Paul Harvey, Board Director at Ultimate Security, discusses mixology in his latest blog for Infologue.com. Paul writes: “Mixology – the art of bringing together a number of different spirits, mixers and accoutrements to create something new, often referred to as a cocktail. In the hands of a highly skilled “Mixologist”, it is arguable that the sum of the whole can be better than the individual parts. By selecting the highest quality ingredients, the end result can be improved further.
“In discussion with an industry colleague recently, it became clear that bringing together areas of expertise from different providers rarely happens on a large scale in the security sector. Are we, and our clients, the worse for this approach? Increasingly, existing and potential clients are looking for a wider range of services or are bundling geographic regions together to create portfolios of substance.
“Does that mean that specialist companies cannot meet client requirements without diluting quality of service or placing reputation and brand at risk? Other sectors, such as construction, often collaborate to bid and operate large scale projects to great effect, yet this something that is not widely embraced by the security industry. Self-interest has led to nothing more than an informal network of contacts. Would the industry have been able to meet the demand of the, well documented, shortfall in manpower for the 2012 Olympics if we had delivered a consortium of suppliers rather than the traditional principle/sub-contractor framework?
“In response to client demand for higher levels of expertise and performance, individual organisations have increased their technical and operational capability, and often become more specialist. This is true in our own business at Ultimate Security. Purchasing professionals are becoming more open and sophisticated in their selection process and are willing to discuss collaborative partnerships for a consortium delivery model. Increasingly, price is not the key driver for selection. Expertise, high-performance and track record take priority.
“The industry has the opportunity to present a new, flexible, integrated model. A strategic partnership of high-quality providers is a powerful alternative and a disruptor to the status quo. Our industry has traditionally operated in silos. In the hands of the right “Mixologists”, changing attitudes and alignment of interest can meet demand and challenge established practices”.
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