We’ve surveyed security and IT professionals about their biggest challenges annually. Getting budget for access control upgrades always makes the list. Helping potential customers get that money increases the probability of a sale in the short term and sets you up as a trusted advisor in the longer term, something that is becoming increasingly important as our industry moves from one-time installation sales to a subscription model.
We’ve compiled 8 tips from security insiders on effective strategies to help you help your customers convince their bosses that their access control upgrade makes good business sense.
1. Show data on the cost of security breaches at other companies.
Compiling data on the cost of breaches underscores the potential cost of inaction.
2. Let the executive team know that they are personally liable if threat assessments are ignored because of a lack of budget.
Bearing legal responsibility for physical threats, information misuse, and unauthorized access is a strong motivator to implement upgrades. Demonstrating how physical security upgrades help protect proprietary information makes your proposal even stronger.
3. Collaborate with other job functions to understand their requirements for a physical security solution. Make it cross-functional with multiple stakeholder groups.
There’s strength in numbers. Gaining cross-functional support before presenting to executives helps your customer explain the positive impact for multiple departments and reduce naysayers.
4. Show how investing in securing the facility will lower insurance premiums.
Your customer can demonstrate tangible ROI from a physical security upgrade by identifying ways security upgrades can reduce existing operational costs and better protect the people in the company.
5. Show physical models of the type of system you want to implement.
Help your customer demo how and why the new system is better. Bring the concept of “security upgrade” into a more tangible discussion by demonstrating the benefits of components like better panels and locks. Depending on the audience, your customer might also share technical data sheets of features and capabilities after the real-time show and tell.
6. Elevate the conversation from security budget to risk management.
All security budget conversations should tie back to the management of security risk. The security upgrade isn’t just an additional expense, it’s a milestone for overall risk management. Advise your customer to include all business managers that own security risk in the conversation.
7. Show a model of your property (i.e. using architectural plans) with proposed security systems in place.
You’ve likely noticed by now that making the security upgrade proposal as tangible as possible is a recurring theme. Your customer should show where specific upgrades will eliminate security vulnerabilities in the building and clearly demonstrate the immediate benefits of the upgrade.
8. Go through IT.
The IT department is often the best advocate for security upgrades in most companies. They can speak to potential integrations, other security and risk mitigation efforts, and the technical resources needed on the company’s end. It’s good for your customer to get IT on their side.