By, Jorge Olivieri, Bacalao AI
Whether you’re an experienced business owner, a newcomer trying to break into the industry, or an executive at an established firm, understanding how startups operate can provide crucial insights into your own business strategy. Startups thrive because they can pivot quickly and adapt to market demands. This agility allows them to challenge industry giants and, in many cases, disrupt long-standing business models.
As the security industry continues to evolve, learning from these nimble newcomers can help you stay competitive, whether you’re a seasoned dealer or just starting out.
Learning to Pivot
As an owner who’s been around the block, you understand the traditional security model as it relates to RMR, contracts, professional installations, monitoring and cloud services to name a few. Potential adversaries to your business goes beyond your competition: climate events, AI, changing consumer palate, elections, interests and inflation, new laws and regulation makes it as important as ever to perform regular SWOT analyses (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats). What you will likely find performing this report will result in a listing of more threats than you can imagine (which is why you should work with a seasoned consultant). How quickly you react can mean the difference between surviving, thriving or failing.
One reason startups excel is because they don’t have the burden of legacy systems or outdated processes. This agility allows them to offer customers what they want faster. For example, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, smaller security firms were able to pivot almost immediately to offer cloud-based, video monitoring services. Meanwhile, larger companies struggled to adapt to the sudden shift in demand.
What can you do? For many, it starts with embracing innovation and streamlining operations. Consider how you can introduce more flexible services for your customers, or which technology you should be trying out in your market. By adopting the nimble mindset of a startup, you can make changes that keep you competitive in a rapidly evolving market. Attending industry events and networking will also help keep you up to date on what’s changing and what’s not.
Start Small, Scale Fast
If you’re new to the industry, agility is your biggest advantage. While established players might have more resources, you have the freedom to innovate and test new ideas without being bogged down by legacy processes.
As a newcomer, focus on areas where you can bring real value, such as offering video-verified alarm systems to reduce false dispatches and increase customer confidence. This service is not only appealing to homeowners but also to businesses looking for more reliable and responsive security systems. By specializing in verified alarm solutions, you can provide a more sophisticated offering, while also differentiating yourself from competitors still relying on older technologies. Most offerings that include video as a service will resonate, provide value to the customer and more RMR streams for your business. The key is to stay nimble, test new approaches, and be ready to pivot as the market evolves, especially as video verification continues to grow in popularity and accessibility.
For the Executive: Partner with Agility
If you’re leading an established company, you’re probably well-aware of the challenges posed by nimble startups. The big players have maintained their positions by innovating, but even they have recognized the need to partner with others to stay ahead. ADT’s partnership with Google is a prime example of how established firms can leverage agility to drive innovation by partnering up with one of the five FAANG corps. Not sure if we’ve seen the ROI in this example, but still, this level of thinking outside the box has scared pretty much everyone in the industry.
As an executive, your role is to encourage agility within your own company. One way to do this is by forming partnerships with startups, allowing you to tap into their innovative approaches and cutting-edge technologies. Alternatively, and much more popular, investing in smaller, fast-moving companies can bring fresh ideas to your own product offerings and help you stay competitive in an industry where technology evolves quickly.
Internally, fostering a culture of agility is just as important. Encourage teams to adopt a startup mentality—experiment with new ideas, test them quickly, and be willing to pivot. The companies that thrive in the next decade will be those that can combine the stability of an established firm with the adaptability of a startup.
Why Agility Matters for Everyone
The world is moving faster than ever. Technology is advancing rapidly, customer expectations are changing, and new players are entering the market every day. Startups have shown that the ability to pivot quickly, innovate, and challenge traditional business models is key to success.
For established businesses, this means testing new tech, re-evaluating how you engage with customers and adopting more flexible, customer-focused approaches. For newcomers, it means focusing on a niche, experimenting with new technologies, and scaling quickly. And for executives, it’s about fostering partnerships and creating an internal culture that values agility.
In the end, the future of the security industry belongs to those who can adapt and innovate. Whether you’re just starting out or have been in the game for decades, embracing agility will help you thrive in an ever-changing landscape
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jorge Olivieri is a seasoned strategic sales expert with over twenty years of experience in enhancing sales growth and broadening client bases across diverse industries. In addition to running his own business for a decade, Jorge also most recently was with Alarm.com. Fluent in English and Spanish, Jorge is known for his strategic sales approaches, strong client relationship skills, and a robust understanding of market trends and technologies.
Source: snnonline.com