Selling out-of-the-box security solutions

THE far-reaching impact of security risks and issues in today's globalised economy has pushed security to the forefront of business survival. With this comes the need for more companies to recognise that CCTVs and alarm systems are no longer adequate solutions, and that investing in security does not have to be just an expensive fixed business cost.

Capitalising on the latest technological advances in monitoring and security systems, Ademco Security Group has been a driving force in changing the Singapore security landscape.

"We are not box sellers. We sell them a solution which is 95 per cent out of the box, 5 per cent customised," says Mr Toby Koh, Ademco's group managing director.

In the delivery of their customised security solutions, the company has been helping other companies not only protect their assets - people, processes and technology - but also enhance their business operations by managing risks and creating value.

With its ability to integrate technologies to offer sophisticated and customer-centric services, it is hardly surprising that Ademco has surpassed many of its peers to become a leader in Singapore's security technology industry.

For the past decade, Ademco has been enjoying double-digit growth every year. It has also achieved a turnover of US$35 million in year 2015.

Ademco has consistently won customers' confidence with value-added and innovative customised solutions. This has garnered the firm a strong client base across multiple industry sectors, ranging from business, education, government, retail to critical facilities such as homeland security, casinos and energy plants.

Ademco's growing customer profile runs the gamut from Exxon Mobil, HP, IBM to Amazon and even Unilever. The company has retained as high as 98 per cent of its clients and secured a number of notable projects.

"It was a David and Goliath story," Mr Koh recounts. Despite facing tough competition from industry behemoths such as ST Engineering, Honeywell and Tyco, Ademco clinched the tender for Resorts World Sentosa (RWS).

In the project, it delivered state-of-the-art technology that extends across high-security solutions as well as operations and management efficiency. Ademco leveraged the same smartcard technology that is used to restrict access to particular venues to create an automated uniform collection system for RWS employees, eliminating the long queues for the 18,000-strong RWS workforce.

Ademco's commitment to innovation has propelled the company to continually introduce various new security solutions and differentiate itself. "We are the first and the only security company in Singapore to own and operate an islandwide wireless packet data network," Mr Koh quips.

Serving more than 2,400 buildings in Singapore, Ademco's private wireless network is robust and resilient, ensuring that alarm network transmissions remains uninterrupted and independent of telephone lines.

When the recent floods in Orchard Road crippled the area's cellular network, alarm signal transmissions in most buildings were disrupted. This is in contrast with the uninterrupted alarm signal transmission through Ademco's wireless mesh network.

To stay ahead of the security innovation race, Ademco established an in-house development and design division in 2007. "We put the firm's best engineers there and we invested over 10,000 man-hours yearly looking into new trends and technologies," Mr Koh shares.

One of the division's fruits of labour is VerifSuite, a range of cloud-based Managed Services. VerifSuite boasts a wide array of SaaS (Software as a Service) solutions that optimise specialised human skill-sets to improve business operations such as facility, security and workforce management.

Today, with a swipe on a mobile device, business owners can monitor common business operations such as employee attendance and alarm monitoring remotely.

VerifSuite is currently engaged to monitor ATMs for a major financial institution in Singapore. The demand for more effective ATM surveillance is on the rise with increasing incidence of theft and vandalism at ATMs in recent years.

By deploying real-time ATM video monitoring, Ademco heightens the security of its client's ATM machines, allowing the client to differentiate false alarms and respond to emergencies readily. The critical need for an alert-based surveillance system was recently demonstrated when the client was able to detect and respond in time to a fire that broke out near one of its ATMs.

VerifSuite can also be further customised to meet the operational demands of different industries. Traditionally, residential security involves a couple of security guards stationed to prevent unauthorised entry.

However, the severe security guard shortage in Singapore has made such a method prohibitively expensive. To address this issue, Ademco implemented a no-man security guarding system for a 24-unit exclusive condominium with VerifSuite.

The customised VerifSuite system provides an alternative system with elevated security at a lower cost. "We are literally working like a concierge. When the guests hit the intercom button, they are connected to Ademco operators at the Central Monitoring System. We verify their identities before opening the gate remotely," Mr Koh illustrates. "An additional security measure requires guests to register their departure with Ademco, who will open the gate again before they can leave the compound."

Ademco's overseas ventures also contribute to its financial growth. What started as a solution to support multinational clients' regional security needs has now transformed Ademco into a strong regional presence that spans Indonesia, the Philippines, China and India, each with a strong base of local clients.

Shenzhen Stock Exchange Data Center and Resorts World Manila are some of the many prominent overseas clients that Ademco has worked with.

Mr Koh adds: "As every country has its own way of operating, a one-size-fits-all business model would not be feasible for the entire group. So, each office is independently managed while still reporting to the Singapore headquarters."

Ademco is also slated to gain a foothold in the Vietnamese market this year through an upcoming joint venture. It plans to acquire a stake in a Vietnamese security firm that is well-established in the mid and high-end market as a system integrator.

Additionally, Ademco is making headway in its entry plans into the Japanese market. "We hope to set up a subsidiary in Japan by the end of 2016," Mr Koh remarks.

"Ultimately, we aim to be a true pan-Asian security solutions provider," Mr Koh concludes. Expansion will continue to be a main priority for Ademco as it aims to achieve a presence in all Asia-Pacific countries over the next few years. There has also been growing international interest in the firm, with invitations to set up joint ventures in the region from several global security players.

As a local, homegrown company, its success in international expansion is a remarkable feat, especially given the gloomy economic outlook.

Moving forward with a continued emphasis on innovation, Ademco plans to enter the cybersecurity industry next. The future of business security, beyond alarms and CCTVs, looks bright for Ademco.