Seven Useful Tools to Improve your Site Surveys

Site Surveys. They are interesting and varied. People usually create what they think is the perfect kit to make accurate site surveys.

With so much documentation to accomplish, it would make sense to have tools which make the task easier and results more accurate. Here are a few things I have found useful to make a great site survey.

1. Smartphone. Not only does it allow us to call for access to locations we need to observe, but the myriad of available apps makes this an awesome multi-tool. Level apps, compass apps, wireless signal analyzer apps, and much more. All that in addition to having a high resolution camera to snap images of important details.
2. Laser rangefinder. This tool saves tremendous amounts of time when estimating cable runs and focal lengths. Additionally, sharing an image is simple and they portray accurate details of the scenes we might otherwise misremember.
3. Compact binoculars. These are so useful when viewing installation detail for cameras and devices mounted higher than 15 feet. They can help read device labels, cable types, and junction box numbers.
4. Powerful zooming flashlight. These can broadly illuminate dark rooms or cast concentrated light across large spaces or inside walls and plenum areas. Get one with a laser marker to make conversations easier when walking with another person I find green lasers to be the most visible in dark and light.
5. Six-in-one screwdriver. These usually have both large and small Phillips and Flathead drives plus ¼ and 1/8 inch nut drivers. I find these helpful after uttering, “I wonder what is in that box” or “is there power behind that panel?”
6. Adhesive measuring tape. This stuff is great. When I was still learning about access control, I could stick short segments on doors to measure backsets, or on door frames to measure dust-box placements. It’s also just plain easy to use. Place a section of ruler and then take a digital photo. Facts recorded.
7. Aerial imagery. I have two favorites, Google Earth is excellent because of its prolific coverage and also its amazing multi-point measurement tools. You can know the length of a 750 foot fence line to within 6 feet…from a satellite image. I also like Bing Maps because of their “Birds Eye” view. These images are taken from airplanes. You can get oblique images of buildings from all four sides. Overhangs and insets become visible where the satellite views cannot display them.

These are just a few tools that have served me well on site surveys. What are your favorite tools?

Five Things You Need to Know for a Successful Video Surveillance Site Evaluation

There are so many pieces of information that go into a great video surveillance system deployment. Understanding it all is the responsibility of the integrator. What’s most important? Surprisingly, it isn’t all about the technology.

 

Here are the top five tips which consistently yield improved results.

1) Be curious. Customers can be wary if they are expecting a sales pitch.

Learn about your prospective customers and the industry they work in. Ask them to share their challenges so you can partner with them on creating solutions that are tailor made to meet their needs today and in the future.

 2) Communicate correctly and regularly.

Building effective partnerships take time. Ask if they have had other providers and what worked and didn’t work in that relationship. Keep an open mind and always remain objective. Listen carefully and provide a recap to ensure you both are on the same page. Here’s an example of a good way to confirm what you heard:  “It sounds like you want to record the elevator landings and parking garage to catch intruders but you do not want to cover the building exits, do I understand you correctly?” Customers, like most people want to be heard and understood. The most effective communication mode is face-to-face and should be the default choice for conceptual work. Send a follow-up email to provide for modifications and verifications and check in regularly.

3) Build trust.

The key to building effective and long-lasting partnerships with customers is to be trustworthy and transparent in every interaction.  Always do what you have promised to do. This shows the customer that you are reliable and worthy of their trust. If you can’t meet your promise, communicate early by explaining the situation and providing options for the customer to consider moving forward.

4) Engage all stakeholders early.

Early in the process, learn who the stakeholders are and how each of them could be impacted by this project. Will this involve the parking staff, kitchen supervisors, 3^rd party security guards, corporate security policy makers, etc.? Suggest to your contact that it may be useful to gather feedback and concerns from those stakeholders to ensure all voices are heard and ideas incorporated as appropriate. After all, your contact may not be a subject matter expert in buying security systems. Give them the support they may need by sharing your expertise to help cover all the bases.

5) Create a partnership and ask for feedback.

The best way to determine if you have met and/or exceeded the needs of your customer is to ask them. Regular feedback helps to reinforce expectations and ensure that improvements or changes are implemented in a timely manner. It can positively impact customer retention and loyalty.

What are some of the challenges you have faced in a site evaluation? Please share any best practices that work for you.

If you enjoyed this article, please let me know and send some feedback my way.

Thanks,

Security Veteran

Five Solutions to Overcome Challenges Encountered When Teaching Technicians

 

Being able to train technicians has been one of the most fulfilling and fun aspects of my career. Over the years, I’ve learned that there are plenty of opportunities for improvement when it comes to training and enhancing the skill sets of technicians. In the past, on-the-job training was considered sufficient for most employers. Now, with increased technology along with an evolving and increasingly competitive landscape, we have lots of other options which can both streamline and improve the whole experience for everyone involved.

