Are we meeting the needs of Security End Users?

...In reading this month’s industry trade journals, I was particularly drawn to Laura Stepanek, Editor of SDM Magazine’s, ‘Editor’s Angle’ with Lisa Roy, Vice President for Global Security and Fire Safety Solutions, with Johnson Controls. In her first question, Laura asks Ms. Roy if she feels that the security systems integration industry as a whole is meeting the needs of end users right now. Ms. Roy’s response, to paraphrase, is that today’s security end user is increasingly frustrated with the way security solutions are sold and delivered. While she feels that the industry has made progress in some areas, overall she feels that the industry has more work to do.

This was echoed by Lynn Mattice, former CSO at Boston Scientific and current Chairman, Board of Advisors, for the Security Executive Council, at the first-ever State of the Industry discussion panel at ISC East last month. Participating in the panel were Mike Miller, President of ESA (formerly NBFAA), Bill Bozeman, President and CEO of the PSA Security Network, Gordon Hope, Senior Vice President with Honeywell and current Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Security Industry Association (SIA), as well as Mr. Mattice. What Lynn was saying in representing the end user perspective on the panel, is that he feels that our discussions with security end users have been from our own perspectives - product features, camera resolution and RMR streams – all very important for him to understand, however, we are not fully understanding the security end users’ need for an overall solution to a problem. For example, when we go to buy a car, the Blu-tooth capabilities and the Sirius satellite radio are great features, much better than a standard FM/AM radio with a cassette player (do they even make cassettes anymore?), however, we ultimately are looking for a car that is safe, reliable and affordable. Are we spending too much time addressing the features and benefits and not explaining how we will provide a solution to the end users’ need?

‘From what we have seen, many end users are frustrated with the way security solutions are sold and delivered today,’ was the quote by Ms. Roy in the call-out in Laura’s article. We have heard this from many different sources, but what are we doing about it?

Ed Nichols
Industry Vice President
Reed Exhibitions
ISC Events
203 840-5968
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ISC West Recognized as a "Fastest 50" Growing Trade Show

...I spent this past weekend in Houston at Tradeshow Week’s Fastest 50 Annual Awards presentation. Tradeshow Week, a Reed owned sister publication, created the Fastest 50 – recognizing the fastest 50 growing domestic trade shows annually – in 2002. As the economy, the tradeshow industry, and business travel in general, were severely affected by the events of September 11, Vice-President & Associate Publisher Nancy Walker and her team created an awards weekend that recognized those events that were successful in finding the means to grow in those difficult times. The awards have been presented for the past 7 years.

The weekend kicks off with a Welcome Reception on Friday night, followed by executive panels on Saturday – discussing the latest issues facing the tradeshow industry, the use of social media, virtual tradeshows, blogs, Twitter and third party audits. Third party audits are an issue I am very passionate about, and shared my opinions with industry peers, as I absolutely see it as our responsibility to be transparent in providing all of our participants’ factual information around the product that we provide to our exhibiting customers - qualified security industry professionals like you. My feeling is that audits are vitally important; now in a down economy more than ever; when the news isn’t always going to be as rosy – but the truth is just as necessary.

I’d like to congratulate another of our Reed Exhibitions events for taking home the award for the #1 fastest growing consumer show - the Penny Arcade Expo (PAX), serving the consumer electronic gaming market. Our Senior Vice President, Greg Topalian, and my peer, Lance Fensterman, have done a wonderful job in building on the success of this popular event. I’d also like to congratulate the entire ISC team here at Reed Exhibitions, as ISC West was recognized as the only event to be one of the Fastest 50 growing trade shows in America every year since the award’s inception – 7 years straight. That is due entirely to an incredible team that I work with here…and because of all of you.

To all of you who have been supporting us each year, and to those who plan to in the future – thank you.

Ed Nichols
Industry Vice President
Reed Exhibitions
ISC Events
203 840-5968
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www.isceast.com
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ISC East Recap

...In a year when success has been measured by how far down or off business has been, and with flat being the new up, this year's ISC East event was the shot in the arm the industry needed going into 2010. Raw attendee numbers have us up slightly in number of show floor attendees (excluding exhibitors), however, we will again audit those numbers and have something official within the next 6 weeks. For a look at what others had to say about the show, please visit these links:

• Security Systems News - ISC East surprises with traffic
• Security Products Magazine - New York, In Full Glory

Building on this attendee success, you will be seeing and hearing much more from us as we continue our strategy to rebuild ISC East, continuing our partnerships with industry groups around education, continuing targeted attendee growth relative to growing vertical markets for end-users - government, healthcare, education and retail, and continue to work with our exhibitors to contain exhibit costs and ensure they realize the value of the audience attending ISC East via our Lead Guarantee program and appointment setting initiatives.

