Regularly in the print edition of Professional Security magazine, we feature an SSAIB installer. Here’s Adam Gray: security systems installation engineer/company owner of Leeds-based ASI Security.
Time in security business sector: June 1997 to present
Areas of expertise: Intruder alarms, CCTV, fire detection, access control, gate automation, data/fibre communications and smoke concealment installations
Accreditations: Intruder alarms and CCTV installations (SSAIB)
Question: Overall, how well do you think the security industry is dealing with the Government’s social distancing restrictions?
Adam Gray: I honestly think the security industry is struggling to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic – as domestic customers are cancelling installations and servicing, while some commercial companies have also closed. Our local security equipment suppliers are telling us that most local security companies have closed until further notice.
What does ASI Security bring to the industry and what do you consider to be your unique selling point?
Since leaving school in 1997, I have worked for my father’s security company that he started around 1980. We have had an impeccable reputation for the quality of our installations and customer service. When starting on my own, I made it my mission to continue with ensuring outstanding customer service and quality of all installations and that has now given us a very good reputation in the industry. We pride ourselves in all our installations, because we get the basics right, such as hiding all cables from intruder alarms and CCTV etc and going from there.
COVID-19 has hit every organisation hard across the country, if not the world. How much has your business been affected and what changes have you made to your working procedures, to continue to operate?
Unfortunately, we have been left with no choice but to cancel all installations. Some of our customers have also started to cancel – or put on hold – system services on their premises, until the Government lifts their lockdown policy and it is safe for us to go out to these customers to do these visits again.
You recently had your annual SSAIB audit, but this time it was done remotely. Can you tell us what you thought of your remote audit, the main differences from your normal audits and were you glad you were still able to go ahead with it, despite the face-to-face restrictions in place?
This year was only our second audit – as we are quite new to having the SSAIB accreditation – so I was a bit worried as to how it would be carried out at first. When we were contacted by the auditor, I was even more concerned about it – as we were to have a new inspector that didn’t know us as a company. However, once we received the email telling us how it would be done, it was very reassuring – as I was told that everything would be straight forward and would run smoothly. We prepared all our documents as we moved down the list sent to us and simply uploaded them to a portal, which we had been given some log-on details provided by SSAIB previously. We were also asked to load Skype onto our PC as the audit went ahead, where we could be asked questions relating to various documents that we could instantly reply to. All in all, the audit went very well and was done promptly and without any problems.
With over two years of third-party certification with SSAIB, what benefits do you think SSAIB approval brings to you and the sector overall?
Most of our new customers are from recommendation and word of mouth, which has always been the case. For example, if we get a recommendation on social media, we would reply back to the customer saying that we have SSAIB accreditation and police-insurance approvals and we normally get the work over most other companies who don’t have any accreditations. We also find that we get a lot of commercial customers now, due to having the approvals for police response systems etc.
How important to you was it to keep your SSAIB certification going during this pandemic and do you think that other SSAIB-registered firms should be prioritising their certification?
We have worked very hard, over the years, to grow our business to where it is now and have a very good reputation, Most of this reputation comes from having SSAIB – as it sets us apart from most of the other companies out there that don’t have any accreditations. It is very important for us to keep the certification going – as we still have an obligation to our existing customers with police-monitored systems, because they may have a closed site due to COVID-19. Therefore, other security companies should feel the same – as this may all be over soon, and we’ll all be able to continue as normal.
With the increased focus on security recently, are you finding end-users/customers know more about the services that ASI offer?
Over the past few years, DIY security has been offered more and more – as it’s advertised on television and social media more now, so we do find customers do their homework before contacting us. They do seem to know the basics when making enquiries, but we still find that we offer more options than most customers know about, so often get the job over DIY systems.
What sort of project would we usually see ASI Security involved in?
At this strange time, we find crime is still happening and criminals will not stop due to the Government guidelines. We have now found more demand for smoke concealment installations – as one of our new customers has been targeted more due to the lockdown, so we have been very busy covering all their shops in West Yorkshire with newly fitted smoke machines. We have also recently been involved in the system design and proposal for new security systems in airports up and down the country and a well-known nationwide jeweller, for their shop refits over the next three years.
Away from the coronavirus pandemic for a moment, what one change to the security industry would make life simpler for ASI Security?
I feel one big change I would like to see in this industry is for the industry to become licensed for installation companies. I feel it is too easy for anyone to set up as an installation company and fit systems as cheap as possible, meaning most professional companies don’t get a chance to quote for the same jobs.
With more “plug and play” devices being readily available off the shelf, what impact do you see home automation having on the security industry?
I do see the industry has changed for the worst in recent years – as a lot of aerial companies, electricians and home automation companies etc have set up offering CCTV and the like. More and more plug ang play CCTV kits are available on the market, which makes it easy for Joe Bloggs to install.
Finally, once this COVID-19 pandemic is over and the restrictions have been lifted, what is the first thing you are going to do that you can’t currently?
Once the restrictions have been lifted, I will concentrate on getting the servicing back in line and clear the overdue domestics service backlog due to COVID-19. Work aside, I will be looking forward to spending some much need time on holiday – after having cancelled our family trip away – and also spending some time out on my endure bike.