Below are five challenges along with the solutions I’ve identified to enhance the technician training experience:

• Keeping content fresh and readily accessible

The challenge: Ohm’s law and other physics principles never change but they form the foundation of critical teachings for technicians and it’s important that they are grounded in these materials. On the other side of the spectrum, in the digital age, technologies are always shifting and changing. How do I continually share information about the basics that keep technicians engaged and balance that with keeping them up to date as technologies are changing in real time?

The solution: There are several ways to accomplish this. Creating posters for your lab and tech areas can really help. Pin up subject matter that never changes e.g., Ohm’s Law, “How Diodes Work,” “The Components of a Commercial Structure,” etc.  Leverage social media, text messages, and/or email to update the team about the latest technologies such as a wireless lock or a solar powered transmitter.

• Training your technicians at opportune times

The challenge: When many technicians are off the clock, like anyone else, they probably have family and personal obligations to tend to and may not have a lot of free time. While they are working, most of their time is spent installing or servicing.

The solution: This requires committed buy-in and support from the management level. As trainers, part of your role is to provide the return on investment (ROI) of having well trained technicians (increased retention, opportunities for growth and development, empowered employees, etc.). Collaborate and partner with  management and human resources to allot dedicated time for training. Invite managers to attend and observe some of the training classes so they can see the value first hand.

• Finding alternative training venues.

The challenge: Training your technicians when they aren’t in the office.

The solution: Leveraging electronic technologies to access educational curriculum outside of a traditional classroom is the best way to go. There are several eLearning platforms trainers can use to share information with technicians. This method is typically defined as courses that are specifically delivered via the internet to somewhere other than the classroom where the trainer is teaching. eLearning involves the use of a computer or electronic device (e.g. a mobile phone) in some way to provide training, educational or learning material. It’s also a great way to track student process and make modifications in real time.  Moodle is a great example of a platform which I have used successfully and it’s free. Students can log in when they have a few minutes  between jobs or when they are at home. Lots of useful and current information can be absorbed with this method.

•  Accessing the latest technology and product information.

The challenge: How can I know I am distributing the latest information?

The solution: Partner with your vendors. Vendors are usually pretty happy to share this information. They have access to samples, examples, demo kits, demo sessions, certification classes, online video training, etc., and they tend to welcome the chance to come to you and deliver the classes themselves.

•  Verifying that my training efforts are effective.

The challenge: How do I know if I am being an effective trainer?

The solution: Feedback is a gift. Ask for it regularly and incorporate it when appropriate. Doing this can illuminate training opportunities as well as enhance your relationships with technicians.  You can also perform spot checks with your technicians. For instance, hallway quizzes are great and allow for a reward system to be added. Quality checks on the job sites also work well. Perhaps you can ask a technician who has quickly mastered the material to teach a module. The old adage is largely true:”If you really want to learn something, try teaching it to someone else.” Additionally, check your quiz results and see if too many people get the same questions wrong. Have you crafted a problematic question? Do you need to review that course material again?

Teaching is a great opportunity to learn. Removing the barriers to learning for your technicians is a worthy cause. Adding value to them adds value to your organization and your customers. That’s what I like to call a win-win situation.

What are some of the challenges you have faced in a training environment? Please share any best practices that work for you.

If you enjoyed this  article, please let me know by hitting the “Like” button below.

Thanks,

Security Veteran

Challenges for Drone Use in Commercial Surveillance Applications

They are here. The drones have arrived and they are likely to stay. According to the Business Insider website, (http://www.businessinsider.com/uav-or-commercial-drone-market-forecast-2015-2), “The market for commercial/civilian drones will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19% between 2015 and 2020…” That is a significant growth curve. The website went on to state this, ” The global commercial drone market will take shape around applications in a handful of industries: agriculture, energy, utilities, mining, construction, real estate, news media, and film production”.

What does that mean for the security industry? Are we going to be left out in the cold while drone implementation increases around us?

Security has not traditionally been considered a profit center in anyone’s business except for the security providers. Spending for commercial security often times is viewed as a necessary evil and additional security costs are often met with plenty of resistance. Can we supplement or replace traditional security personnel with video and sensor-enabled drones? Absolutely. Will it cost money? Absolutely.

What are the challenges facing this effort besides just cost? Well, how about security of the drone, its collected data, its transmitted data, its physical impact in an uncontrolled flight or crash. How are various drone systems evaluated for a commercial security effort? How do you train personnel for drone interaction? How do you navigate the legal aspects of drone coverage (not to mention insurance). How do you operationalize and automate drone functions like patrol routes, on-demand/emergency response launch to specific coordinates. How do you streamline and collect all that drone video and sensor data? How do you maintain and recharge/refuel these machines in an accurate, timely and automated fashion?

