Last Chance to Join IST’s “Security of Security” Event

Last Chance to Join IST’s “Security of Security” Event

More than ever, there needs to be an organizational mindset that places importance on cybersecurity as much as physical security. Modern security systems are cyber-physical systems, inheriting both the power and pitfalls of the digital world.

 

With increased interconnectivity, there are more threat opportunities and surfaces of attack. It’s critical to comprehend all of what is necessary to defend against.

 

IST is always seeking out the best ways to keep your physical and cyber-world secured. That’s why we’re hosting our “Security of Security” event on May 1 (in Richmond, VA) and May 3 (in Herndon, VA).

 

Designed for end users, clients and customers, “Security of Security” will help you identify and mitigate risks and achieve cyber and physical security resilience. You will hear presentations from IST’s best-of-breed technology partners and industry experts, from Genetec and Bosch.

 

WHEN & WHERE:

May 1, 2018 – Richmond, VA, 9:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. (Lunch will be provided)

May 3, 2018 – Herndon, VA, 9:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. (Lunch will be provided)

 

WHO SHOULD ATTEND:

Customers, clients and end users who are:

  • Interested in next-generation security requirements and controls
  • Embarking on an upgrade or implementation of a security platform
  • Seeking solutions to support immediate requirements and evolve in the future

 

Get the knowledge you need to strengthen physical systems and add cyber safeguards. Reserve your spot for this complimentary event today!

 

IST’s “Security of Security” Event

Integrated Security Technologies’ Spring 2018 Education Series Presents our “Security of Security” Event

May 1 (Richmond, VA) and May 3 (Herndon, VA)

Security has been greatly influenced by the changes in our daily technology capabilities. In many ways, our interconnected world benefits the security industry—making our security systems smarter, more powerful, more cost-effective and easier to manage.

 

In other ways, our industry is becoming more vulnerable. We are faced with unprecedented threats to people, property and data.

 

As the security sector undergoes enormous evolutions, both innovations and exploitations will proliferate. Without the proper protection of critical assets, the size, scope and severity of security threats and attacks will likely increase over time.

 

Please join us for our Spring 2018 Education Series event this May with a focus on “Security of Security.” This event will show how to decrease system vulnerability and increase asset protection through technology advancements. You will hear presentations from Genetec and Bosch and have access to one-on-one discussions with industry leaders.

 

WHEN & WHERE:

May 1, 2018 – Richmond, VA, 9:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. (Lunch will be provided)

May 3, 2018 – Herndon, VA, 9:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. (Lunch will be provided)

 

WHO SHOULD ATTEND:

Clients, customers and end-users who are:

  • Interested in next-generation security requirements and controls
  • Embarking on an upgrade or implementation of a security platform
  • Seeking solutions to support immediate requirements and evolve in the future

 

There is limited space available for this complimentary event, so reserve your spot today.

Cybersecurity Risk Management Meets Physical Security

Cybersecurity Risk Management Meets Physical Security

A Closer Look at 2018 Trends: Who’s Responsible When Cybersecurity Risk Management Meets Physical Security?

Cyber threats reached an all-time high in 2017 according to Trend Micro’sTM 2017 Security Roundup. In this brave new world, cybersecurity and physical security are becoming synonymous.

 

Increasingly, industries ranging from nuclear power plants to self-driving cars are at the mercy of cyber attackers. Even our bodies are at risk since implanted medical devices like pacemakers, insulin pumps and brain implants are exposed to cyber attacks. The possibilities are frightening.

 

With this expanded threat comes bigger responsibilities across enterprises. Gone are the days when a silo like the IT department handled security for the entire firm. In fact, personnel from HR, to IT, to Procurement must be aware of the risks inherent in securing their physical and cyber-spaces – and be prepared to overcome them.

 

Our last post explored the changing role of security providers. Now we’ll delve into how physical security is changing to be increasingly cyber controlled – and how businesses are taking note.

