We work with and buy from “middlemen” all the time, yet the term remains loaded with negative connotations. It’s telling that the term remains gendered, no one has tried very hard to normalize the term “middleperson” in the same way as “chairperson” or “police officer.”
Why? It’s easy to see a middleman as an inconvenience, someone who skims profit off the top while offering no real value to the end customer. Think of the second-hand car salesperson or estate agent of the popular imagination.
Management of added services
Yet we buy from retailers and marketplaces every day without complaint. As long as we see a middleman as providing value and convenience rather than getting in the way, they’re safe.
This does mean, however, that resellers and integrators need to carefully manage how they are perceived and how much their added services are valued by their customers.
The risk to security integrators
Security policies need to be integrated, and the way physical and cybersecurity works needs to reflect these policies
Businesses have often relied on security integrators to break down silos between security systems to strengthen both physical and cybersecurity postures. Typically, these have been seen as separate, but the increase in remote working and the adoption of cloud-based physical security has blurred the lines between the physical and the digital.
Security policies need to be integrated, and the way physical and cybersecurity works needs to reflect these policies, rather than a siloed approach that will mean one is more secure than the other, and security integrators can help bridge this gap.
Macroeconomic headwinds, digital transformation
Security integrators have also proved invaluable in filling skill gaps within organizations. Not every business can be expected to have the staff and skills needed to successfully overcome integration challenges, they may have cybersecurity and physical security experts, but perhaps not both. And if they do have experts on staff, they may lack knowledge of the cutting-edge technologies that will protect their businesses best.
This unique and esteemed role of security integrators is today at risk of disruption. Macroeconomic headwinds mean that businesses are scrutinizing every budget line and asking if each is necessary. Digital transformation means they are questioning old ways of doing things are the providers they worked with five years ago, or longer, the same people who are going to give them the best value today?
Research findings on current trends
Unfortunately, many security integrators are not keeping up with change. Our research has found that only 26% of customers consider integrators up to date with the latest technologies. Businesses rely on these providers to navigate a new and confusing security landscape and only one in four say they are confident their partners have researched the road ahead.
In the past, providers may have relied on having better knowledge than their customers. But 73% of security solutions buyers are doing their research on vendors and technology. Integrators risk being underprepared to serve a market that is more and more educated in the products they are providing a dangerous situation for any middleman.
Finding the gap
Who needs to outsource in-depth technical knowledge of security when they have that knowledge available in-house?
The research suggests a shrinking gap for security integrators. Who needs to outsource in-depth technical knowledge of security when they have that knowledge available in-house?
However, the problem may not be as dire as the research first suggests as long as integrators act to address the risks they face.
Education
Businesses are educating themselves about the market. They want to know what is available to stay safe, both in a physical environment and from online threats.
This is understandable given how the news cycle, both of these spaces have seen an increase in potential threats, and the cost of cleaning up after a ransomware or similar attack has spiraled. Any sensible business will review what they have in place and their future options.
Advance industry knowledge
It has never been more important for the integrator community to advance their industry knowledge. They truly are the experts, and have an in-depth understanding of the latest trends, the advancement in cloud security, and the shifting demands of users. They also need to provide better service and consultancy.
As the security world gets smarter and more cloud-based, security integrators who are well-informed and educated will have a clear advantage in the market. After all, most businesses don’t want to spend time researching and upskilling in areas where they can effectively outsource. Security integrators must be able to reassure their customers that they are up to the task.
Bring on added value
But to thrive, security integrators need to bring more value to the table and also be seen to be providing more value
The problem may be perceptions rather than the actual value that integrators can offer. If integrators are more informed than their customers realize, they need to do more to let their customers know. This could be down to being too reactive i.e., not anticipating customer needs and simply waiting for them to ask for particular services or products or not demonstrating knowledge as part of regular customer service.
There is still very much of a gap for security integrators in today’s market. They can survive in this gap. But to thrive, security integrators need to bring more value to the table and also be seen to be providing more value, more than a middleman, but a provider that can advise on the right products to meet specific needs and make those products work for their customers in an integrated way.
Reinventing via consultancy
They need to provide consultancy so their customers understand how best to ensure online and physical security work together to keep a business safe. Most of all, they need to demonstrate their knowledge to their customers and make sure they understand the value they bring.
Businesses won’t be safer by relying on their research and knowledge to buy and install security products, but if they don’t understand the benefits of a specialist integrator, they may choose this route. It’s up to security integrators to reinvent themselves as the better kind of middleman if they want to remain relevant.