Proposing a robust drone operation for commercial security raises a lot of questions. The additional labor required to begin and support these operations will need to be addressed. Can these be turn-key systems and service sales? Will they need to be handled with drone consultants who advise businesses on the myriad of concerns to address?

I have searched the internet. There are a few businesses offering commercial drone security services, however I haven’t seen any which tout themselves as comprehensive and then back that claim up with real data. I’ve found individuals who own drones priced in the $1000.00-and-less category trying to sell their drone time to other businesses by flying drone coverage at their event or site.

While the market scrambles for answers to these questions, I think we will soon see integrators who are able to deliver safe, cost-effective systems at multiple service and price levels very soon. When the developers have created products which wont need government or military support systems, we are gong to see a great new portion of our industry rise up.

If you have information or an opinion, please share it.

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Winning in Security [or] We Don’t Grade on a Curve but… Effort Counts!

During discussions with property managers, I have learned that some percentage of them will try to find and use CCTV statistics to help them bolster their case for CCTV project funding. One of the things they mention is the wide disparity of the data and the general disarray of the information. They complain that it is hard to find, understand and comb through the multitude of reports available. Many of these managers have given up and gone with a more subjective plea for their funds.

Subjective. That’s an interesting term in our business. We tend to be seen as an absolute, both as an necessity and as a solution. In my experience though, neither is 100% correct.

Here is what I know…failures happen. They may not be failures of equipment. They may not be failures of implementation. They may not be failures of the humans who interact with the system. As a crime is reported and discussed and analyzed by people who are both qualified, and those who have no business commenting on the issue, the security system is an easy target for blame.

“Last night our luggage storage room was broken into and some of the bags were stolen!”
“Really? Didn’t the cameras pick them up?”
“I don’t know, they are still trying to figure out how to look at it.”

Common, right? Sure. Along with a lot of other issues, blame starts out right away. Why? People want to be sure to place themselves far away from it and appear disconnected, or un-involved. That is how the world works…most of the time. There are exceptions. The correctly configured security department will have done the pro-active steps to reduce the damage. How is this done?

By winning, that’s how.

Security is not a race with a finish line. Security is not a book with a last word. Security is not an endeavor that has many absolutes. It is a culture, an activity, a process which should be constantly reviewed and adjusted. On any given day, bad guys come in all shapes, sizes, and abilities. They also have varying motivation and skills. Believe me on this…if the properly motivated bad guy wakes up, has a well thought out plan, has practiced and studied, your security system will likely not save you.

In a race without an end, you can never finish first, but you can be in the lead. The trick is to always be “winning”, working to get an A+, trying to be in first place. It is in the struggle, to be better than the bad guys, where you will make the difference.

For the property manager who wants security, CCTV is one the first tools they think of. It is great for documenting the daily activities of the properties. Every now and then, he will be able to solve a crime by reviewing properly captured video. But…the crime still happened right? The damage was already done wasn’t it? Why? Weren’t the cameras enough of a deterrent? Obviously not. At some point he decided that nice, non-intrusive, color-matched domes were better because they don’t put the guests on edge. OK. Fair enough. Every business has trade-offs. Is his job in jeopardy because of the crimes? Has he done enough to prevent crimes there? What about signage? What about access control for that area? What about fencing, modern locks, adequate lighting?

What about having a professional visit the property with him and giving a qualified opinion on the matter? I don’t know a lot about variable guest rates, managing linens, parking cars or setting up buffets. That’s what I pay them for. What I get paid for, is having training and experience in providing physical protection to properties, people and events. The best security money a manager can spend, is to get an expert involved in their process.

Every security scenario is an opportunity for an argument or a discussion. Opposing views to an idea mean that it is subjective. A scenario which is subjective means that experience counts, and, time changes all variables. You name a security set-up, I’ll give you the sequence of events which will nullify it. You come up with a change and I’ll adapt again. This is critical to understand. It is the arms race. It is the cops and robbers game. It is terrorists and the intelligence agencies.

The point here, is to do the best you can with what you have, all the time, every day, from now on. You will be winning. Constant improvements and upgrades will give you the best chance for a crime free experience in your facilities. Plan it out, then, improve your plan. Do your research and get some assistance from a professional.

Start with one system and then add on to it. Just have CCTV, add signage for deterrence. Just have access control? Add inventory controls like RFID. Have you considered things like driveway gates, sidewalk bollards or visitor control? Create an environment where all your employees can feel free to make suggestions. Involve them in the process of security. Have them welcome security involvement by allowing your security to be useful, painless and protective.

Finally, I have managed plenty of installs where I hear the grumbles of the employees. You know, the ones who have been there forever and are a bit jaded, or maybe they are always a short-term person wherever they go. You know the type, “I guess big brother will be watching us now.”
You can’t satisfy all employees or visitors. It won’t happen. You can’t spend a lot of time trying to counter those mind-sets. I do have one thing I like to say which may help to diffuse the attitude. “This is 2010 and this is an effort to protect the employees. Beside that, isn’t your big brother supposed to watch out for you?”

Expectations Management [or] “How to Succeed in Business Because You Actually Tried”

A while ago, I mentioned that it is imperative to deliver your services as promised while using excellent communication with your customers. This concept is expectations management.
We all know that we meet and discuss our jobs with our customers. We all know that the jobs end and there is some perception of us by our customers. The positive perception is what we seek. It is like getting a bonus. It creates a likelihood of repeat business that now costs less because, the burden of ‘selling ourselves” has already been completed. It lowers our overhead in general.

How does this really work? What are the steps to take? Well, this is not rocket science. This is all based in deliberate, accurate communication with our customers.
It is not necessary to have the customer become an expert in the systems we are installing. They need to be adequately prepared for the outcome of the project though.

For example; if we are installing a CCTV system at a hotel and there are cameras aimed at the driveway because the customer wants them, find out why. There is a big difference between getting a clear view of a car’s make, model and color, and capturing clear license plate images. Knowing what the customer is trying to accomplish will prevent disappointment in the end. What if a manager wants to see cash register activity in a bar? Do we cover the register area in general or are we trying to capture bill denominations as they go in and out of the till? Totally separate expectations to manage right? Right!

Create a close working relationship with the customer. Ask questions about every view they need. Try this…instead of asking where they want their cameras, ask them what they want to see instead. I tell them “You tell me what you want the view to look like, and I’ll position the cameras to capture it that way.” It is a tremendous help in what can be a difficult portion of the job.

There are many benefits from this expectations management stuff. One benefit is that you will reduced the amount of end-of-job goofiness that tends to plague installations. A 16 hour job can easily go on for five additional hours because you need to appease the customers wishes by moving cameras and relocating monitors. Another benefit is that you can reduce the amount of miscellaneous hardware you use to make those changes. Here is the big pay-off though…

Your customers will like you. You can pay a lot of bills when customers like you. They can more easily forgive mistakes. They will more readily understand shipping delays. They will be more apt to pay on time. They will be more apt to buy from you again, and they will be more likely to recommend you to potential customers.

The real guts of expectations management comes from this…the customer feels involved. You have made them important. Maybe they don’t understand all the “technical stuff”, but you have taken your valuable time to make them a partner in the process. You made them an equal partner in the success of the project. They are involved and invested and you have equalized your status so communication is possible.

Not always is this possible. Sometimes the customer is aloof and genuinely disinterested in becoming involved. Maybe this is a mandatory project from corporate and the manager doesn’t relish the idea that he must spend his own budget to do this. Maybe They will hold you in the same regard as the last “technical vendor person” to visit that property, who was a slob or a hack or just no darn good at his job. Oh well. This is what we are dealt with. As the technology provider in charge of the job. it is up to you to do your best and turn the relationship around.

I cannot begin to tell you how many business friends I now have, because I made it my goal to have a customer who likes me or my company. The simple act of breaking barriers and actually bonding personally with a customer translates into business and revenue. When you take the time to involve a customer in something that they perceive is “above their head”, you are in effect extending your hand for a handshake. A handshake is gold in this business. It solidifies your intent to provide good service and it gives them the personal touch that equals quality on a job.

At the end of a job, the handshake should not be a simple goodbye…it should be a mutual congratulations of a team win between teammates, and a way to signify that you look forward to dealing with each other again.

*On a side note regarding selling… anyone can regurgitate technical specs and system features and blah blah blah right? There are many ways to sell but the way that works the best for me is this; sell yourself! Lead by example. Impart confidence and integrity. People will gravitate toward strength and not even know why. When people accept you and your general good qualities, they will accept your professional recommendations. People, (managers and owners) don’t have time for a lot of research, so when they find someone they believe in, they will just hand you business. It will be as natural as breakfast. They will have an issue and remember that you are the answer guy, and call. It happens, and you will find yourself adding new aspects to your business. Why? Because your customers are ready to hand you their money for projects and think that you will just solve the problems as they come, no matter what. You are now a solutions provider not just the “camera guy” or an access control person. You are their personal problem-eliminating concierge.*