Security Guard Technology Trends, Advancements, and Industry Buzz

Cutting-edge physical security technology and tools have had a dramatic impact on the industry. These modern innovations have helped to reduce threats, minimize security risks, and ultimately deliver a better overall product to customers.

For example, artificial intelligence (AI) is garnering a great deal of attention throughout the tech world, with researchers estimating that AI tools could drive a $7 trillion increase in GDP and lift productivity growth by 1.5 percentage points over 10 years, according to a Goldman Sachs report. Additionally, many experts believe AI will have a major impact on the security industry.

Innovative technologies can be a critical part of tackling threats. That said, staying abreast of security technology trends and industry evolutions can help with broadening guard coverage. It can also aid in enabling the better detection of threats and reducing response time to incidents.

Artificial intelligence and the physical security industry

ChatGPT exploded onto the tech scene about a year and a half ago. Since then, AI has been widely discussed by business owners, researchers, and everyone in between. AI is believed to have the power to use computers to simulate human intelligence to perform tasks related to visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and language translation.

AI is expected to accelerate workflows or increase productivity, and researchers estimate that those changes could impact approximately 300 million full-time jobs. Businesses, in general, are expected to use AI in a number of ways. Examples include generating content for company policies, creating procedural guidelines, reducing biases in hiring, and writing job descriptions.

The impact of AI-based applications is expected to be much more significant, specifically in the physical security market. These security tools can analyze massive amounts of data far faster than their human counterparts and alert guards sooner, resulting in the ability to respond to threats much quicker. Coupled with video feeds, these tools have the ability to “read” human behavior and potentially identify a crime before it occurs.

Based on the speed at which AI-based applications are evolving, security professionals will want to keep a close eye on new technologies and applications that can have a significant impact on the physical security market.

Security monitoring using drones

To improve overall security, contractors across the globe are increasingly adopting drones to improve safety, avoid costly security breaches, drive efficiency, and gather data. Forecasts predict that the global drone market should expand at a compound annual growth rate of 25%.

The upfront costs associated with using drones in the commercial security industry are high. However, proponents argue that the long-term benefits far outweigh the cost. Additionally, a hybrid approach of using drones and guards can help with providing better service to clients. Drone technology requires less labor, in addition to the following benefits:

• Drones can capture aerial footage of a site
• Security firms can cover vast areas in comparison to an actual guard
• Drones can secure perimeters and prevent break-ins
• In parking lots, drones equipped with cameras can read license plates, which can help with spotting stolen cars and identifying unauthorized vehicles
• By processing drone footage with AI in real time, drones could automatically identify objects that pose a threat and alert physical guards to respond

Big data via dashboards and other tech reports

For security firms, gathering large amounts of data is simply part of the job. That data comes in the form of timekeeping, job costing, scheduling, or billing information. Regardless of the source, each resource can provide actionable business insights. For most businesses, those insights help a company operate more efficiently and ultimately make smarter decisions.

Clients find data highly useful in terms of identifying and achieving business success. Because of that fact, they are requesting more information to highlight that key performance indicators (KPIs) are being met. Examples of KPIs include the number of security incidents per site, the percentage of false alarms, the percentage of incidents that require a response, and the average time-to-incident detection and resolution.

To enhance customer satisfaction and protect against cyber threats, security teams can demonstrate their performance against KPIs through engaging, visually compelling dashboards and reports generated by sophisticated security software solutions. Regular sharing of these KPIs with clients, whether monthly or quarterly, keeps them continually informed of the value being delivered.

Customizable dashboard views allow contractors to present data in a variety of formats. Some format examples include detailed charts and graphs, each tailored to provide unique insights to different stakeholders. By presenting clients with this data, security firms enable them to gain a clearer understanding of both the health of individual contracts and the overall state of the business relationship. This transparency builds trust, strengthens partnerships, and positions security providers as strategic, data-driven allies in their clients’ success.

Biometrics in the security industry

To better track employee attendance and make sure that payroll information stays accurate, more security firms are using biometrics, which can include fingerprints or facial recognition. Biometric time clocks can improve timekeeping and eliminate common forms of time and attendance fraud, which include buddy punching, ghost employees, and supervisor fraud.

Biometric technology uses the unique biological characteristics that distinguish people from each other. Best-in-class biometrics provide a secure, auditable alternative to passwords and telephone clock-in. Biometrics cannot be spoofed by fake faces, dummies, or photographs due to dual sensor technology capturing 3D images of the face and over 6,000 data points.

For security contracts that require remote workers, the biometric approach to security can help minimize manual data entries, reduce human error, improve on-site security, streamline shift change, and produce more accurate data for payroll. Additionally, biometrics solutions can seamlessly integrate with payroll or time and attendance software to minimize the complexity of working with multiple security systems.

The future of security technology and industry trends

Security guard technology is rapidly evolving. Businesses that want to stay competitive must keep track of a variety of technical trends in security and consider implementing advanced technology solutions for their businesses. Some examples of digital assets and physical advances include proactively using smartphone devices for access control, security applications, advanced security cameras, drones, cameras, biometrics, AI, data resources, and more to fight back against potential threats and even cyber-attacks.

Although security technology is making a lot of advances in a short timeframe, security incident reporting software, biometrics, and business intelligence solutions like TEAM Software by WorkWave are readily available options for commercial security contractors who wish to accomplish some of the same goals that tech trends are attempting to reach.

Partnering with TEAM Software

Partnering with TEAM Software by WorkWave can significantly benefit your security company. This security software is designed to streamline operations, improve efficiency, and ultimately help you grow your client list. Here are some key benefits and key features of using TEAM Software by WorkWave as your security guard management system:

1. Efficient Employee Management: You can easily schedule shifts, assign tasks, and track employee performance, ensuring that your team is working effectively and efficiently.

2. Real-Time Communication: The software allows for real-time communication between you and your team, enabling quick responses to client requests or changes in scheduling.

3. Automated Invoicing and Billing: Fully automates the invoicing and billing process, making it easy to keep track of payments and ensure timely billing for your clients.

4. Reporting and Analytics: Offers robust, detailed reports and advanced analytics tools that give you valuable insights into your security business performance, allowing you to make data-driven decisions to optimize operations and grow your client list using in-depth analytics functions.

Closing thoughts

The integration of advanced technology in the security industry is not just a key trend but a necessity for companies aiming to enhance efficiency and maintain competitive advantage. The adoption of biometric systems for attendance tracking exemplifies how innovative electronic security solutions can eliminate common issues such as time fraud while ensuring accurate payroll management. As security technology continues to evolve, companies must embrace tools like TEAM Software by WorkWave that facilitate streamlined operations and improved communication. Schedule a demo today.