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Remote Video Monitoring: The Future of Security for Businesses

Remote Video Monitoring: The Future of Security for Businesses

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Frank Costa, President, Nexgen Protection Services

The future of security isn’t just on our doorstep — it’s breaking down the front door.
The security industry has experienced unprecedented advancements in technology and public policy, reshaping the way we approach safety and protection. And this rapid pace of change shows no signs of slowing.

Remote video monitoring (RVM) is poised to become a non-negotiable security tool for businesses — and soon, for homes.

2025 is not just about better security; it’s about smarter, proactive protection. RVM will be at the center of this shift.

This innovative approach addresses the limitations of on-site security guards and traditional surveillance systems. By integrating AI into RVM, businesses can mitigate human error, significantly reduce costs, and set new industry standards. Those who harness the power of AI for RVM will be well-positioned to thrive in this new era.

 

SOURCE: 

Selinger, D. 2025 will mark a turning point in physical security tech. Here’s why. Deep Sentinel, 12/20/2024.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey  #mobilesecurity #securitythreats

 

Retailers Must Leverage Technology That Goes Beyond Thwarting Theft to Predicting It

Retailers Must Leverage Technology That Goes Beyond Thwarting Theft to Predicting It

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Frank Costa, President, Nexgen Protection Services

Violence remains a major concern for the retail industry. Retailers and solution providers must collaborate to develop and implement technology that goes beyond simply thwarting theft. Efforts must focus on predicting and preventing theft. By doing so will proactively reduce the risk of violence and mitigate crime.

Retailers have reported an increase in both the average number of shoplifting incidents and the amount of dollars lost due to shoplifting over the past year (National Retail Federation, The Impact of Retail Theft & Violence 2024).

Protecting store associates and customers, while reducing today’s levels of violence and retail crime, requires a whole-community approach and collaboration across all stakeholders.

SOURCE: 

Wolfe, C. New Study Shows Shoplifting Is Up 93% Since Before the COVID-19 Pandemic, Loss Prevention Magazine, 12/19/2024.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey  #mobilesecurity #securitythreats

 

Recruit, Retain, and Lead Your Security Team with the Best

Recruit, Retain, and Lead Your Security Team with the Best

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Frank Costa, President, Nexgen Protection Services

When it comes to leadership, there’s one quality that most of us can recognize but few of us point to when deciphering what it truly means to be a leader.

What is it that makes us excel at what we do? There are many qualities we might identify: intelligence, experience, ambition, flexibility, and the mountain of intangibles that describe talent.

Follow These Rules When Building Your Security Team:

  • The past is something to learn from, not live in. Old habits, ideas, and routines don’t always work when taking on new roles and responsibilities. In a constantly changing world, looking back should only serve as a guide to moving forward.
  • Don’t be afraid of failure. We all strive to perform well, but it’s equally important to learn from our mistakes. If you’ve never failed, chances are you’re not reaching your full potential.
  • Don’t be afraid of success. Recognize your strengths and limitations, set realistic but challenging goals, and don’t hesitate to push yourself beyond your comfort zone.
  • Look for ways to apply new information to your everyday tasks. This helps spark innovative ideas and opens doors to new opportunities.
  • Your title doesn’t make you a leader—your people do. Be a servant leader. Trust your team and provide them with the opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed on their own merits.
  • See the big picture, but focus on individual steps. Moving toward the future is important, but we must also appreciate the journey. Every small step counts.
  • Working smart is just as important as working hard. We all understand the need to work hard to achieve our goals, but hard work alone isn’t enough. It takes patience, planning, and strategy to find the most efficient path forward.

 

SOURCE: 

Brittain, J. Changing the Pace of the Game, Loss Prevention Magazine, 12/19/2024.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey  #mobilesecurity #securitythreats

 

Building a Diverse, Resilient Team to Enhance Effectiveness

Building a Diverse, Resilient Team to Enhance Effectiveness

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Frank Costa, President, Nexgen Protection Services

 

Resilient teams possess four key traits that contribute to their success: collaboration, diverse skill sets, camaraderie, and positivity.

