2025 Security Industry Predictions: Chris Peterson, Founder and President, Vector Firm
Our ongoing series continues with prognostications from the founder and president of a security industry consulting firm.
Photo courtesy of Chris Peterson.
We’re continuing our 2025 Security Industry Predictions series with prognostications from Chris Peterson, the founder and president of security industry consultant Vector Firm.
Security Sales & Integration: Without getting into any specific vendors or branded solutions, what technology category or solution area do you see as 2025’s ripest, most profitable growth opportunity for security dealers, installers and integrators? Explain your reasoning.
Peterson: I still believe the largest growth opportunity for security integrators is to move their clients to the cloud and manage their security systems for them. End-users are requesting cloud access control and video, giving integrators the opportunity to deliver many services without rolling a truck.
To be clear, the opportunity for integrators is to deliver their managed security services, not to simply host the technology in the cloud.
SSI: These days, we’re all hearing a lot about the cloud migration, AI/machine learning, crime deterrence vs. crime reactiveness, etc. Which of these “hot topics” do you think is overplayed? Which ones do you think will truly transform the practice of security integration in the coming years?
Peterson: All three are probably being overplayed, but all three are also relevant and making an impact on the industry. I believe that AI/machine learning will make the largest transformation to the practice of security integration.
From technology they can use to become more proficient businesses to technology they can install for their customers, AI/machine learning will make a major impact on system integrators. Like virtually every other industry, AI will alter most things integrators do and are expected to deliver in the coming years.
SSI: On the business and operations side, which single factor (e.g., interest rates, talent-related issues, geopolitical stressors) poses the biggest challenge for the security industry right now? How can business owners mitigate their downside risk?
Peterson: Finding talent poses the biggest challenge for security businesses. The number of people entering the work force is drastically declining over the next generation or two, while the demand for security will continue to grow.
I believe businesses can mitigate their risk by using technology. By installing cloud-based products and delivering services virtually, integrators can drastically decrease time to service installations, enabling less people to do more work. AI tools can help integrators do more with less in virtually every area of their businesses.
The industry can also do a better job in finding talent by broadening searches for candidates. Instead of including a strict criterion for experience, integrators can develop on-boarding programs to enable searches for talent, work ethic, and culture fit, knowing that their on-boarding program will help fill the experience gap.
The industry can also do a better job of attracting and recruiting a greater percentage of women. Nearly 60% of bachelor’s degrees are earned by women, and if we’re ignoring that, we’re losing most of the population … not to mention unique perspectives and ideas.
SSI: What’s getting better about the security industry these days? What seems to be getting worse and worse?
Peterson: The industry seems to be getting younger and more innovative, which is positive. I can’t think of an area in which the industry is getting worse and worse. It seems to have identified weaknesses and is doing a decent job improving those areas – perhaps slower than many would like, but they’re getting worse.
SSI: What’s liable to catch some security dealers, installers and integrators off guard in the coming year?
Peterson: I think the pace at which technology providers and manufacturers sell directly to end-users will increase faster than many are projecting in 2025. End-users have access to information more than ever and are starting to feel comfortable without an integrator.
If integrators are not positioning themselves as subject matter experts and offering services to manage systems through the cloud, they will be in trouble in a few years, and I believe the acceleration of this dynamic could start as soon as 2025.
SSI: What’s the single most pressing issue that professionals in the security industry should look to tackle right now?
Peterson: This one is above my pay grade.😊
SSI: Finish this sentence: 2025 will be remembered as the year that the security industry …
Peterson: … had to shift from security professionals trying to run businesses to business professionals that happen to deliver security technology and services.
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