Many security dealers, integrators and installers have built their reputation on reliable installations: cameras, access control systems, alarms and surveillance infrastructure, including guards, that work as expected.
That level of dependability remains important, but enterprise clients are now looking beyond standalone deployments. They’re asking for solutions that do more than monitor. They want systems that connect guards on the ground with digital oversight, unify alerts and reporting and streamline how people, policies and platforms work together.
This isn’t just a shift in product demand; it’s a rethinking of how physical security fits into the broader operational strategy. It’s an opening for integrators to evolve from hardware specialists into long-term partners who enable smarter, more responsive security operations.
What Security Guard Clients Want Now
Security leaders are navigating an environment marked by escalating threats like climate disasters, workplace violence, and constrained resources. Compounding these issues is a notable uptick in doxxing incidents targeting corporate executives.
Doxxing involves the unauthorized online exposure of an individual’s or organization’s private data, often with the aim of causing harm or distress. This is just one of the many ways cybercriminals manipulate technology to intimidate their victims.
An August 2024 report indicated that 72% of U.S. cybersecurity professionals observed cyberattacks against senior leaders in the preceding 18 months, highlighting organizations’ growing cyberthreats. These converging challenges are compelling organizations to reassess and integrate their physical and digital security strategies to safeguard their assets and personnel effectively.
Today’s enterprise clients expect more than basic functionality from their security systems. They want operational clarity – real-time coordination across sites, centralized dashboards that reflect what’s happening on the ground, and reporting tools that don’t require days of digging through spreadsheets.
Most are moving away from paper-based spreadsheet logs, disjointed systems and legacy equipment that can’t scale or integrate. Instead, they’re asking for platforms that unify all physical security touchpoints, including guard activity, incident alerts, post orders and access control, into a single pane of glass with integrated workflows that give corporate security teams the situational awareness to make informed decisions in real time.
These clients don’t just want information. They want it accessible, accurate and actionable. They want to know when a guard missed a checkpoint, an incident escalated or compliance tasks were overdue without having to chase someone down for answers.
Systems that provide that level of transparency are no longer “nice to have;” they’re expected. Integrators who deliver connected systems that are always on — providing real-time oversight and continuous service — are building deeper customer relationships and securing longer-term, more profitable contracts.
That might mean offering mobile-first reporting solutions that allow guards to send incident updates from the field with GPS stamps, photos, and real-time status changes. It also means supporting digital post orders that can be instantly updated and confirmed with acknowledgment receipts.
Many teams also need scheduling and compliance tools built into the same system, so missed tours, skipped tasks, or compliance failures are flagged before they become vulnerabilities.
This visibility drives action, and integrators are in the right spot to make it happen. Here’s a glance at the reasons why this shift isn’t slowing down:
- Inconsistencies in guard service delivery are a growing concern. While high turnover rates are a significant challenge for security service providers, the repercussions extend to corporate clients. Frequent personnel changes can lead to inconsistent service quality, lack of site familiarity, and diminished rapport with employees. Security service clients want stability and reliability in their security operations providers.
Corporate security leaders prioritize consistency: guards who are well-acquainted with their environment, understand specific protocols, and can respond effectively to incidents. Integrators offering connected, user-friendly platforms can aid service providers in standardizing performance across shifts and teams.
Such solutions not only enhance the reliability of security services but also promote stronger, long-term relationships between clients and their security partners.
- Threats are no longer siloed. Cyber vulnerabilities are surfacing as physical security risks through tactics like tailgating, identity spoofing, and compromised access control credentials. Many integrators still install these systems as standalone hardware, unaware that without connection to a broader monitoring infrastructure, they leave critical gaps in protection. Today’s threat landscape demands integrated platforms that tie physical access points into centralized oversight, enabling security teams to detect and respond in real time.
- Clients want proof, and not just for internal peace of mind. Facilities must show that policies are actively enforced and aligned with control frameworks like those from the FAIR Institute and others guiding corporate risk and compliance standards. Systems that capture compliance data through digital receipts, timestamps, and task logs – and surfaced in a centralized platform – help ensure daily accountability while demonstrating how cyber and physical control frameworks intersect to meet broader audit, governance, and regulatory requirements.
- Multi-site teams need to see everything. Most enterprise security directors oversee multiple locations. Integrators that offer real-time dashboards and multi-site tracking capabilities stand out.
What Tools Are in Demand
Advanced and carefully crafted features like mobile guard tour tracking, automated incident reporting, customizable compliance workflows and centralized dashboards are becoming non-negotiable for large enterprises. That doesn’t mean pushing a specific product; it means understanding what these capabilities offer to the end-user and ensuring clients have access to platforms that support them.
Mobile check-ins reduce falsified patrol logs, geofenced task completion prevents task fraud, and automated escalation workflows ensure that nothing sits in an inbox when it should be acted on. Even more importantly, these tools provide a way to manage dispersed teams from a single screen. This may include a corporate security lead reviewing incident trends or a regional manager ensuring patrols are completed at every site.
Then, there are the apparent disruptions to daily operations, like a breakdown in communication. Ask any client, and they will tell you one of the most common failure points is communication. Outdated tools like two-way radios or manual call lists can’t keep pace with fast-moving events. Centralized communication tools let supervisors send alerts or revised protocols to entire guard teams or specific posts and confirm receipt in seconds.
If protocols change mid-shift or an incident needs an immediate response, messages shouldn’t rely on someone relaying them verbally or hoping they reach the right person. Tools that support multi-channel alerts, direct check-ins, and push notifications help ensure accountability.
The Next Wave of Security Guard Operations
When clients shift from product-focused to outcome-focused expectations, integrators must follow suit. That means offering layered services, not just hardware. The key is to stay in the loop, not walk away once the last camera is mounted.
As enterprise security becomes more data-driven, there’s a growing need for integrators who understand the tech stack and the human element. This includes knowing when to bring in partners, like guarding providers, mobile patrol vendors, or remote monitoring centers, to complete the picture.
The security operations of tomorrow won’t run on isolated systems. The integrators who can offer a path forward that includes technology, service and trusted partnerships will lead the shift, not follow it.
James Benum is the chief product and strategy officer at Trackforce.