In today’s fast-paced and ever-changing business landscape, resilience is essential. It is the ability to respond to events or crises in a coordinated manner, minimizing damage and enabling a sustainable path forward. And it all starts with building resilient teams.

These teams are prepared to navigate disruptive events—or a series of events—with cohesion and precision. As a result, when they emerge on the other side, the need for damage control is minimal, and resuming operations and returning to business as usual is both straightforward and sustainable. That’s the goal.

Don’t avoid conflict—tackle it head-on. Even if it’s as subtle as a silent expression in a meeting, leave no stone unturned when it comes to gauging your team’s sentiments and perspectives. Build a culture of transparency and honesty, and make sure to listen to your people.

 

SOURCE: 

Horton, M. Building organizational resilience for sustainable success, Security Magazine, 10/03/2024.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey  #mobilesecurity #securitythreats

 

Aligning your metrics to key security processes within the organization is what’s really important. The challenge is to measure the right things.

Understand What Security Processes Are Essential For The Business To Succeed

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Frank Costa, President Nexgen Protection Services – 

Aligning your metrics to key security processes within the organization is what’s really important.  The challenge is to measure the right things.

Security managers need to speak to senior leaders in familiar business language, offering measurable results that correlate with investment. Without compelling metrics, security managers and their budgets rely largely on the intuition of company leadership.

Experts agree, saying what’s important isn’t just about the numbers used but how those measures highlight that business story while solving problems to further business goals.

 

SOURCE: 

Randolph, C. Metrics that matter: How security professionals can show value, Security Magazine, 11/05/2024.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey  #mobilesecurity #securitythreats

 

Organizations Must Be Ready to Assess Potential Security Risks to Protect Everyone

Organizations Must Be Ready to Assess Potential Security Risks to Protect Everyone

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Frank Costa, President Nexgen Protection Services – 

Security leaders across environments — spanning retail stores, corporate businesses, residential communities and cities — should prepare for threats that will require fast and informed action. We all have experienced major cultural moments, including the 2020 election, COVID-19 pandemic, and nationwide protests. 

It is critical for organizations to put in place security protocols to preserve employee and public safety while respecting the rights of citizens.  Creating a plan and protocols to address these incidents will help you ensure a coordinated response.

  • Establish communication protocols. Create clear communication protocols that explain how information will flow to key parties, such as store or business leadership, employees, customers, neighboring businesses and law enforcement.

  • Assess physical defense measures. How can you protect your building from damage or control the flow of traffic and people?

  • Promote de-escalation tactics. Reinforce your communication protocols during this training. Ensure that the safety of every employee and customer is the number one priority, reminding them to not get involved if physical violence occurs.

  • Implement safety technology. Cameras, alarms, motion detectors, and motion-triggered lights can all bring visibility to situations, add necessary deterrence if you make the decision to close a location, and gather evidence to help law enforcement pursue bad actors. Revisit your existing security investments to assess their capabilities, and consider whether you need new solutions to cover your gaps.   

 

SOURCE: 

Kelley, M. 3 potential security risks to stay ahead of post-election, Security Magazine, 11/20/2024.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey  #mobilesecurity #securitythreats

 

soft skills

Soft Skills Pay Off for Retailers Creating Safer Workplaces

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Frank Costa, President Nexgen Protection Services – 

De-escalating volatile situations starts with communication skills, which can help in understanding and then talking down a challenging customer. The overall goal in this stage is to calm the person down and bring him or her to a more reasonable interaction.

For sales floor associates, framing a conversation around collaboration or finding a solution to appease the customer is another tactic that can de-escalate a volatile shopper into a satisfied one.

Communication skills have broad benefits, helping sales associates communicate and provide customer service to shoppers who may enter a store in an aggressive mood.

Non Confrontational engagement with customers through the sharing of knowledge and tools on mitigating volatile situations ensures everyone is able to enjoy the shopping experience. 

