buy?

Building the business case

A clearly and convincingly stated business case is what makes the difference between project approval and one that remains forever on the backburner. The key to developing a strong case is for the FM and their supplier to think about how the project will add value to their organisation and the goals of its senior management.

Investments in security are often made begrudgingly, but the benefits that can be gained from this technology mean that now is the time to define it as something that adds value. Demonstrating how the investment will improve different measures of performance for the organisation will increase your chances of success:

• Highlight key facts about the organisational need and back them up with measurable data
• Show how each security investment will deliver potential cost savings and what the consequences are when that investment is reduced or increased
• Explain how you will support the project internally and externally (your security supplier should be able to help with this) to ensure smooth delivery to the highest standards
• Demonstrate how you will make the changes apparent to the organisation – will staff be receptive? (Ideally, they should not even notice any difference.)

Once changes have been implemented, how do you plan to report on your progress back to management? What are your key performance indicators of success?

Suggestions if you're on a shoestring

As an FM, you are probably managing security systems that are already in place. If so, there is a reasonable chance that it will be possible to adapt existing technology to achieve the benefits of newer and more sophisticated systems.

Most important is to gain advice from someone who understands your systems well and knows how to integrate them in the ways you would wish. Generally this may not be the company that services your system – they may be good at security systems but that may be all. Find an integrator that understands the fundamentals about integrating two different systems together and you will find that it is a specialised skill.

Whatever the existing systems or the budget available, there is an opportunity here for FMs to demonstrate their skills as professional managers by helping their organisations to save money and be both more efficient and more environmentally sustainable.

More than ever before, FMs can recommend investments in security that come with a good return on investment timeline - and often a suite of additional benefits. What once was just a cost can now be a source of cost saving - plus the source of accurate management data and new-found efficiencies.

Choosing the right technology

There is an abundance of security technology available in the market. The most important factor in choosing the system for you is to understand what you aim to achieve and how that links in with the way your organisation operates.

Here are the top 10 questions to answer:

1. How does your company function?
2. What are your plans for the future?
3. What is the most important consideration regarding security
4. Have you experienced any breaches of security recently?
5. What threats are most real for you and your business?
6. What would you like to do with the system?
7. What other business challenges would you like to solve? (eg, payroll, health & safety, marketing)
8. What information do you want the system to tell you?
9. Are you in a multi-tenanted building?
10. Do you have other buildings to consider?

Jason Choy is Managing Director of security solutions provider Welcome Gate.


www.welcomegate.co.uk