Next decade in the technical security field in Finland

And so, the life goes on, new things in school and new colleagues. As the corona spreads over Finland, it gives one time to think things more openly. So, I got to thinking where we are going in technical security in Finland. In the last decade our locking and surveillance business has been through a lot. There was a time of depression and that brought along these bigger operators, like few of those old phone companies and one tied together from two of the old company chains. Same time first wave of digitalization came, the talks about IoT and remote control over security systems started. It has changed the narrative in this business completely.

If we look at the strategies of companies, there is not too much change in the core business. Strategies naturally have adapted to environmental responsibilities and technological changes. And we can’t forget that the legislation changes of 2019, which was mostly for the better, but some of the smaller businesses closed their doors. While the movement of the business have made as learn so much more, these changes have made peoples workload heavier, as the competition tightens. But how are we prepared for the future? It won’t be any easier with the current operating models. I think that if we are going to succeed in this new era, companies’ strategies should count in the fresh wind, in all its categorial aspects.

Second wave of digitalization is in our doorstep, where is it going to take us next? If we think it like the last one, we have more speed, more capabilities to use and calculate data. If we take an example from video surveillance, do we need local recorders anymore, it will be cheaper to sell virtual servers for it. Also, what we do with that video data, why not use it to prevent car disasters or house fires as well. This would mean that integration level would be much higher, but that is the road we are on. Instant analytics would remove the need for separate burglar alarms. This might be the point were “AI” s come to play, when we have enough data and processing power at our disposal in real time. We already have all this “big data” at our disposal, and still we are thinking new ways of exploiting it. When there have been talks about IT transformation, which will make these data pools possible to merge. Maybe we can make perfect prediction on the market at this point, but can we say that it will help security business?

All and all this did go towards technology, but if we stop to think integration, have someone seen true integration yet. Manufacturers are still didling with their own “integrated solution”. As I would like to see it, it wouldn’t be tied to the hardware and application interface should be open as well. While it is true that when this line of development goes open source, it makes it more vulnerable to exploitation.

So, what does all of this mean to our security cluster? In my perspective next ten years will be more changing than the last. If we put on our customers boots, the view should be serene, and security as one of the basic needs, would be unnoticeable. Same way the business flow is sound when all the supporting pieces are in place. How are we going to achieve that? Still referring to the change of our digital platforms.

I will try to make few examples out of this. One way could be that we stand by the manufacturers and they continue to make their own solution, and we are the delivery system.

Or the other way could be that we form alliance with the manufacturers. At the same time companies could adopt IT and software development as part of their core business. This will ensure that customers’ needs are fulfilled flawlessly. Without losing our customers right to choose or make compromises. Competitiveness point would be here, which company is willing to run the green mile or have the needed resources to do so.

Are we going to be the threshold of integrated world, or just stand by it?