 

Trend 9:  Cyber Security Risk Management is Essential for Physical Security

 

The word “ransomware” can strike fear into the most prepared businesses. Recently, Washington D.C.’s police department fended off a potentially devastating ransomware attack. Just prior to the Presidential Inauguration in January 2017, hackers hijacked 70 percent of the D.C. police’s department’s networked video recorders and stopped them from recording. Engineers were able to fix each video recorder on site without having to pay the ransom, but the results could have been debilitating.

 

Cyber risk abounds. In October 2017, the U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) warned users to update their devices because the agency had uncovered vulnerability in any updated, protected Wi-Fi network that could potentially harm every connected device by releasing emails, chat histories and even credit card numbers. Code-named KRACK (Key Reinstallation AttaCK), this malware had the potential to destroy any connected business’ data.

 

Cyber Security Risk Management Best Practices:  How Can Security Providers Help?

How do we possibly prepare for doomsday scenarios like these? There are several important steps security providers can take. Most importantly, security providers must address network security by eliminating harmful traffic like denial of service attacks. They need to create systems that analyze possible deficiencies, seek out malware, assess security controls, design newer improved cyber safeguards, update protections and ensure that security stays top of mind for all stakeholders.

 

IST offers cyber security as a service to meet businesses’ growing need for cyber protection. We understand how one small breach can spell millions in lost revenue or even denigrate company’s name. We proactively work to eliminate these risks. You can trust IST to handle any of the new and still undiscovered cyber threats, as we work tirelessly to stay on top of them.

 

Trend 10:  Everyone’s Responsible for Risk Management

 

Every business and every person is at risk. With so many avenues for cyber destruction, attackers can wreak havoc via credit card theft, embezzlement, workplace violence, worker’s compensation fraud, compliance control and information or data loss.

 

To counteract these risks, companies need a comprehensive approach to risk management and planning. This means that the traditional Chief Security Officer and Chief Information Officer will be involved, but it also means that IT, HR and other employees (plus vendors and service providers) need to weigh in as well. The companies that can best blend cyber and physical security will provide the tightest security, and that requires pulling from many different departments.

 

Risk Management Best Practices:  How Can Security Providers Help?

 

With silos of security experts, it’s easy to see how critical security threats can fall through the cracks. With a coordinated effort like a dashboard, all security stakeholders can see and respond to potential issues in real time. Tools like social media, “dark web” criminal activity monitoring, arrest reports, court findings, as well as traditional sources of information need to be harnessed to build a full picture of the security landscape for a given company, both internally and externally.

 

Security providers are a member of this important team. It’s imperative to employ the most sophisticated security measures to counteract cyber threats, including ransomware and a potentially large cyber-attack. IST has helped numerous customers secure their networks to prevent these malicious attacks. We’re prepared to fight and eradicate any threat.

 

This post concludes our series about the top ten security trends to look for in 2018. There is unlimited potential in the coming months with the IoT’s connectivity and convenience. There is also an unlimited opportunity for security breaches. We continue to monitor these as well as any emerging trends that affect your business’ security. As a premier protector of people, property and data, IST is dedicated to your security. Contact us now to see how we can get you completely secure.

 

The 10 Security Trends to Watch in 2018

Security trends to look out for in the new year

“We are living in the most exciting times in the history of modern technology,” notes Steven Van Till, President and CEO of Brivo and Chairman of the Security Industry Association (SIA) Standards. “Technological currents have converged and amplified and remixed with each other to accelerate the pace of innovation. Now, physical security is no longer just physical—modern security systems are cyber-physical systems, inheriting both the power and pitfalls of the digital world.”

As the security sector undergoes enormous evolutions, both innovations and exploitations will proliferate.

At the end of 2017, the SIA’s annual Securing New Ground (SNGTM) Conference collected 2018 security trend predictions from the experts. From the minds of top security executives, new entrants to the marketplace, investors and SIA’s contributing specialists came the second ever “Security Megatrends ReportTM.”