I'd like to thank everyone who supported us this year and made ISC East the success that it was. Particularly, I'd like to thank first-year ISC Marketing Director Amie Cangelosi, and her marketing team of Kelly Higgins, Patrick Parnoff, Toni Corvi, Danielle Aposhian, Jenn Terentiuk, and Kaitlyn Martin. In a year when all of us can appreciate the difficulty of growing a piece of the business - in this case our attendance - my hats off to all of them.

Ed Nichols
Vice President
ISC Events
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I appreciate all of the feedback - this blog has elicited more responses than the one about Brett Favre!

This event has transformed, and continues to transform, to both mirror the market dynamics, but also the event dynamics nationally. It’s not a surprise that one reader found the event to be very different than what he experienced 8 years ago - the event certainly has changed. Since that time ISC East has moved from THE international ISC - to the northeast regions ISC; the largest event serving this market. The international kick-off to the security calendar has now become ISC West, which has grown to 2+ times the size that we remember ISC East to be in the 1990's, and continues to grow annually.

What ISC East is about now is business; the people responsible for security in the northeast and those people looking to do business with them. It is the highest concentration of security professionals in the northeast, with the interest and buying power for the latest in products and technologies to meet their needs. The majority of the security professionals at ISC East do not attend ISC West, and still see ISC East as vitally important to them - as evident by some of the postings above.

But we continue to work to ensure the value of ISC East and some of the changes you will see around ISC East will in fact reflect certifications and training, as we partner with more of the industry's leading educators. We were very excited to have the PSA Network providing systems integrator training at this year's event, as well as Government Security News providing targeted content for government security professionals. In 2010 you will see greater use of video, twitter (and the continuation of this blog) in discussing and eliciting feedback around the events.

But increasing the value can’t happen unless we continue to hear from you. Keep telling us what you think.

Ed

ISC East Opens

...The 2009 ISC East opened this morning on an overcast day......OK, if you were here today you know it was a downpour! Despite the weather, and the diapers collecting water making its way through the roof, attendees came and by exhibitor accounts - not mine - the aisles were packed and the quality of attendance was up.

Through the draw of Public Security & Safety at ISC we realized a tripling of the government attendee registrations and these attendees were certainly noticed. Both of the education theaters were packed, as was the IP Technology Advancement Center.

JVC sponsored the VIP Lounge again this year and is ecstatic with the turnout.

We won't have preliminary numbers until the end of the show, and audited numbers for 6 weeks, but the buzz is good here and people are feeling optimistis about 2010.

Stayed tune for more news tomorrow.

Ed Nichols
Vice President
ISC Events
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Next stop......ISC East

As I sit (calmly) to write this week’s blog we are all eagerly preparing for next week’s ISC East. It’s been a long year for all of us, that’s for sure, and we’ve traditionally looked at ISC East being held in the late fall of the calendar year as the ‘end of the security year,’ but for 6,700 eager attendees – this is one of the most important week’s of the year. Here’s why:

New Products! 60%+ of the ISC East attendees do not attend any other major security event…and 96% of all ISC East attendees are attending to see new products. This year we’ve launched a physical new product showcase, right in the middle of the show floor, with the Security Industry Association (SIA). Over half of all participating manufacturers have taken advantage of this complimentary opportunity to showcase their new products. They have been launched at ISC West, but over 6,000 people are waiting to see them at ISC East!

