We’ve examined the ways technology, particularly artificial intelligence and augmented and extended reality, might play key parts in the world’s collective march toward reopening and what’s likely to be a “new normal” in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, there’s a single thread tying much of these potentially promising solutions and innovations together that will arguably be the most important part of the global return to business as usual – future-proof security, surveillance and access control (SSA) solutions.
These SSA systems are going to be a necessity in the “new normal,” providing a way to ensure guests, visitors and employees can enjoy a safe environment and peace of mind as the world reopens for business and acting as a sign that you’ve made a conscious decision to protect those who enter your space.
The Expanding Definition of Security, Surveillance and Access Control
The role of security, surveillance and access control, or SSA, is primed to go through a period of rapid growth – and that comes along with a new way of thinking about this key piece of your holistic approach to audiovisual systems and technology.
Security no longer means simply keeping an eye on your guests, reacting as necessary. Thorough and effective SSA, particularly in the “new normal” the globe’s operations are about to enter into, should track and measure visitor and guest activity at all times. These SSA systems should ensure social distancing measures are being followed, enforce proper custodial and cleaning support in high-traffic areas, and, in some cases, leverage thermal scanning to ensure those with elevated temperatures don’t endanger others in the space.
In this way, future-proof SSA solutions can provide increased visibility and integration, helping you create a multi-use strategy for keeping occupants safe and healthy.
In short, SSA systems need to leverage real-time capabilities, thorough data collection and analysis, and total visibility into much more than simply who’s entering the space. Your SSA strategy should allow you to be proactive in addressing breaches and potential issues in real time, not after something has been discovered, giving you a way to provide situational awareness for people, property and places where people live, work and play.
But how do you achieve that level of thorough control?
Potential Use Cases for SSA in the ‘New Normal’
In the immediate future, physical health and safety are likely to be the most important aspects of a return to work, and SSA solutions are ready to play a unique part in that effort.
For example, consider tracking systems that can detect and store information regarding how many people are in a specific area. That data can create actionable insights for custodial teams, allowing these resources to be deployed to higher traffic areas, where cleaning should take place more frequently.
Facial recognition and other forms of detection can also be implemented to secure physical spaces. With robust data collection and database capabilities available, you can make sure only essential personnel enter into business campuses or that all customers entering an immersive experience you’re delivering are fever-free.
Alarms and intrusion detection can be integrated to ensure these key processes are as effective as possible, and single, well-designed equipment and monitoring rooms can play a role in social distancing by consolidating the tools needed to oversee your SSA solution into a single location.
These solutions will all be tied together by analytics. Thorough video surveillance analytics can result in effective heat maps, providing further efficiency in resource allocation, and can even provide benefits beyond security. For example, robust surveillance can show retail owners which products are being observed most often, helping drive business strategies. The aforementioned heat maps can also be helpful in designing more engaging experiences. If guests aren’t lingering in a particular area, it could trigger a more in-depth study of how that specific section of the experience could be more immersive and enticing.
While the benefits of physical SSA solutions are clear, both for the immediate health and safety of employees and customers and well into the future beyond the reopening of the global economy, data and network security also have a bevy of use cases in the “new normal.”
Today’s modern experiences depend on data, and this dependence on sensitive data can lead to unsavory outcomes if security is lax.
The impetus is on you to protect that data. Through attention to detail in system “hygiene,” thorough monitoring of people and partners, regular credential management, and more, you can ensure that, even during a “new normal” that could feature a heavier reliance on remote collaboration even after in-office work returns to the forefront, your systems, network and data are safe and ready to serve.
A Holistic Approach to SSA
With this reliance on data in mind, it’s important to ensure your SSA strategy includes every facet of your operation.
Whereas SSA used to center on the physical spaces in which you live, work and play, a multifaceted approach that takes into account the security of your networks, both on-site and remote, and more is now required.
That’s why combining video surveillance, intrusion detection and access control into a complete, unified security system platform is crucial for success in today’s breakneck world of global commerce, customer experiences and long-distance collaboration.
At the heart of an effective SSA strategy is a simple goal – to provide employees on corporate campuses, customers engaging in immersive experiences, students in schools and everyone in between with the sense of security needed to freely focus on the task at hand.
Solutions also need to focus on uptime and ease of operation and maintenance – if maintaining your SSA strategy detracts from your ability to use it effectively and achieve that overarching goal of safety and freedom, it’s not doing its job.
It’s also critical to begin with thorough planning, including full audits of your current SSA strategy, risk and vulnerability assessments, and more.
By carefully establishing your goals and vision, working with converged technologies and total integration throughout the system, and ensuring your teams aren’t overloaded with maintenance and monitoring requirements, you can design and implement a SSA solution to help you properly manage the reality of our collective “new normal.”
Potential Use Cases for SSA in the ‘New Normal’
In the immediate future, physical health and safety are likely to be the most important aspects of a return to work, and SSA solutions are ready to play a unique part in that effort.
For example, consider tracking systems that can detect and store information regarding how many people are in a specific area. That data can create actionable insights for custodial teams, allowing these resources to be deployed to higher traffic areas, where cleaning should take place more frequently.
Facial recognition and other forms of detection can also be implemented to secure physical spaces. With robust data collection and database capabilities available, you can make sure only essential personnel enter into business campuses or that all customers entering an immersive experience you’re delivering are fever-free.
Alarms and intrusion detection can be integrated to ensure these key processes are as effective as possible, and single, well-designed equipment and monitoring rooms can play a role in social distancing by consolidating the tools needed to oversee your SSA solution into a single location.
These solutions will all be tied together by analytics. Thorough video surveillance analytics can result in effective heat maps, providing further efficiency in resource allocation, and can even provide benefits beyond security. For example, robust surveillance can show retail owners which products are being observed most often, helping drive business strategies. The aforementioned heat maps can also be helpful in designing more engaging experiences. If guests aren’t lingering in a particular area, it could trigger a more in-depth study of how that specific section of the experience could be more immersive and enticing.
While the benefits of physical SSA solutions are clear, both for the immediate health and safety of employees and customers and well into the future beyond the reopening of the global economy, data and network security also have a bevy of use cases in the “new normal.”
Today’s modern experiences depend on data, and this dependence on sensitive data can lead to unsavory outcomes if security is lax.
The impetus is on you to protect that data. Through attention to detail in system “hygiene,” thorough monitoring of people and partners, regular credential management, and more, you can ensure that, even during a “new normal” that could feature a heavier reliance on remote collaboration even after in-office work returns to the forefront, your systems, network and data are safe and ready to serve.
Choosing a Technology Design Consultant for SSA Solutions
Electing to leverage a technology design consultant in creating a holistic SSA solution can save time, money and resources by ensuring you get it right the first time, not after an initial attempt fails to make the grade.
SSA solutions are going to play an expanded role in enforcing social distancing and restricted access measures, keeping employees and customers safe and able to focus on their work and experiences, and protecting your networks and remote capabilities from debilitating setbacks.