 

The report notes that while the industry has seen a marked growth in physical security, information technology, logical security and cyber sectors, security has been greatly influenced by sea changes in our daily technology capabilities. The Internet of Things (IoT) is transforming the landscape. Physical security enterprises now incorporate Big Data and Artificial Intelligence (AI), and mobile devices increasingly monitor and manage our security.

 

We’ve recapped these megatrends here:

 

  1. The IoT is Taking Over: This makes life easier (and more vulnerable) for all of us. In 2017, consumers and enterprises spent almost $2 trillion on the 8.4 billion connected devices and their corresponding services. That number is expected to balloon to 50 billion devices by 2020, and security breaches will grow commensurately.
  2. Everything Will Be Connected: Tomorrow’s smart homes will monitor and report real-time analytics on how every system is faring. As consumers continue to embrace this connectivity and the cloud, security providers will be able to help with more systems, including lighting and energy management.
  3. We’re Making Swifter Sense of Smart and Big Data: By 2020, each person will generate 1.7 megabytes of new information per second. Add the data generated by sensors, medical records and corporate databases, and only AI and Augmented Reality (AR) can reasonably organize and analyze this incomprehensible volume. Security companies must find ways to protect this data with ever-evolving smart cyber controls.
  4. Social Media Aids Security: As a wide-reaching communications tool, social media will assist with more real-time emergency communications, relying on an increasing ability to geographically pinpoint specific individuals who may be affected by disasters relayed to them through video surveillance.
  5. Mobilization: Smartphones are already indispensable. With biometric recognition and credentials capabilities, they’ll become our mobile physical access passes. Security companies are also deploying cloud-based PACS.
  6. The Cloud Continues to Grow: Increasing connectivity plus convergence and integration with IoT, mobile devices and other solutions means that more businesses and consumers are embracing the cloud. Security providers will be offering more cloud hosting services, which have the added benefit of ingrained cybersecurity features.
  7. Security Providers Are Changing: The role of security provider is constantly evolving, especially in offering everything-as-a-service. Newer companies without IT backgrounds will continue to move into the market with interactive products, DIY management and self-installation. Month-to-month contracts will replace longer commitments.
  8. Entrepreneurs Enter the Security Scene: Outside companies, startups and IT-focused companies are realizing the security marketplace’s value and augmenting the segment with data analytics, convergence and IoT; models are moving away from security monitoring-based revenue to providing greater product innovation.
  9. Physical Security is Increasingly at Cyber-risk: The number of cyber threats broke a record in 2016, and ransomware’s use as an insidious extortion tool has grown. Security companies are looking to strengthen physical systems and add cyber safeguards. As a result, cybersecurity as a service will grow.
  10. Everyone’s Responsible for Risk Management: Business security risks abound, crossing corporate silos from HR to IT, to relationships with suppliers. All departments must work together with security providers to predict and identify physical and cyber-risks and then create comprehensive plans to mitigate and eliminate them.

 

2018 promises more and bigger changes in the security realm. IST welcomes these innovations, as a security provider that has always been on the cutting edge of technology. From offering cloud hosting services to integrating our VMS technology with AI, to providing mobile device operated security systems, we’re always seeking out the best ways to keep your physical and cyber-world secured.

 

We’ll explore each of these trends in greater depth in our upcoming posts. For more information on how IST can help you leverage what’s to come, contact us here.

How Did Security Move Forward in 2017?

And How Can You Take Advantage of These Trends?

