The PSR Episode 5: What’s Next for Physical Security?

Trackforce

December 5, 2022 · 9 min read

The PSR Episode 5: What's Next for Physical Security? video thumbnail

Greetings listeners!

Welcome to another episode of The Physical Security Rundown, with your host Jeff DiDomenico, Vice President of Business Development at Trackforce + TrackTik. This week, Jeff is joined by Ryan Smith from Titan Protection. Ryan has a long-standing career in the physical security industry going back to when he was just 18 years old.

In this episode, we are covering the future of manned guarding.

Key takeaways

Manned guarding is evolving, not disappearing.
Ryan Smith of Titan Protection sees guards becoming more relevant as theft and crime concerns grow.
Training is the new standard.
Titan Protection puts trainees through a week-long program focused on de-escalation and communication.
Pricing and value propositions matter more under inflation.
Firms that know their numbers and their value can raise rates with confidence.
New services need a build-or-partner decision.
Remote video monitoring can grow revenue, but only with the right capital, staffing and integrations.
Automation and escalation are already here.
TrackTik connects training records, guard tours, monitoring and dispatch so guarding firms can prove, price and scale their service.

“We really put an emphasis on proper training. It is no longer ‘watch a video, here’s a t-shirt, go be a guard.’ We now put trainees through a week-long interactive and intensive training program. We really focus on de-escalation techniques and communication before we put them out in the field.” – Ryan Smith | Titan Protection

We also covered:

The Instant ROI of Manned Guarding: Ryan shared a story of how he got involved with manned guarding back in the late 2000s during the height of the copper theft ring, and how catalytic converters are the new target for theft. While there are pros and cons to manned guarding, it is likely to become more relevant and needed as crime rates continue to rise.
Pricing Strategies: Pricing strategies have become a hot topic as inflation continues to rise across the world. With fears of a recession looming, many businesses are preemptively raising rates to ensure survival should an economic downturn take shape. How are physical security companies battling inflation?
Value Propositions: Top sales professionals know a value proposition is one of the most important assets for any business. A value proposition is figuring out what your target audience wants, when they want it, and how they want it delivered. For physical security companies, an exercise in developing your value proposition, or selling proposition, can boost close rates and lead to increased business opportunities.
Regulations and Compliance: Compliance is a central issue. With more regulations added yearly, physical security companies must stay ahead of the game. Resources are going to be essential in maintaining compliance. In particular, wage and hour regulations.

Tips to get started:

ISC West – Taking place March 28-31, 2023, in Las Vegas at the Venetian Resort, this is the leading comprehensive & converged security trade event in the U.S. At ISC West, you will have the chance to network and connect with thousands of security & public safety professionals, learn from the dynamic SIA (Security Industry Association) Education@ISC program, plus explore the latest technologies in Access Control, Alarms & Monitoring, and Video Surveillance, while discovering emerging trends in Drones & Robotics, IT & IoT Security, Smart Home Solutions, and more.
GSX 2023 – Taking place in Dallas, TX in September 2023, the Global Security Exchange is a vital conference for all business owners. Hear from industry leaders, network with colleagues, and meet with top vendors in the physical security sector.
Develop your crawl, walk, run strategy – Determine where to start, and how to grow. Ryan talks about expanding into the video monitoring services sector. His company spent time outlining the importance, building their strategy, and bringing the service to market.
To Subcontract, or Keep In-House? Ryan mentions a good point… If you are going to expand into new services (the example he gave is remote video monitoring), do you want to put forth all the capital, build out the remote monitoring center, and keep everything in house, or do you want to outsource and simply sell the service?

What does the future hold?

COVID changed the landscape: Video monitoring went big. What now?
Will automation and analytics change the landscape?
How will automated escalation aid in physical security?

We hope you enjoyed this episode of The Physical Security Rundown!

What This Episode Means for Security Leaders Today

This conversation took place in late 2022, but every question Ryan raised is still shaping the guarding business. Here is how to act on each one.

