Influence in the security world can mean a lot of things: a focus on the growth and prosperity of the industry, the contribution of true thought leadership, subject matter expertise, and the ability to look to the future of the market. At Robotic Assistance Devices, we believe CEO Steve Reinharz encompasses all of these characteristics, which is why he’s been selected as a finalist for the Fourth Annual Physical Security and Video Surveillance Market Influencers contest on Security.World.
We decided to pick Steve’s brain about some of the biggest topics facing the industry today in the hopes that his answers will help solidify his expertise in the market – and demonstrate his influence to others.
What are some of the top challenges facing the physical security industry today?
One of the biggest challenges I see is consolidation across all sectors of the security industry. This will, at least temporarily, further exacerbate the quality of service issues in both the integrator and the guarding spaces due to inevitable merger challenges. Furthermore, I think the commoditization of both sectors will cause further challenges to improve bottom-line results. As security industry leaders, we need to develop unique technology that brings value to clients, as well as fair margins for industry providers.
What kinds of problems do you see end users grappling with on a day-to-day basis?
Budget constraints continue to be an issue that plagues almost every physical security department that I visit. Many of these departments are forced to make decisions based on budget, factoring in the fluctuating price for manpower, technology and making the tough choices of how much of each that they can get for the budget they have set. I have also seen other challenges that have plagued the industry pretty consistently, including the struggle to find high-quality personnel willing to work for lower wages within the guarding industry, as well as properly applying technology as a force multiplier to try and address this challenge.
How is the technology that’s emerging now from top security companies helping meet those needs?
[Shameless plug alert] Speaking from our experience in the market, the implementation of security guard robots as a force multiplier to expand a security department’s capabilities and help assist human guards is changing the face of security as we know it. The robot-as-a-service model that we operate brings a more cost-effective solution to the needs of businesses to have 24/7/365 coverage in remote and potentially dangerous areas by offering an alternative to significant capital investment in expensive security equipment.
In your opinion, what characteristics do top influencers in the security industry possess?
Top influencers have leadership skills that allow them to build teams that are focused on delivering great customer satisfaction. I believe that this basic focus is getting lost in the drive to maintain and increase profit in an industry under pressure. Many companies are competing to do the same work for the same set of clients but the key differentiator is really focusing on what the customer needs and being creative enough to deliver innovation and real value to them.
You can vote for Steve now through Sept. 29, for the top influencers in the market by clicking here.