My Opportunity and Challenge...and yours

I get a great opportunity and with it comes its challenges. Let me explain.

In my role as CEO of Watson Security, most of my interaction is with business owners, CEOs, government officials, building managers and a host of others "in charge" of their organization. This is great and I wouldn't change it for anything. We have some absolutely AWESOME CUSTOMERS and I personally look forward to going to work every day because of them.

The Opportunity. Because I generally speak to the "person in charge" I learn more about their overall goals and strategies and as such can work with my team to design the right security to help them achieve these goals. This is the best part of my day-to-day job - coming up with solutions to help them achieve their business goals.

The Challenge. Many times what is going on in the "field" of these companies isn't communicated up to the "person in charge" and as such we sometimes don't get the "whole story" to what is really needed and going on. The challenge is to make sure we have a long stream of communication from everyone that is involved in planning and implementing security solutions.

I share this with you to help you save you and your company both time and money. Make sure that what you, at the top of the organization, are planning and thinking about accomplishing is completely and thoroughly communicated to the implementation levels within the organization. This is where you find out what can be done and the best way to accomplish it. The more in sync, the less time spent and better the solution.

Hello - I'm going away, please rob me...

I wanted to share some views with you about a topic that baffles me sometimes but other times I can understand - sort of...

There is a massive new revolution in business going on in front of us right now - