Winds of Change in the Electronic Security Industry

Shrinking market share due to changing technologies and increasing competition threatens the survival of many businesses in the security industry - including those with a large subscriber base. Companies that intend to lead and stay true to their vision must change in order to remain relevant to their Customers.

Change improves organisational competitiveness and allows a company to respond to the ever evolving marketplace. However, change brings along uncertainty and leaders must be able to reassure their people that the business will benefit in the long run. Leaders must convince the whole company that IP will play a very important role within the security industry over the next decade and that it would be a grave mistake to think otherwise. Businesses must innovate
when faced with the uncertainty of new technology.

It should be noted that both Customers and employees are resistant to change. It requires a responsible leadership to collectively assemble and integrate the whole company's efforts toward facing the inevitable. Those who's job it is to lead the change must first map out a definitive plan for the transition from old analogue technology to the newer digital world of IP. Planning ahead helps everyone understand the direction of change and should be viewed as a chance to open up new opportunities instead of persisting existing insecurities.

Navigating the change to IP is not in itself a gaurantee of success, but more an opportunity to take advantage of new methods of regaining a competitive edge. People within the business must therefore learn how to be flexible, adopt new ideas, new processes and systems and learn to abandon old ways. Leaders and their people must identify what is needed for the journey into the world of IP and what hangups must be defeated as they move from the old land to the new land.

It is essential to work as a team and to ensure that a sufficient number of people with the right technical expertise are on board in order to increase the pace of the transition. If your company believes they do not have the technical expertise to introduce an IP based monitoring solution into your organisation, then think again. Some companies can offer you guidance and patience from start to finish, regardless of your technical ability in the area of IP.

Leaders in your company can focus more on learning to deal with both resistors and supporters. You should make sure that supporters are encouraged, while resistors are either made to accept the change process or are dropped along the way. Clearly state the company vision and mission once a sufficient number of people are on board so that the whole company works and moves in the same direction. Prepare the team mentally through  education and simulations so that they are in a position to visualise the change process, as well as to envision the new land of growth and prosperity that the new technology will bring them.