In March, I had my 15-year anniversary with SIS. This has had me reflecting quite a bit over my journey at SIS, which at times has felt more like a carnival ride (in a good way). The one thing that keeps resonating in my head is how much change has happened in that time. For some reference, I would like to share some highlights and just a few lowlights from my time here.

I started with SIS in May of 2010 as the VP of Retail, and at the time, Retail was the smallest division in terms of revenue, comprising about 25%. 

In my first couple of years, revenue across the company grew at a rapid pace, adding new business across all Divisions while our Administration team also grew to support the growth as we brought on some really big-name clients. Additionally, we opened offices in Brazil and Mexico, solidifying our international presence. At times it felt like we were on a rocket ship. 

During that time, we also navigated a pandemic, supporting our clients in unprecedented ways. This is probably the one thing I am most proud of: watching a group of professionals step up in the face of adversity and be a source of strength and support to our clients in an uncertain time. During this time, I also transitioned from VP of Retail and assumed the position of VP of Admin, a role that has been much more challenging than I thought. I also saw our Retail Division go from our smallest division in terms of revenue to our largest, while our Operations Division became our smallest. This is something that nobody would have predicted when I began with the company.

This brings me to the one constant I have noticed in this business: unpredictability. 

As a vendor, we aren’t really in control of the directions our clients take. We must change and morph into what they need us to be, often with little notice, while we maintain our high standards. In 2010, when I started with SIS, the most important thing to our clients was service and protection of their employees and brand. Price mattered, but not at the risk of performance. 

We are now living in times where Finance Departments take the lead on vendor decisions and where price has become the most important factor in choosing a business partner. We have seen this firsthand, as we have lost long-standing business solely based on price. It can be extremely frustrating, since we are a company that is founded on the principle of always providing the best possible service. 

As a result, we have experienced layoffs and reductions in staff as we navigate these changes. It’s difficult to make these tough decisions and see our coworkers and friends leave us, but unfortunately, if our clients are now solely focused on cost, it must be a major consideration for us as well. This is the current world we are living in.

But remember that word I spoke about? Unpredictability. History tells us that things will change, because change is a constant in this line of work. We may not know how, but we know change will occur. For me, during these times that seem to be working against us, I like to dig in deeper. Narrow my focus to the things that I can control. 

We still provide first-class security services to our business partners. This is undeniable. Those who continue to stay with us make this very clear daily. We are starting to see companies re-evaluate their decisions to “go cheap” with security, and I have personally been in meetings with companies who are very interested in changing direction and heading back toward a “service comes first” mentality for selecting vendors. 

I believe in the coming months we will be able to share some very exciting news on that front as we continue negotiating with some very important and influential companies. We are also going through a significant change to our systems, which will enable us to be more efficient both operationally and administratively. This is a great time to evaluate our processes and fine-tune the way we do business, both from a perspective of efficiency but also improving our bottom line. Additionally, we need to continually exhibit to our clients that they are making the proper decision by staying with us. More than ever, we need to meet their needs, no matter how challenging that can be. 

I realize that when things take a step in a negative direction, it is concerning. That is totally reasonable; however, if my 15 years have taught me anything, it’s that if we all work together and stay on course with our core values, things will change for the better. Why do I know this? 

Because I have seen it. Many times. 

The one constant that I know will remain is that we will always be the best choice for companies who want first-class security services and a business partner that will do anything to support their needs. This is why I have been at SIS for 15 amazing years.