Thousands of security professionals will attend this year’s 62nd ASIS International Seminar and Exhibits at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Sept. 12-15, and it is a terrific opportunity to network and keep updated on new products and services, as well as connect with clients and potential new customers.
“Many see the ASIS seminar as just a trade show — but it is so much more,” says Shayne Bates, CPP, principal consultant with Austin, Texas-based Stratum Knowledge LLC. “In addition to the latest security products and services, continuing education is a key aim of the seminar. Whether you sign up for the paid education program or free Show+ Pass, the opportunities to learn from the leaders in the field are tremendous.”
The seminar puts the vast ASIS educational offerings on display along side the industry’s equally vast product offerings. The paid program includes 250 education sessions on cyber and security management topics spanning all industry sectors. Among the offerings this year is the “Integrator Track” — a series of learning experiences for integrators who seek innovative solutions to link security products into effective, high-performance security systems.
“Integration is the cornerstone of effective security management programs today,” Bates says. “The Integrator Track connects the ‘implementers’ of security systems with educational opportunities to better understand client needs and emergent best practices such as continuous workplace assurance (CWA) in a safety, security and compliance context.” Bates says.
This year, the Integrator Track sessions — 10 sessions covering subjects from biometrics, critical communications and 360-degree surveillance to best practices and sales — are free for all registered attendees. The Integrator Track will educate today’s integrators about their changing industry, while boosting the quality and efficiency of their integration work.
Here’s a preview of many of the sessions:
- Biometrics. Get the facts about applying biometric technology to access control. How do you integrate multiple databases into a biometric system? The fast-changing biometric industry can seem like a technological mystery. This session will help practitioners sort through the issues, catch up with the technology and apply it to customers’ problems.
- Is the Video Surveillance Industry Overly-Technical? At this session, a manufacturer, a specifier and an integrator will discuss unique opportunities created by innovations in video surveillance technology. Attendees can participate in discussions about product evolutions and fitting the right products and solutions to the needs of individual customers.
- Critical Communications. Failing to develop a critical communications plan can place organizations at great risk. This session focuses on developing a framework for using communications to respond proactively to risks and incidents. Technologies involved include access control, video, digital signage and messaging. The goal is to use these technologies to mitigate risk, advance resilience, and add value to an organization.
- 360-Degree Surveillance. This session will discussing how 360-degree surveillance can create situational awareness for complex installations including manufacturing plants, medical facilities and military installations.
- How Risk Assessments Affect Integrators and Manufacturers. Risk assessments are all too often not carried out because clients do not consider them essential to security. Without understanding the risks faced by a client, however, it becomes impossible to design an appropriate security program. A client may suffer losses as a result. This session examines the positive results that come from effective cooperation between manufacturers and integrators in conducting security assessments, designing programs, setting budgets, and applying best practices to security challenges.
- Integrator of the Future. In recent years, technologies in all industries have evolved with breakneck speed. Security technology has evolved, too, and continues to evolve. Today’s integrators must keep pace. The integrator of the future will need to know how to apply evolving technologies, while keeping pace with emerging security concepts. Learn about the changing nature of project management in this fast-paced session.
- Enhance Your Relationship Selling Skills. The term “relationship sales” differs from “off-the-shelf sales.” Customers in stores pick products off the shelves. Security customers typically cannot simply buy products off the shelf and make themselves secure. They need the help of a trusted security professional. To earn the trust of customers, you must listen to what they tell you, clearly define the needs they express, and satisfy those needs with security products, a security design and a quality installation. Remember, too: Trusted relationships usually create repeat customers.
Kay Burgess is the ASIS Director of Education. Contact her at [email protected].
