Volume 51

Volume 51 | April 8, 2024

Welcome to Edition 51 of the Access Control Executive Brief called What am I seeking at ISC West?

What am I seeking at ISC West? Amid the ACS Quest scavenger hunt, four booth activations, activating the AI Discovery Zone in partnership with ISC West, numerous meetings, and social outings, I'm looking for one thing. It's not about mobile credentials, cloud-based solutions, or even AI. I'm searching for who has a clear strategy, intention, and communication with an even clearer perspective. I'm seeking sophistication in the increasingly complex market.

What makes me feel this way, particularly at this ISC West, unlike others I've attended? It's primarily due to the influence of big tech on our industry. More on what I mean below.

As always, your feedback is invaluable to us. Please let me know if there's any area where we can better meet your expectations.

Thank you!

PS: I am sure some of you may forward this, but please do so sparingly and encourage others to sign up here. Thank you!

What am I seeking at ISC West?

Many companies and individuals in the access control industry aspire to:

Cause disruption not only to the traditional aspects of the industry but also to the established leaders.
Propel technology advancement. Our industry has been slow to adapt and adopt new technologies at scale for too long. This conservatism was once seen as a feature but is now a bug.
Collaborate with large tech companies. We desire to feature at their conferences, be listed on their websites, and penetrate the mainstream market.
Enhance physical security and safety. This principle is at the heart of our operations and forms the identity of many in our industry.
Improve user experience. We have been conditioned to think that creating friction and barriers is the way to increase physical security and safety.

Big Tech's desires:

They want to sell more core products by entering new markets and creating value, such as selling more phones.
The goal is to sell more services related to these core products. Since their technology is well-established in new verticals (to them, latest, to us, old), they can extract more value from it.
To provide more value to their customers who use these products and services. Increased user engagement often leads to greater satisfaction and intrinsic value. This is frequently achieved by eliminating friction and barriers while introducing new technological opportunities.
This will create more utility, increasing the use of their products and services and making them more indispensable.

Also, we have:

They have the advantages of time, money, and a separate business, which provides flexibility. In contrast, we lack time, money, and the flexibility a secondary business could offer.

We possess expertise in our dynamic yet fragmented industry and handle a challenging legacy base. Conversely, they need to gain our industry expertise, the capability to consolidate this fragmentation, and the resources required to rip and replace the legacy base.

But change is imminent, and resistance is futile.

Opportunities abound only for those who act.

And we sometimes forget that the access control industry is our business.

So, what do we do?

Should our business change?

Should we protect our business more?

What does it mean for our industry?

How should we show up?

What are the additional upsides and benefits?

What are the downsides?

But what are we giving up?

What are we preventing by not coming together?

What else could we get if we collectively worked together?

These are just the beginning of the challenging questions.

Our industry needs clear points of view. We must stop internal conflicts and recognize the more significant rewards and threats. We need to focus on our priorities and practices.

The external threats we face today are unlike any we've seen before, but they don't have to be considered threats. For those who act with clear intentions and strategies, the new age of modern access control represents nothing but opportunities.

Let's see who understands that by exploring ISC West on foot. That's what I'm aiming to discover.

ACS at ISC West: ACS Quest + In Booth Activations + AI Discovery Zone

ACS Quest: Get ready for a unique experience at ISC West! ACS Quest is not your ordinary scavenger hunt, as we highlight companies, people, and the community within the access control and smart lock industry. We've limited the "hunters" to 500 people, engaged with industry influencers and manufacturers, and offered real prizes and engagement like never before. Our top prizes are $25,000 💰 🤑 😎 for the winners on Wednesday and another $25,000 💰 🤑 😎 on Thursday. Want to be a hunter and have a chance to win? Sign up now using the link here and be the first to complete the tasks. The info is https://www.leeodess.com/acsquest if you or your company want to join as a sponsor to drive engagement at ISC West. The more companies that sign up, the bigger the cash prizes get. To be clear, you do not need a booth to sponsor. The ACS Quest is open to anyone there, as we can set up challenges for "hunters" to find you on the show floor, at a partner booth, or in a suite.

In Booth Activations: We are partnering with acre security, Genea Security, LiftMaster, and ZKTECO USA to deliver a new style of activation within their booths during ISC West, and you are invited to come check it out and engage in the discussions. Inspired by the dynamic styles of ESPN and Squawk on the Street, ACS at ISC West breaks away from other traditional activations. Over two days, the pop-up will showcase exclusive interviews and discussions in ten-minute blocks, featuring insights from prominent industry figures, thought leaders, and innovators, the company says. These discussions range from intimate one-to-one conversations to enlightening panel sessions, offering diverse perspectives on crucial industry topics. Attendees can participate in conversations, engage in Q&A sessions, and partake in giveaways. This experience aims to cultivate meaningful connections and encourages knowledge exchange within the access control community. Here is what to expect on Wednesday and Thursday (panel names and speakers to come shortly)

Thursday, April 11
- Genea Security booth from 11 am - 1 pm
- Liftmaster booth from 2 pm - 4 pm
Thursday, April 11
- acre security booth from 11 am - 1 pm
- ZKTECO USA from 2 pm - 4 pm

ACS24 Europe to Take Place in Zurich in Collaboration with Google

We are excited to announce that ACS24 Europe will be taking place in Zurich on 5/29 (networking reception at night) and 5/30 (all-day conference) in collaboration and hosted by Google. Building off of ACS23, which was in October in Washington DC, where we had 166 executives from all over the globe join us, we can't wait to bring this executive-level thought leadership summit to Europe and focus it on the "power of the ecosystem."