Education! We are very proud to have partnered with the Security Industry Association in our development of education at the ISC events; and reaching out to the thought leaders in each of the disciplines to provide the highest level in product and systems training. This year’s ISC East sees the launch of PSA @ ISC; systems integration training developed by the PSA Network; the same education you’ve known and trusted at PSA-Tec. With limited space, we are hosting certified manufacturer training for (3) companies this year – Axis, Dedicated Micros and Redline have all taken advantage of this opportunity and we’ve got more than 500 registrants for each of the training sessions; some reaching over 1,000! We are also working with Security Products magazine to host our IP Technology Advancement Center (IP TAC) theater on the show floor. This theater will showcase the latest in IP technology and applications – and is complimentary to all ISC East attendees

Public Security & Safety Expo! From it’s successful launch at ISC West this spring; we’ve brought the Public Security & Safety Expo (PSS) to ISC East, partnering with the Security Industry Association and Government Security News. With over 50 companies representing the latest in access control, video surveillance and perimeter protection specifically for government, healthcare and education solutions, PSS at ISC East is the first thing you’ll see. We have two complimentary education theaters available in PSS, with content developed by Government Security News, discussing the latest in threats and awareness and the solutions available – and in development – to thwart them.

Special Events! – ISC East kicks off this year on Tuesday night with Government Security News’ Award Dinner, highlighting the best in government security solutions. The evening will culminate with the awarding of the Fred G. Morrone Award to Frances Townsend, the national security leader who served as Chair of the Homeland Security Council in the Bush administration.. Wednesday night is the Tri- Association Dinner, honoring John Murphy with Vector Security and Alan Forman with Altronix. Tickets are still available for both events by following the links above.

As you can see, there is a lot to do at this year’s ISC East. If you haven’t already registered, or have any questions, contact me enichols@reedexpo.com. I hope to see you in New York City next week.

Ed Nichols
Vice President
ISC Events
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The latest on security Brett Favre

...Like most of America, I tuned in to watch Monday Night Football last night, to see Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings beat the Green Bay Packers at the Metrodome 30-23. As most of you know, this game was much hyped as this was the first game for Favre playing against his former team, from which he was unceremoniously released last year after retiring and unretiring that off-season. Truth be told I am a Green Bay Packers fan – I married into it. My wife is born and raised in Green Bay, actually the suburb of Allouez, and we were married out there 7 years to the day of this game. As part of the ‘wedding dowry’ I was given access to Packers tickets, as elusive to some Wisconsin residents as the tooth fairy, and have faithfully gone ‘home’ for a sub-zero game in the frozen tundra for the last six years. Over the years, I’ve watched Brett Favre play, rooting for him against Oakland after his father passed away, seeing him pass Dan Marino for the passing record against Minnesota the day after my brother-in-law’s wedding, and painfully watching the ill-fated pass that was intercepted by the Super Bowl winning New York Giants to end the 2007 season. I’ve also joined Packers fans at Favre’s ‘last game’ as he nearly retired, first against the Seahawks in the Packers final home game of 2005, then in the season finale against the Bears at Soldier Field, and finally on that frozen day in overtime in Green Bay in 2007.

After his retirement – and unretirement – the Packer fan base was divided into two camps: Brett Favre fans and Green Bay Packers fans. As the saga played out, there were those, die-hard Favre fans (and most retired football players) who felt that Favre had accomplished so much in his career, and had done so much for the city/town of Green Bay (just over 100,000 people), that he should have the choice to return, not return, unreturn, etc, whenever he liked. On the other hand, the Packers realized that they had one of the youngest teams in the NFL and had nearly made the Super Bowl in 2007…with the oldest quarterback in the league. The business side of the NFL forces you to look honestly at the situation; you have 2-3 years to keep this young team together, with a strong armed young quarterback that you’ve designated the future of your franchise on the bench, and a sure Hall of Famer in his last season (perpetually) as your starter. I supported Packers management in their decision - as unpopular as it was, I still think it was the right one for the franchise.

That said, while I wanted to see the Packers win last night, I did enjoy seeing Favre play again. He played with an energy and motivation that I hadn’t seen late in the 2007, or with the Jets last year, or frankly in the early part of this season. I had always felt that his motivation for getting to the Vikings was selfish, that he would tarnish his reputation with those fans that would matter most – Green Bay Packers fans – by playing out this chess game that was necessary to get him to the Vikings to ‘stick it to’ his old team. But what I saw last night was someone who could still do it, could still perform at a high level, who just wanted to show everyone – including himself – that he still had it. And while the prognosticators will all argue about whether or not he will have it for the remainder of the season; I think he’s most concerned about having it just one more time – against Green Bay on November 1. If it is anything like the game last night, it will be fun to watch.

Ed Nichols
Vice President
ISC Events
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