The Faces in Your Crowd
SSI‘s 2010 Demographic Census reveals the unique qualities that distinguish the dedicated security professionals who own, operate and manage North America’s installing systems businesses.
Who are the managers and leaders of today’s installing security companies? Don’t you really want to know? Who are the people dedicated to promoting safety and protection, and who possess the business acumen and technical know-how that has elevated the industry and continues to drive electronic security forward? Where do they come from? What is their experience? What are their beliefs? How do they run their businesses? What are their commonalities, and differences? If this is your peer group, don’t you really want to know more about your colleagues and competitors, and see how you stack up?
Wonder no more. To answer these and so many more riveting and relevant questions, SSI has released the results of its third, biannual Security Industry Demographic Census. The 2010 study polled nearly 300 managers from all levels of installing security dealer and systems integration organizations. Conducted by the research team at Bobit Business Media, SSI’s parent company, the project was further solidified by the participation of the Electronic Security Association (ESA), Central Station Alarm Association (CSAA) and (ISC organizer) Reed Exhibitions.
Taking the evolving industry, dynamic business climate and tempestuous economy into account, the Industry Census has been accordingly enhanced, modified, and expanded. While some of the findings are what one might expect, others are rather startling.
In general, managers at security installation firms are college-educated, Republican, 50-year-old Caucasian males who are married with three kids and have spent at least 20 years in the industry. Meanwhile, most say they are working long hours in the face of higher stress and fl at or less financial compensation.
From an operations standpoint, 84 percent of companies conduct background checks of prospective employees, retirement benefits are down but profit-sharing opportunities are up, vehicle fleets have been slashed, and “greenness” is not a high priority.
The full story unfolds in the colorfully presented data that follows.
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About the Author
Scott Goldfine, Editor-in-Chief and Associate Publisher
Scott Goldfine is Editor-in-Chief and Associate Publisher of Security Sales & Integration. Well-versed in the technical and business aspects of electronic security (video surveillance, access control, systems integration, intrusion detection, fire/life safety), Goldfine is nationally recognized as an industry expert and speaker. Goldfine is involved in several security events and organizations, including the Electronic Security Association (ESA), Security Industry Association (SIA), Security Industry Alarm Coalition (SIAC), False Alarm Reduction Association (FARA), ASIS Int'l and more. Goldfine also serves on several boards, including the SIA Marketing Committee, CSAA Marketing and Communications Committee, PSA Cybersecurity Advisory Council and Robolliance. He is a certified alarm technician, former cable-TV tech, audio company entrepreneur, and lifelong electronics and computers enthusiast. Goldfine joined Security Sales & Integration in 1998.
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