feedback from the field
06 NOV 2025
Secure Tech Advisory asked a series of questions about the contractor engagement and experiences from the utility's perspective of the physical security frontline. This interview covers topics ranging from contractor engagement, manufacturer influence & support, and very candid planning and field execution examples.
company profile:
Major bulk electric Transmission & Distribution, Generation, Substation, Natural Gas, Renewable and Energy storage provider.
property profile:
Support of systems inside substations, office & storage facilities, transmission yards to include call centers, SOC, and remote renewable facilities.
systems profile
technology overview: PACS: 2,000+ portals, VMS & CCTV: 4,000+ cameras, perimeter technologies, thermographic detection, ground-based radar, substation hardening measures, and SOC.
interviewee profile:
IT/OT Systems and Physical Security Manager
Field Technology Support
SOC Commissioning Support
“An elite service provider will present a rigid timeline and schedule and will be proactive to ensure all safety requirements & standards are being followed without exception.”
1. Secure Tech: Besides showing up with the required FR gear & hardhats, what are the elite service providers doing on the daily to ensure a safe work environment?
UTILITY: An elite service provider will present a rigid timeline and schedule and will be proactive to ensure all safety requirements & standards are being followed without exception. When timelines shift last minute, it can be hard to get the right people on site with short notice.
2. Secure Tech: Can you describe best practices that have limited the total number of false alarms into your SOC for pre and post commissioning?
UTILITY: Labeling, cable management, and using the appropriate type of cabling is a huge problem. It is easy for the Integrator to rush and skip these items, but all you are doing is making the job harder for the next technician. Troubleshooting or replacing edge hardware should not require tracing cables or pulling new wire unless it has aged substantially. Unfortunately, it is common to spend substantially more time troubleshooting the cable runs or figuring out where they are than it does to replace the edge hardware. I would attribute this to more short-sighted planning. The cost up front is there, but it will more than make up for it in the long run. Door hardware is another big one, too many times have I gone to a ‘secure’ site to try the door handle & gain entry because things like making sure the locking hardware was storeroom function were skipped.
3. Secure Tech: What are the best security contractors doing to prepare their field resources for the challenges of doing work in a regulated, high compliance environment?
UTILITY: The best security contractors provide accurate timelines and track specific goals to ensure the systems meet the criteria given. For example, if a requirement reads to detect someone 100’ away from the building using camera analytics with 95% accuracy, they are making sure to pick the right cameras, and lighting for the job. They are also following and developing a strict commissioning procedure and documenting exactly what the system can be expected to do once online.
4. Secure Tech: What areas of expertise and specific technologies should Integrators be adding to their Energy client offerings outside of VMS & PACS?
UTILITY: If the Integrator is selling us more advanced systems like ground-based radar or other long-range detection/autonomous camera tracking methods, then I would expect them to be experts in those systems. My experience has been that integrators are very much lacking in the IT/OT side of things, and only understand the basics of network topology/best practice etc.
5. Secure Tech: Would you hire a strong low-voltage partner who has a certified security expert on staff to perform your security installs or would you prefer to work with a systems integrator for all your security systems in the field?
UTILITY: This is a hard question, but I would lean towards a low-voltage partner simply because we do the design work and make technological decisions in house. In my opinion low voltage contractors are better at following instructions and perform higher quality tradesmen’s work. However, a good security integrator will deviate from the plan to overcome issues or problems in the field which can also be beneficial. I think it all comes down to how good the design is, if it is near flawless, I would prefer a low-voltage partner, if it leaves a lot to be desired, then I would prefer a security integrator.
6. Secure Tech: What can Security Integrators do for their Energy clients for continuous education of the technologies available from the industry?
UTILITY: Integrators should absolutely be attending trade shows and communicating regularly with manufacturers. I don’t believe that industry specific trade organizations would be relevant outside of upper management/leadership. I think there is a lack of effort on both sides in physical security. I personally think that the certification courses that manufacturers require are less about making the professional an expert in their hardware and software, and more about limiting customer support calls. On the other hand, I think the low voltage or integrator professionals that attend often do not go any further than the initial certification class.
7. Secure Tech: Earlier you stated that your department made their own technical decisions. Do you mind elaborating on your experiences concerning the engagement between your department, the product manufacturer’s Professional Services group, and the Security Integrator’s certified staff?
UTILITY: Our current Integrator’s certifications are up to date, but they lack skilled labor for programming, systems administration, management, optimization, or any advanced function. We (UTILITY) pay the Integrator to sell us a lump of the manufacturer’s Professional Service hours to have elite customer support. Often, I will sit next to the Integrator, have them pick up the phone, dial customer support, create the ticket number, hand me the phone, and my department will handle it from there.
Secure Tech: Thank you for your honest input, and I want to sincerely thank you for your time. I appreciate you sharing your experiences with me and know that your comments ring home with the readers of this Newsletter.
Lessons learned:
master your trade
Just because your organization checks a box of certifications, does not necessarily make your team experts. Understanding Utility client’s challenges and build a program to relieve their pain pays off.
be adaptive & listen
As an Integrator, look beyond PACS and VMS. Other opportunities are lurking inside the Utility. If you adapt to the changes and to the requests of the Client, you can share more success together as a team.
do your job well
Being prepared to do your job safely & continuously striving to meet the Utility client standards and guidelines, is the minimum expected of you. Consistency equals growth in the regulated energy sector.
Please share this post with the people that may benefit from the customer’s voice, especially those that think they already know.
More interviews and Newsletters coming soon!
Matt LaRue
President & Founder, Secure Tech Advisory