While 2017 wasn’t a watershed in the world of access control, intrusion detection and video surveillance, there were several noteworthy trends that drove the industry forward. The experts at Security Sales & Integration recently identified five:

 

  1. Artificial Intelligence Continued to Grow

As both AI quality and capacity increased in 2017, manufacturers relied on AI to control workflow for Big Data, a segment where human capabilities have reached their limit. AI’s ability to process information from various sources at exceedingly fast speeds makes it an essential security tool. FST Biometrics America Inc. of New York City innovated in this arena; the company equips turnstiles with high-resolution cameras that use facial biometrics to first recognize a person and then create a red or green spot on his or her face. Green spots are allowed entry, whereas red are not.

 

Takeaway:  Look for AI enabled security products in everything from video surveillance to access control for smarter streamlined management of various security silos.

 

  1. Platform Unification Increased Efficiencies

As security systems integrators looked to consolidate video surveillance, intrusion detection, access control, visitor management and bi-directional intercoms through one electronic system via the Cloud, this equated to fewer computers, software and service agreements as well as decreased IT costs.

 

By combining security alarms and intrusion detection devices under a VMS platform, only one set-up is required, and a video feed can now check and balance any alerts to confirm that they’re not false alarms.
Takeaway:  The future of security lies in unification; whenever possible, seek our synchronicities for your solution.

 

  1. Video Surveillance Became More Powerful

Unfortunately, many experts believe that the price reductions in IP-based cameras correlated directly to a quality reduction. Some companies, like Sony, dropped camera production to focus on AI-powered VMS’s that integrate with other security products.

On the plus side, video images are more compact than ever. ProActive CCTV from Farmington, NY compressed 32 channels into 8TB of data storage space, or three years of compressed data. This is a new milestone.

Takeaway:  Look for a VMS featuring high compression levels for greater storage at lower costs.

  1. Intrusion Alarms Got Integrated and Updated

Newer companies entered this sphere since older companies weren’t keeping pace with technology or client needs. The winners are access control manufacturers who added intrusion detection devices that report to their operating systems.

 

Intrusion alarms are becoming more and more compatible with the Internet of Things (IoT) and include cybersecure protections to deter would-be hackers.

 

Takeaway:  Companies integrating intrusion alarms with their other products offer a total solution that’s also more accessible through common mobile devices.

 

  1. Access Control Received a Value Added Upgrades

As access control products became more of a commodity through standardization and Cloud driven software, companies embracing value-added elements surged ahead. Many offer bi-direction communication standard, with a central access control system to update fobs, cards or other credentials that can be modified while in use.

 

Companies also favor the BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) option, and users can even select which device to use. Mobile keys are also a small but expanding solution.

 

Takeaway:  As the focus shifts to BYOD and identity management, access control will become a user driven platform.

 

IST can help you take advantage of all of these developments. We offer many AI-enabled products to make your security even smarter. We’ll help you consolidate different types of security services with VMS platforms. In fact, IST leads the way in implementing the latest developments in VMS technology in coordination with our clients and industry partners. Look through what IST can provide in VMS. Additionally, our intrusion alarms and access control systems easily integrate with your mobile devices for a streamlined security system that’s simpler than ever to control.

 

The drumbeat of increased integration, consolidation and a move towards mobile devices continues to improve security systems and make them more cost-effective and easier to manage. As we move into 2018, we look forward to these trends continuing.

 

Top Five Blog Posts of 2017

Click through our most popular posts from the year!

  1. Eliminate the Knowledge Gap http://istonline.wpengine.com/2017/09/eliminate-the-knowledge-gap/

 

  1. Do Certifications Make a Difference? http://istonline.wpengine.com/2017/10/do-certifications-make-a-difference/

 

  1. The 411 on Hosted and Managed http://istonline.wpengine.com/2017/06/cloud-security-solutions-the-411-on-hosted-vs-managed/

 

  1. Find the Right Security for your Business http://istonline.wpengine.com/2017/07/choosing-right-security-option-business/

 

  1. Meet SHIELD http://istonline.wpengine.com/2017/06/meet-s-h-i-e-l-d-safeguarding-cloud-security/

Choose a Security Integrator with a Great Home Base and Even Greater Range

Why Geography Matters—And When it Doesn’t

 

The DMV area has thrived on innovation since leading the technological revolution in the late 1990s. Internet providers like AOL and UUNet, and telecommunications giants MCI and Verizon spurred phenomenal job growth and technological advances here and throughout the country. In 2017, the federal government now plays a driving role in the push for technology and focuses on cybersecurity and healthcare (Source:  Forbes.com.) The quest for innovation remains as strong as ever.

