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Scott Young and his vision for the future of the Security Systems division at GardaWorld

Scott Young

Scott Young is the recently appointed National Vice President for Security Systems and Technology at GardaWorld Canada. We wanted to find out what drove him to take on this new endeavour, and his vision for the future.

Why did you take this opportunity?

Well, to be honest with you, I was initially hesitant about it! I had been working with our Prairie security guarding team for 4 years. Having spent over a decade in business development across Canada before that Operations role, I was really confident in the service we were providing and excited about the journey our team was on.

However, the more I looked into the security systems market and having worked through some manned guard-to-technology transitions with clients previously, I became intrigued about the potential that existed for GardaWorld in this space. As you know, camera resolution, automation, interface usability, AI applications and a shift to cloud management and storage have evolved so much in recent years. It’s an exciting time for the industry.

Ultimately, what put it over the top for me, was the opportunity to meet our Security Systems and Technology teams across Canada and see the quality of the group I would be working with. It was great to learn about the high expectations for customer service and innovation that we also push in the guarding world. The potential synergies to augment GardaWorld’s physical security and risk management programs with industry leading technology was an exciting opportunity that I had to jump on.

What is your vision for growing the Security Systems division in Canada?

First of all, the cross-selling opportunities are immense. GardaWorld is fortunate to have a significant brick and mortar presence across Canada and a client list of thousands of blue-chip organizations. We’re building a consistent, high-quality service to support our clients all across the country. This includes industrial, commercial and corporate clients, large and small. At the same time, we’ll be expanding the premium residential smart home security we offer through our Liberty Security acquisition, as well as expanding our retail and wholesale alarm monitoring business with a focus on quality of service.

There has been a fair bit of consolidation in the industry over the last few years. I think there is an opportunity to expand our dealer program with the leaders we have in this area, while looking at strategic acquisitions in key markets. We are open for business for the right partnerships anywhere in Canada and I would encourage potential partners to reach out to have a conversation.

What is the added value that technology brings to businesses who require security services?

Technology brings data and visibility into not just your security operations, but your business analytics as well. With the acceptance of Enterprise Security Risk Management across many organizations in Canada, the security department is no longer a simple cost centre, but a valued business partner with a seat at the table for strategic decision-making. The technology that exists today allows for smarter, more informed decision-making, while also securing people, assets and information. We’re enhancing loss prevention, while also providing real business insights in a user-friendly and very slick way.

What are some challenges that the industry faces today?

Wages are rightfully going up across the country for security guards. However, the unemployment rate and staffing crunch facing organizations in all industries in North America is real. I don’t see that going away anytime soon following the pandemic-induced change to employee work/life expectations. Increasingly, in the face of higher labour costs and reduced availability of talent, organizations are looking to technology to be more efficient in their security programs. Through remote video monitoring with a highly trained, real-time, situationally-aware manned guard response, as an example, we can provide a more efficient and effective solution than just manpower or just technology independently. GardaWorld is also one of the only providers capable of offering these services in Canada’s both official languages to service clients from coast to coast.

What are some of the advantages of employing video analytics?

Winning organizations today rely on real-time business intelligence and data to make their decisions and adapt to rapidly changing customer behaviour. With video analytics we are able to provide tangible information for businesses to better understand their operations from a marketing and risk perspective. Heat mapping is a great example of this. Business owners can track and assess their customer activity throughout their premises, allowing them to intelligently place products in high or low traffic areas.

To sum it up, by leveraging the security and risk management expertise of our physical security division, we can provide intelligent security/vulnerability threat assessments and prescribe the most efficient combination of physical and technological security solutions. I’m very excited about our newly-enhanced collaboration between our divisions. We will offer some of the most robust solutions that combine technology installation and service with informed monitoring and response.

To speak with one of our experts, contact GardaWorld Security Systems at 1-833-GARDA-33 (1-833-427-3233) or email prod.sys@garda.com.