 

SOURCE: 

Mosqueda, S. Soft Skills Pay Off for Retailers Creating Safer Workplaces, Security Management, 2/12/2024.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey  #mobilesecurity #securitythreats

Breaking Through to Better Communication During De-Escalation

Deescalation & Conflict Resolution: Strategies for a Secure Workplace

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Frank Costa, President Nexgen Protection Services – 

Ensuring a secure and harmonious workplace involves effectively managing conflicts and potential violence. This is where the concepts of de-escalation and conflict intervention become essential tools for promoting safety and preventing workplace violence.

Focus is on the identification and management of aggressive behaviors and empowering employees to respond to those behaviors in a way that minimizes the risk of injury—whether psychological, social, or physical—to the person in crisis or the staff.

 

Utilize these three non-content elements to create comfort in a stressful situation – 

Tone of voice. 

If what you say doesn’t match how you say it, trust is lost. Adopting a soft, quiet tone of voice helps quiet people down to ensure they can hear you. 

Proximity. 

During de-escalation, responders tend to come closer to the individual in distress to try and influence them. Give the individual in crisis the space they need to feel safe. Sometimes even miming touching the person on the upper arm can signal support and safety.

Space to vent. 

Although safety must always come first, the best conversations take place with comfort for both parties, and if someone is not comfortable, it is important that we give them some room to get that discomfort out of the way.

SOURCE: 

Meyer, C. Breaking Through to Better Communication During De-Escalation, 11/1/2024.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey  #mobilesecurity #securitythreats

 

Security Firm Agents Identify Threats That AI Simply Cannot

Security Firm Agents Identify Threats That Artificial Intelligence (AI) Simply Cannot

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Frank Costa, President Nexgen Protection Services – 

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become deeply integrated into both our personal and professional lives. From dynamic pricing to healthcare diagnostics, businesses across sectors leverage AI to improve efficiency and outcomes.

AI can efficiently sift through thousands of résumés, highlighting candidates with the right keywords for specific roles.  Human recruiters excel at evaluating soft skills, emotional intelligence, and adaptability—traits that are crucial to success in almost any role. These insights come through interviews, personal interactions, and even informal conversations that AI simply cannot replicate.

Combining AI’s strengths with human intuition, organizations can build diverse, talented teams that support long-term success.

SOURCE: 

Ruiz, V. Background Checks for Security Businesses, Security Info Watch Magazine, 11/7/2024.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey  #mobilesecurity #securitythreats

 

Background Checks Can Spot Red Flags On Applications

Background Checks Can Spot Red Flags On Applications

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Frank Costa, President Nexgen Protection Services – 

For security integrators and consultants, background checks play an obviously vital role, as many employees are placed in a position of high trust for customers.   

During the hiring process, a company may conduct a background check to ensure that a candidate does not have a criminal background that could create a danger in the workplace or is being truthful about their employment history. 

Background checks verify a wealth of information about prospective candidates:

 

Identity: 

Background checks can help verify a person’s identity. Checking against records like social security numbers and fingerprint databases ensures that a person is actually who they say they are and has no malicious intentions.

 

Credit: 

Depending on who conducts a background check, it may include a detailed or abbreviated credit history report. Credit history is a crucial determinant of whether a lender will approve a loan to someone, while employers can check a prospective employee’s credit history to gauge how responsible they might be.

 

Criminal history: 

Background check providers will compare a person against several criminal databases on a state, national, and international level to ensure any relevant criminal charges in an applicant’s past are brought to light. Knowing this information is especially important for employers, especially for jobs in the security industry.

 

Employment, academic, and licensure verification: 

Background checks can also verify essential qualifications such as employment history, academic credentials, and licenses. Since these qualifications are often legally required for jobs, verifying them with a background check ensures that new hires meet all legal requirements.

 

SOURCE: 

Coats, K. Background Checks for Security Businesses, Security Info Watch Magazine, 11/19/2024.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey  #mobilesecurity #securitythreats