 

That puts businesses in the metro area in an excellent position to participate in and reap the benefits of the most recent security innovations.

 

Headquartered in Herndon, Virginia, IST is at the center of the security world in many ways. However, IST goes beyond the metro area to serve other areas throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, including Southern Virginia, Delaware, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. We also maintain three fully staffed program offices at federal facilities in the Washington DC area to serve the federal government. Many of our competitors don’t have this range.

 

Choose a Security Integrator with a Great Home Base and Even Greater Range | Integrated Security Technologies

 

As a customer-centric company, IST has increased its locations to help its customers. “We have continued to expand geographically based on our customers’ needs,” IST President Jon Langhorst said. “Once we make that decision, it is so important, as a company, to completely commit to a region with an ‘all-in’ attitude. We then ramp up the staff and capabilities. The results have been rewarding as we have experienced sustained growth in those markets. Additionally, we have an even greater reach when teaming with like-minded companies across the nation, and we are always strategically evaluating new localities for growth to better serve our nationally positioned clients.”

 

When Geography Doesn’t Matter:  What Does This Mean For You?

Even if you’re not in our immediate area, we can work with you to create and execute a strong, effective security plan rooted in our proprietary holistic Full Lifecycle Approach. This unique method allows us to address your security throughout its lifecycle, including strategy, engineering, design, implementation and lifecycle support. We’re with you every step of the way.

 

IST also maintains many important certifications that set us above other security integrators. We have several distinctions that make working with us even easier. In the Virginia area, we are in the Division of Engineering and Buildings’ (DEB) Commonwealth of Virginia Pre-Qualified Contractors Pool list to streamline our work with government entities. We are ISO 9001:2015 certified, which provides requirements for quality management systems (QMS). This esteemed designation guarantees consistent quality and ongoing dedication to improvement and excellence.

 

IST is different from our competitors. Local security integrators do not carry the ISO certification. Many of our competitors are also focused on their local areas. We believe it’s important to earn these distinctions and to bring our expertise to places beyond our headquarters. Consider IST whether you’re in the DMV area or not. You can tap our expertise as a company steeped in security both geographically and operationally. We can come to you wherever you are. To contact us, click here.

The Importance of Security Integrators Overseeing Your Perimeter Security

Last week, New York City suffered the most devastating terrorist attack since 9/11—not from a highly coordinated and technologically advanced plan, but from a decidedly low-tech, under-the-radar vehicular assault. The increase in events like these cause businesses to rethink their perimeter and force them to secure their properties with formidable barriers that vet employees and visitors farther away from companies’ main entrances and assets.

 

While these enterprises look to trusted security integrators to install perimeter security, they should be aware that most security integrators outsource turnstile, vehicle barrier, gate and booth installations to third-party contractors. Companies subcontract often just to save costs, but the loss of control over the installation process can ultimately cause costly scheduling and quality issues. Additionally, it can compromise the client’s security posture.

 

IST does not outsource perimeter security installations. We have the in-house expertise to design, install, service, upgrade and maintain these blockades, thereby retaining control over the entire lifecycle process. From the first point of contact with the client, throughout installation and maintenance cycles, IST works directly with its clients. In this way, we ensure consistent quality throughout the process and avoid the finger-pointing that can occur when working with multiple vendors—as well as the security risks.

