INNOVATION IN SERVICE SERIES - THE KEY TO THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE SECURITY SERVICES SECTOR?

British business needs to be in the front line of the next innovation ‘revolution’ in the services sector in order to remain a global leader according to a DTI report released this week. Innovation in the Services sector is mainly hidden yet could become one of the key drivers of transforming the security services sector. To highlight innovation in our industry, Infologue.com is to launch a series over the next few months, Industry Innovation, focusing on service innovation in the security industry. The first article will be published tomorrow. It is an opportunity for innovative security service organisations to highlight that it’s not only technology leading innovation in our industry. Innovation could reverse the current climate of unsustainable margin erosion.

Innovation can impress clients. Indeed, Martin Gill of Perpetuity Research & Consultancy International (PRCI) Ltd research on procurers – that he has undertaken as part of the industry backed Security Research Initiative - found that one of the factors that procurers claimed distinguished the good from the bad, was the ability to innovate. It was also a reason given by some procurers as to why they felt it was appropriate for security suppliers to show a 6% profit rather than (much) less than 3%.

One of the organisations at the cutting edge of the security services industry innovation is Skills for Security. Initiatives such as The Sorensen Centre, a modern facility dedicated to research and studies in security, policing, crime, terrorism and other related subjects. The Professional Register of Trainers and The Register of Security Professionals, are designed to provide a credible means by which individuals can demonstrate their professionalism within the Security Business Sector and also their commitment to their personal Continuing Professional Development (CPD) as educators. The aim of the recently launched Security Practitioner Programme is to provide a learning programme and full level 2 vocational qualifications of 325 guided learning hours for Security Officers, who would then be recognised as valued and competent employees. The Skills for Security course accreditation scheme also supports quality training and offers a range of flexible accreditation approaches designed to provide people in the Security Business Sector with access to unparalleled expertise and specialist knowledge.

The diverse nature of innovation is underlined in the reports released yesterday, the DTI’s 'Innovation in Services’ and the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts’ (NESTA), ‘Hidden Innovation’. The reports show that British business needs to be in the front line of the next innovation ‘revolution’ in the services sector in order to remain a global leader. Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, Alistair Darling, said: “Britain’s got talent for innovation. But like a lot of talent it can remain hidden. It is not just in the arts, but we have untapped stars from our retailers to construction companies. Finding the next ‘innovation revolution’ is key to Britain’s future. Whatever it is, it’s likely to come from somewhere quite surprising. The action groups I’m announcing today have the job to spot that talent and share the lessons of their success. We have a chance to change that. It is a vital driver to ensure we’re a world-leading economy. It’s the way we’ll stay in front in the future.” The DTI report 'Innovation in Services’ presents a series of papers from leading academics in the field. The papers bring diverse perspectives to the study of innovation including analysis of 'experiential services' (entertainment, flights) and new research on how firms across the UK interact with the knowledge infrastructure. The paper is intended to stimulate wider discussion on innovation in services, for example on how best to measure innovation and the role for Government policy.