We have over 60 speakers committed: C-suite executives from leading manufacturers, integrators, specifiers, and end users.

Please let me know if you are interested in speaking at the event or attending. There will be a combination of 1:1 fireside chats and panels discussing various topics focused on today and tomorrow of the access control and smart lock industry. There is no other event like this, and you want to attend.

For more information or to sign up, please go to the landing page for the event here. Again, please get in touch with me directly if you or your leadership team are interested in speaking. I am actively finishing up the agenda together as we speak. There are limited speaking spots and only 250 tickets, so act fast.

The Forum at The Security Event in Birmingham

We partnered with The Security Event, held April 30 - May 2 in Birmingham (UK), to activate The Forum. The Forum is a thought leadership pavilion hosting over 25 companies and 30 discussions on various topics. You can find the full schedule, topics, and presenters here.

Companies participating are IDCube, Tapkey, ISEO, Galaxy Systems, acre security Syngaurd, CoreWillSoft, Touch2Access, Sharry, STiD, ILOQ, Comelit, Honeywell, Keynetics, Wavelynx, Gallagher, AMAG, Suprema, Hivewatch, and HID.

We are taking a different approach to presenting ideas and discussions. We broke down the topics into five different formats:

Trends: Innovative Approaches to Presenting Industry-Impacting Trends
Vertical Market Discussions Conventional approach to addressing particular industry verticals
State Your Claim: Introducing a new format: presenters will have 2 minutes to state their claim on controversial industry-related topics. This unfiltered insight into leading manufacturers' views will shape the industry for tomorrow. Attendees' views will be collected and shared in a cohesive report after the show.
Your POV & Live Poll: Presenters will have 2 minutes to express their views on a topic in the new format. This will provide attendees with unfiltered insights into how leading manufacturers perceive controversial issues affecting the industry today and shaping it for the future. At the end, attendees will vote for the presenter they believe best conveyed their point of view.
Position Paper Live In the new format, presenters will use a previously published position paper as a foundation to develop their perspective on the topic. Subsequently, the position paper will be updated to incorporate the shared views.

Topics will include:

AI in Access Control and Smart Locks: Today's Innovations and Applications for Tomorrow's Future
Vertical Discussion:
- Industrial Vertical
- Critical Infrastructure Vertical
- Commercial Real Estate Vertical
- Hospitality Vertical
- Residential Vertical
- High-Security Government and Federal Vertical
- Retail Vertical
- Education Vertical
Merging Horizons: Are Video Surveillance and Access Control Now Indistinguishable?
Integrating Access Control: Enhancing Business Operations with Digital Keys, Companion Apps, and Add-Ons
Is going direct to customers by manufacturers good or bad? A case and a conversation on both.
State Your Claim:
- Convince Us Why Proprietary or Non-Proprietary is Better
- What defines the new enterprise in access control system?
- Balancing Security and User Experience in Physical Access Control Systems: Challenges and Best Practices
- What Modality Will Win and Where - cards, mobile, biometrics, etc?
Breaking Barriers: Advancing Inclusion in the Physical Access Control Industry
Your POV & Live Poll: Is Cloud, Onsite, or Hybrid architecture better? Why?
Establishing and Maintaining a Robust Cybersecurity Framework: Strategies for Enterprise Security Excellence
Are Visitor Management and Access Control One in the Same?
Position Paper "Live": Your Thoughts and Why a Power Shift is Happening Right Now in the Global Access Control Market
Optimizing Security and Communication: Strategies for Efficient, Scalable, and Integrated Access Control Systems
State of Digital Credential Market Adoption in the UK and Surrounding Areas

Designed by the industry for the industry, The Security Event returns to the Birmingham NEC from April 30 - May 2, 2024, reuniting manufacturers, distributors, installers, integrators, consultants, and end users.

The exhibition will showcase the world's leading security brands, offering you the best opportunity to source the latest products, technologies, and solutions while networking and meeting with key experts from across the industry. Ensure you're up-to-date with the latest developments and issues in security via our comprehensive education program.

ACS101 Course Development

Access Control Executive Brief members collaborate weekly to develop the industry's first 2-week Access Control 101 education sprint. Through 12 planned modules and weekly 1 hour webinars, the members want to bring a highly effective and non-influenced primer course for everyone and anyone looking to enter the access control industry. We hold weekly calls on Fridays and work together in shared docs, Miro boards, and Slack to create this curriculum. If you want to contribute, please message me and join us on Slack at channel #acs101. Thank you to the following members who have contributed so far.

Volume 51

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