Physical security isn’t a one-time project or a static system. It’s a dynamic, ongoing process and program that requires constant attention and management to remain effective.
While the initial implementation of a security system — what we often call Day 1 — is critical, the ongoing maintenance, service, and adjustments made after systems are operational, or Day 2, are equally essential.
Security program long-term
Organizations that fail to focus on post-occupancy security operations risk falling victim
Organizations that fail to focus on post-occupancy security operations risk falling victim to a phenomenon known as "program drift," where systems and policies gradually deviate from their intended standards over time.
To manage your security program long-term, you often need an outside perspective. By engaging a security partner to provide managed services, organizations can achieve a strategic solution for maintaining their security programs' integrity, effectiveness, and efficiency over the long term. Let’s look at the reasons why.
Moving beyond Day 1
Day 1 is the milestone moment when a security system is launched — whether it’s a new system, an upgraded access control platform, or a transition to advanced surveillance technology. On this day, all components align with established policies and standards. Yet, Day 1 is only the beginning of a security program's lifecycle.
What happens on Day 2 and beyond is often where the real work begins. Without a robust plan for ongoing service and maintenance, security systems can quickly fall out of compliance. Policies become outdated, configurations drift, and vulnerabilities emerge.
This gradual degradation — program drift — occurs not due to neglect but as a natural result of decentralized management; competing operational priorities; and the lack of dedicated, knowledgeable resources to oversee the systems.
Avoiding program drift
Drift is particularly pronounced in physical security because, unlike other building systems
Program drift occurs when a security program’s elements — such as access controls, camera placements, or intrusion detection settings — gradually become misaligned from their intended standards. Think of a straight line representing perfect compliance on Day 1.
Over time, various factors push individual components off this line. Left unchecked, these deviations accumulate, leading to significant vulnerabilities and deferred remediation costs that would be much easier to manage and predict with a more proactive approach.
Drift is particularly pronounced in physical security because, unlike other building systems such as lighting or HVAC, security measures are often viewed as inconveniences. Even when systems function as designed, features like turnstiles, visitor management, or additional access controls may face pushback for being "in the way" of daily operations. This resistance and the Day 2 problems that often result — along with the lack of centralized oversight — exacerbate the risk of misalignment and ongoing inefficiencies.
Why centralized post-occupancy management matters
Post-occupancy management is critical for maintaining the long-term health of a security program. Facility managers, who are often tasked with overseeing security systems, may lack the technical expertise or bandwidth to handle the complexity of modern security infrastructure.
Partnering with dedicated professionals to help meet these responsibilities ensures systems are managed effectively and vulnerabilities are addressed proactively. It also helps improve system availability and uptime, accelerate break/fix response and resolution times, lower ownership costs by reducing unnecessary and repeat service dispatches, and achieve a more consistent end user experience.
Moreover, centralized management provides a consistent framework for handling security systems across multiple sites. This consistency is vital in preventing Program Drift, ensuring that local variations or individual decisions do not undermine the organization’s overall security posture.
The case for managed services
Hiring outside consultants offers a proactive and professional approach to mitigating program drift
Hiring outside consultants offers a proactive and professional approach to mitigating program drift. Specialized providers have the expertise, tools, and resources to manage complex security systems effectively and ensure those systems remain aligned with organizational policies and performance expectations.
By acting as a dedicated external resource and interfacing regularly with your security team, your consultant can help you build, manage, and optimize a variety of services that help keep your program on track. These services range from system health and availability management (break fix); move, add change management; system configuration administration; and program/project management offices.
Key benefits in the following areas
Let’s look at how a managed services a partner can yield key benefits in the following areas:
- Standards compliance. Centralized management ensures that security systems and processes remain in compliance with established policies and standards, reducing vulnerabilities caused by ad hoc changes or decentralized management.
- Operational efficiency. Managed services streamline maintenance and support workflows, minimize downtime, and ensure quick issue resolution.
- Enhanced security resilience. Proactive monitoring and maintenance reduce the likelihood of system failures and improve overall system reliability. Standardized processes for move-add-change (MAC) activities ensure that security configurations remain consistent across locations.
- Cost savings. Outsourced providers help organizations optimize resources, avoid errors, and benefit from economies of scale in service delivery.
- Strategic focus. Outsourcing also allows internal teams to shift their focus from routine operational tasks to higher-value activities, such as strategic planning, threat analysis, and incident response.
Long-term value of security investments
While Day 1 success is the foundation of a comprehensive program, what happens on Day 2 determines your ability to realize the long-term value of your security investments. As the complexity of security challenges grows, leaders must prioritize sustained management and professionalized oversight to protect their organizations, making the conversation around post-occupancy security more critical than ever.
By adopting innovative strategies, implementing mature toolsets and processes, and leveraging specialized expertise, organizations can ensure their programs remain robust, aligned, and prepared to meet the challenges of tomorrow.
Find out about secure physical access control systems through layered cybersecurity practices.
