ASIS 2017 Spotlight on Vanderbilt Industries

Last week at ASIS, Vanderbilt Industries showcased its Security Management System, which enables users to integrate multiple systems for a comprehensive security solution.

ASIS 2017 Spotlight on Vanderbilt Industries

The Vanderbilt ACT365 managed solution — or access control-as-a-service (ACaaS) — allows end users to remotely control and manage access to their facilities without a dedicated IT department, giving them the ability to deploy a robust access control solution while saving money on significant infrastructure purchases.

Security solutions provider Vanderbilt Industries showcased its latest product offerings at the ASIS convention last week in Dallas. In this Q&A conducted with Campus Safety prior to ASIS, Vanderbilt President Mitchell Kane previewed what attendees could expect from the company at the show.

CS: What is the top product or offering you are showing off at ASIS 2017 for healthcare and education?

Kane: Vanderbilt’s Security Management System (SMS) continues to be the landmark product that we offer hospitals, schools and universities, offering users the ability to integrate multiple systems together for a comprehensive security solution. The SMS brings a facility’s access control technologies, digital video and alarm monitoring systems under a single, easy-to-use platform that remains scalable, flexible and cost-effective. Data management also comes as part of the system with the addition of Vanderbilt VI Connect, which truly connects data-focused platforms, such as human resources or dining hall services, for example, with a facility’s access control platform.

CS: How does it benefit a school, university or hospital? Why should they buy your product or service?

Kane: Vanderbilt SMS, coupled with VI Connect, streamlines the process by which security teams and HR departments manage multiple systems, eliminating the need for manual updates and cumbersome import/export processes that are typically required when managing multiple systems. Not only does this eliminate possible mistakes that can be made in this kind of process, it also reduces the number of people who are needed to perform these actions, which can be cost-effective for an organization that is already facing strict budgets.

Vanderbilt is also well known for its dedication to customer service and becoming a true partner to hospitals, schools or universities to really delve into what they need, how Vanderbilt can meet that need and how Vanderbilt can continue to serve the needs of the organization once an installation is completed. Many access control systems at their core are able to perform similar functions; but the true test of a company is how well they are able to troubleshoot systems as needed, perform regular updates and maintenance, and provide the training and support that one needs throughout the process. Vanderbilt is dedicated to this training and support, offering continued education on how best to navigate our products, such as the SMS solution, which truly sets us apart from other manufacturers.

CS: Are there other reasons why campuses should choose to work with your company, such as customer service, easy integration with other systems and/or other cool features?

Kane: Vanderbilt’s products are built on open-platform technology, making them easy to integrate with other systems from across the spectrum. Additionally, with the addition of the VI Connect solution, we’re able to further integrate beyond security-related platforms in more data-centric programs that manage events, employee files and records, student records including class schedules and dining options, and much, much more. All of these combined formulate a solution that offers more to end users and sets us apart.

CS: What other products or offerings would you like to highlight, and what are some of the qualities that differentiate them in the marketplace?

Kane: Small healthcare facilities and schools can benefit from our latest product offering that we’re introducing to the ASIS 2017, Vanderbilt ACT365, its cloud-based access control and video management solution. The Vanderbilt ACT365 managed solution — or access control-as-a-service (ACaaS) — allows end users to remotely control and manage access to their facilities without a dedicated IT department, giving them the ability to deploy a robust access control solution while saving money on significant infrastructure purchases. Users are able to easily scale the solution to accommodate additional doors or cameras, as well as view live and recorded video, manage users, conduct muster reporting in the event of an emergency and review alarms — all from a unified interface on a tablet or smartphone.

CS: What else is new or noteworthy about your company as the end of 2017 draws near?

Kane: Vanderbilt has a renewed focus on delivering safe and secure products, and with the addition of a cloud-based solution to our portfolio, this becomes critical. Vanderbilt is dedicated to ensuring all of our products are tested to the highest standards to defend against vulnerabilities. While there can never be a 100 percent guarantee that there won’t be an attack, once you test your products to the highest degree and use a solid service provider, the risk to customers is greatly deflated.

CS: Looking ahead at 2018, what do you see as some of the top challenges facing hospitals, schools or universities? How can your company help address these challenges?

Kane: Again, cyber and network security continue to plague hospitals and campuses on a regular basis. The critical component in addressing the threat of this kind of attack taking place is to bolster network security across the enterprise by selecting vendors with a proven track record against attacks. As important is training employees and personnel to follow best practices for protecting patient records and access, and fostering a strong relationship between security and IT departments so they can work together to protect critical data within these facilities from falling into the wrong hands or creating vulnerabilities in the system.

CS: Is there anything else you would wish to communicate to the marketplace?

Kane: Cloud-based products are now more widely accepted across the security industry, making this an ideal time for Vanderbilt ACT365 to make its debut in the North American market. Users of the solution can see real benefit from not having to worry about servers, IT connectivity and compatibility, shifting access control from large capital investments in IT infrastructure and hardware to a more operational expenditure. End users in small to mid-sized businesses typically do not have a dedicated IT department to navigate software upgrades using network connectivity. Through cloud-based solutions, end users have the ability to operate a system and get upgrades without having to worry about servers, IT connectivity and compatibility, reliability is an advantage. This can also all be done through a mobile app, making it easy to use, navigate and manage without building cost-prohibitive infrastructure to support these efforts.

Click here for more information on Vanderbilt Industries.

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