As a corporate security leader, you’re responsible for protecting critical resources including intellectual property, personnel and assets from natural or manmade emergencies through video, access control and other solutions for your enterprise organization.
With maintaining business continuity, planning for change and lifecycle management and protecting traveling executives, your plate is already full. Keeping up with what’s new and trending in the security industry can be daunting. Fortunately, security trade shows let you learn about new best practices and kick the tires on the products that can make your job more effective and convenient.
Your needs may be different than many other trade show attendees. Enterprise security encompasses many disparate technologies. But everyone is even when it comes to navigating a show like ISC West which offers so much to do in so little time. You have only three days (April 11-13) to take in the best of 80-plus presentations and 1,000-plus exhibitors.
Where do you start? At a show of this size you don’t have time to waste. The education sessions, often led by other enterprise security professionals, provide real-world insights into how you can improve your operations. Show management provides a website listing presentations by tracks, including access and ID management, end-user IT-related issues and video surveillance.
Each track includes background on the presentations including their time and day, location, the names of people and organizations behind the sessions and what you might be expected to learn from having attended. Pick a few that fit your needs. These sessions are time sensitive, so put them on your schedule first.
Now consider the exhibit hall. More than a thousand companies are competing for your attention. A little pre-planning will save time and thousands of steps. The big manufacturers are normally situated towards the front of the exhibition. You’ll see names like Honeywell, Axis, Lenel, Johnson Controls (Tyco), Assa Abloy, HID, Genetec, and Code Blue – all of the brands that you are very likely to employ in your enterprise security plan.
This is your chance to see what’s new and what’s coming in the near future. Ask if the manufacturer has added new integrations that might apply to your operations. What new features might apply to an enterprise organization? What’s on the horizon? But don’t take chances the person you need to meet will be in the booth when you arrive. Make an appointment and add it to your schedule.
It never hurts to see what your provider’s competitors are doing. Walk through the other big-name booths. You might find a reason to make some changes.
Move back into the center of the floor, where you’ll find the complementary technologies – biometrics, video intercoms, visitor management and others –that you’ve likely already integrated into your overall security plan.
Then then are the hundreds of 10x10 or 10x20 booths along the far sides of the hall. They’re not big names and they probably lack a product well-suited for your organization. But this is where you’ll find many of the mainstream solutions of 2023. Take a few minutes to see if you can spot the technologies of tomorrow.
The show makes it easier to find some products. For example, if you’re using drones to protect your facilities, there’s an unmanned security and safety expo in the far back corner of the hall. Nearby is an area devoted to showcasing products related to public security and safety.
Again, there’s a website offering an ISC West exhibit hall floorplan. Use it to help find the booths you want to visit.
Plan on preparing a show report for bosses when you return to your office. It’s important you let them know the time and money for your trip was well spent. If you’re lucky, you might have found a solution you can incorporate into your security plan.
Of course, I need to put in a good word for security integrators. Your integrator should know your security needs and should be aware of changing regulations that affect your organization. He or she should be following the industry to know which manufacturers have the products you need.
Before making your final show plan, check with your integrator and get some fresh insights. If your integrator plans to attend the show, see if he or she won’t spend some time walking the floor with you.
Of course, there are always the after-hours events and networking that make the long hours on the floor seem less painful. Have fun!
About the Author:
Corey Tyriver is director of marketing at West Palm Beach, Fla.-based Security 101.
