Business Fitness: Updated or Upended?
When you don’t have a reliable process to monitor updates of components in diverse locations, you can wake up to surprises.
We know that updated software is important to our success. We get busy, are understaffed, don’t have time, and our security provider does that for us … don’t they? Are you sure?
The security technology systems we depend on to run our security program, business and service our customers can be targets for bad actors. When you don’t have a reliable process to monitor updates of components in diverse locations, you can wake up to surprises.
How often does your PC or smartphone inform you of security or software updates? How often do you allow them to update? Do they remind you often that your devices are at risk? Think in those terms with your security systems.
I was invited to host a panel at Verint Engage 2023 The Customer Engagement Conference. This event uniquely focused on the financial services market segment. The title of our panel was “Staying Ahead of the Game … ” The panel delivered great advice on the importance of keeping security software and firmware updated.
David Campbell CPP CFE, VP of Security of Dollar Bank; Yvonne Vives CFE SFE, AVP of Randolf-Brooks FCU; and Brian Robles, Security Program MGE II, of First Tech FCU, shared their practical experiences and advice to an enthusiastic audience of financial market professionals.
It was fantastic and I want to share some lessons learned from these financial market professionals.
From ROI to Return on Confidence
Campbell shared the importance of security professionals knowing their skills and contributions to the organization as well as their limitations (know what you don’t know). This is a great starting place to build new symbiotic relationships with your IT department, by asking the right questions.
He also stressed having the right tools and processes to verify the status of video system components. He recommended the Verint Ops Center tools to help with this task. I can confirm from my consulting experience that this is great advice!
Vives shared concerns of depending on different third-party integrators to ensure their large video system (1,000 cameras and 64 DVRs) was versioned and updated with confidence. Security failures can be both career limiting and lead to loss of senior management confidence.
Vives and her team grabbed the reins with Verint Ops Center software to manage their systems with the latest updates and firmware versioning.
She summarized concisely that ROI is great; however, her ROC (return on confidence) of system integrity was much more important to her team’s mission to serve their customers and company.
Robles shared his thoughts and experiences on the unpredictable impact outdated firmware and software versioning can have on an organization. For example, they either cause or mask operational performance. This can result in lower system reliability, which, according to Murphy’s Law, will occur at the worst possible moment, during a security or fraud event.
High reliability to optimize operational integrity and performance is key to troubleshooting system shortcomings. He shared that outdated software can often “mask” the root causes of unpredictable system performance. That can waste time and money.
These insights shined the bright light of experience and confidence in delivering practical and tactical suggestions to stay abreast of software and firmware updates.
Their diligence and focus delivered what all security professionals need, senior management support and respect for their mission of protecting the bank and customers. Secondly, gain their confidence to invest in the technologies needed to support that mission.
If you don’t want to have your security program upended or underfunded, update today!
If you enjoyed this article and want to receive more valuable industry content like this, click here to sign up for our FREE digital newsletters!
About the Author
Paul Boucherle, SSI Contributor
Paul C. Boucherle, Certified Protection Professional (CPP) and Certified Sherpa Coach (CSC), is Security Sales & Integration’s “Business Fitness” columnist. A principal of Matterhorn Consulting, he has more than 30 years of diverse security and safety industry experience including UL central station operations, risk-vulnerability assessments, strategic security program design and management of industry convergence challenges. Boucherle has successfully guided top-tier companies in achieving enhanced ROI resulting from improved sales and operational management techniques. He is a charismatic speaker and educator on a wide range of critical topics relating to the security industry of today and an accomplished corporate strategist and marketer whose vision and expertise in business performance have driven notable enterprise growth in the security industry sector.
Related Content
Security Is Our Business, Too
For professionals who recommend, buy and install all types of electronic security equipment, a free subscription to Commercial Integrator + Security Sales & Integration is like having a consultant on call. You’ll find an ideal balance of technology and business coverage, with installation tips and techniques for products and updates on how to add to your bottom line.
A FREE subscription to the top resource for security and integration industry will prove to be invaluable.