 

“We’re quality control freaks,” explained IST’s President, Jon Langhorst, PSP. “The only things we’ll subcontract out are major excavation, drainage and major runs of conduit.  And we only sub these tasks out to a small group of trusted contractors, one of which we’ve worked with for over 20 years. We handle everything else—the concept, design, engineering, wiring, set-up, programming and commissioning—so that we can ensure consistency and quality.”

 

By working with just a small stable of proven partners, IST maintains control over the entire process and provides the best outcomes for our clients.

 

Which Perimeter Security Is Right for You?

IST offers a variety of barrier options that feature different security levels and accommodate diverse needs. For instance, turnstiles can effectively monitor and allow pedestrian access to secure areas. Optical turnstiles, typically found in building lobbies, use infrared beams to alert security personnel about unauthorized entries. Full height turnstiles can be installed either outside or inside of a building for a visually imposing, structurally sound barrier to entry. Tripod, or “stadium style” turnstiles easily provide accurate traffic counts.

 

If your goal is to prevent vehicle access, then barriers, gates or booths built for Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (HVM) work well. Their presence alone is usually enough to stop an attempted wrongful entry, but these serious deterrents also provide anti-ram security if necessary. IST offers flexible HVM options to suit your needs based on your particular situation.

 

Reliable HVM crash-rated products range from road blockers to gates and spike barriers. Road blockers, also known a pop-up or wedge barriers, provide high security with impenetrable materials, and can be installed on any road surface; they’re designed to stop vehicles up to 15,000 pounds traveling up to 50 mph. Drop-arm barriers, sliding gates, security fences and bullet resistant guard booths can be integrated to provide a complete secure perimeter.

 

We also offer visually powerful options like spike barriers, which will harm tires and rims and can be tempered for varying levels of security risks. If you’re seeking aesthetically pleasing HVM options, traffic bollards work well and flexibly adjust for changing traffic needs. They can be raised or lowered and blend in well with the outside environment. They can also provide exceptional anti-ram protection when properly specified and installed.

 

Depending upon your objectives, we can design a perimeter security system that integrates into your access control card reader system and that keeps your employees and property safe from the unexpected attacks that are sadly becoming more prevalent today.

 

For more information on securing your property, visit us here.

 

Do IT Network Certifications Make a Difference?

In an age where far-reaching IT security breaches can occur regularly, new crops of IT companies are springing up to assure vulnerable enterprises that their security is indeed, secure.

 

These IT security companies’ services are increasingly in high demand. In 2016, more than 200,000 security positions were available in the U.S. Around 1.5 million positions are expected to be filled globally by 2019 (Source:  tom’sIT PRO).

 

With a glut of providers offering security services, how can CIOs, CTOs, CMOs and other decision-makers know which companies to trust with their critical data? The stakes are high. Just one breach can destroy valued customers’ trust and leave the company open to business-ending lawsuits, personal identity theft issues and countless other types of confidence and financial fallout.

 

Certifications Are One Answer

Many certifications that a company holds, both collectively and with individual employees, are simple but effective measures of an IT security company’s merit. Legitimate certifications can be difficult to achieve and require significant investments of time and money. With these investments, you can be assured that the security company maintains a strong dedication to process and quality control as well as overall excellence in high level IT security.

 

At IST, we hold a very large number of some of the most advanced certifications in our industry. We believe in partnering with proven, high-quality manufacturers, and we test their products in-house before committing to them. Our employees work hard to earn their certifications so we can offer our clients the most premium products and services, period.

 

“We want to prove to our customers that we are serious about bringing the industries and manufactures best practices to their security solution,” says Jon Langhorst, PSP, President of IST. “For all our products lines, including Access Control, Video Management, Door Hardware and Intrusion Detection, we are focused on getting as many members of the team trained as possible. We especially do this within the engineering group, where we try to maintain multiple certified individuals in each category, for each vendor. And, as a company, we become certified to the highest level that the manufacturers provide, in addition to the individual certifications that our employees obtain. This shows our dedication to applying best practices.”