Training is now part of the product

Titan Protection’s week-long, de-escalation-first program reflects where the industry is heading: clients expect officers who can communicate and calm a situation, not just stand a post. Build those skills deliberately with a de-escalation toolbox for every officer, and use TrackTik workforce compliance to track training and certifications and get alerts before anything lapses.

Prove the ROI of a manned guard

Ryan’s copper theft story is a reminder that a visible, attentive officer is a strong deterrent, from scrap metal to catalytic converters. Clients still need to see it, though. TrackTik guard tour software uses GPS and geocoded checkpoints with real-time officer tracking, so the value of each patrol is documented rather than assumed.

Price for value during inflation

Raising rates is easier when you know exactly which contracts are profitable. TrackTik Margin Insight shows how every contract is performing while the pay period is still open and flags overtime your contracts do not cover, giving you the data to support a rate conversation.

Build or partner for remote video monitoring

Before adding a monitoring service, work through the same questions Ryan’s team did:

Capital: can you fund the monitoring center, hardware and software up front?
Staffing: can you cover the center around the clock with trained operators?
Integrations: will alarms, video and access control feed one operator view?
Response: how will an operator escalate to a field officer or the client?
Margin: does reselling a partner’s service earn enough to justify the brand risk?

Calidad Services took the build route on TrackTik, connecting alarms, video, access control and patrol activity through its Immix integration so a SOC operator can escalate straight to a field response. Read the Calidad Services story.

Automation and escalation are already here

The questions this episode asked about the future now have practical answers. TrackTik Command Center brings alarm monitoring, video surveillance access and guard dispatch into one workspace with structured response protocols, and TrackTik security guard dispatch lets you automate routine workflows while keeping full control of the exceptions.

Build the future of your guarding business on TrackTik

TrackTik connects training records, guard tours, incident reporting, monitoring and dispatch in one platform, so your manned guarding service is easier to prove, price and scale.

Book a TrackTik demo

More Episodes of The PSR

Catch up on the rest of the Physical Security Rundown series:

The PSR Podcast: The Latest in Physical Security: the series introduction and Episode 1, on wages, interest rates, subcontracting, insurance and valuations.
The PSR: Week of April 18th, 2022: Episode 2, on cannabis security, event security, compliance agents and robots.
The PSR: Week of May 2nd, 2022: Episode 3, on guard firm mergers, private policing and officer safety.
The PSR: Week of May 23rd, 2022: Episode 4, on GPS tracking, reputation, training and summer security.

Frequently Asked Questions

In Episode 5 of The Physical Security Rundown, Jeff DiDomenico of Trackforce talks with Ryan Smith of Titan Protection about the future of manned guarding, covering officer training and de-escalation, the ROI of guards, pricing under inflation, value propositions, compliance and expanding into remote video monitoring.

Yes. A trained officer provides deterrence, judgment and an immediate response that technology alone cannot. The strongest programs now pair guards with video, analytics and real-time reporting, and use platforms like TrackTik security operations to give clients visibility into the work.

Every state sets its own minimum, but leading firms go further. Titan Protection, for example, runs a week-long interactive program focused on de-escalation and communication before officers go into the field. Whatever your program looks like, TrackTik workforce compliance tracks training and certifications and alerts you before they lapse.

Start with your true cost to serve each contract, including overtime and coverage gaps, then build rate escalators into new and renewing contracts. Lead with value, not just cost. TrackTik Margin Insight shows contract profitability while the pay period is still open, so your rate conversations are backed by data.

It depends on capital, your ability to staff a center around the clock and how well your systems integrate. Partnering is faster to launch, while building gives you more control and margin. If you build, TrackTik Command Center brings alarm monitoring, video surveillance access and guard dispatch into a single workspace.

TrackTik connects scheduling, training records, guard tours, incident reporting, monitoring and dispatch in one platform, so guarding firms can prove their value, protect margins and add new services with confidence. Book a TrackTik demo to see it in action.