 

Which Certifications Are Important?

IST focuses certifications for IP networks, including Cisco’s CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) for Routing and Switching, CCNET (for installing, operating and troubleshooting a small enterprise branch network) and CSEIP (Certified System Engineer ICAM PACS).

“A lot of our competitors do not have these qualifications,” explains Langhorst. “These qualifications are tough to get because there are typically a lot of hoops to jump through to prove your suitability to receive the certification. But they are absolutely imperative in understanding and properly deploying secure and compliant network-based integrated systems.”

 

In addition to achieving maintaining the coveted ISO 9001:2015 Registration, without restrictions for the past 14 years, IST was the first systems integrator to receive the new FICAM Services SIN 246-60-5 by GSA. IST maintains four CSEIP staff to deploy these FIPS201-2 compliant PACS (Physical Access Control Systems) for Life Cycle Maintenance. Langhorst adds that “having these high levels of registrations and certifications prove to our clients – and to our team members – that IST is dedicated to the engineering process.”

 

The Small Business Administration also named IST a Small Business Enterprise, enabling government agencies and contractors to streamline our procurement process. While many competitors have government certifications, IST retains more trained and certified employees in this arena.

 

We continually strive to hold the highest certifications so we can provide you with the highest levels of service. To see a complete list of our company-wide certifications and other important qualifications, click here.

Why a one-stop shop is critical to securing your physical environment

Door Locking Solutions One-Stop Shop

When it comes to security doors or any other type of physical security, the general rule of thumb is that fewer cooks are better in the kitchen.

When you enlist the help of various companies to handle various aspects of your security, you are susceptible to greater security risks like human error, stymied communication and other opportunities for good practices to fall through the cracks.

 

As a one-stop security shop, IST addresses this concern for our clients. We understand the importance of keeping security tighter with fewer cooks and fewer moving parts. In fact, there are several important reasons why going with a one-stop shop for your doors and your overall security will strengthen your position.

 

Save Money, Time and Your Sanity:  Most importantly, using a one-stop shop will alleviate your stress levels and provide peace of mind. You’ll work with one point person, and you can hand over all security concerns to their team. This streamlined interaction saves tremendous amounts of time as well as effort and certainly puts you at ease. Another important consideration is cost savings. By bundling services, you’ll gain greater efficiencies and save significant money on security services.

 

Eliminate Finger Pointing:  One downfall of engaging with several security vendors is that it makes it easy for vendors to scapegoat if an issue arises. For instance, one vendor can easily blame another when a fire code requirement is not met or when components malfunction or break. With a one-stop shop, the responsibility lies completely with us. We are accountable for every issue, so we’re motivated to be proactive first of all—but also to accept responsibility and correct any issues.

 

Eradicate Inspection Delays:  With a one-stop shop, we do everything. From door security design—to setup—to maintenance and troubleshooting, it’s all included. We also handle inspections seamlessly as part of that process, so you won’t have to coordinate schedules among vendors. We’ll ensure that all inspections are done correctly and in a timely manner.

 

Troubleshoot Problems Before They Become Problems:  A great advantage of a one-stop shop is its ability to see your security in its entirety and foresee any issues on the horizon. When we have access to all information, and other vendors aren’t withholding data or failing to report it accurately, we can make the most informed decisions on how to proceed. With the complete picture, we’ll proactively find and troubleshoot issues before they become real problems.

 

While there are several reasons why it’s much easier, more efficient and just smarter use a one-stop shop for your security, another important consideration is the long-term. When you choose one security partner, your relationship becomes a true partnership in many ways. With all the pieces of your security puzzle, we can always act with your best interests in mind.

 

At IST, in addition to offering one-stop service, we’re also proud to provide you with a team leader that’s been certified by the Door Hardware Institute, a recognized industry-wide organization dedicated to promoting Standards and Best Practices. Look here to see how we can effectively help with your door hardware and locking objectives or request info here.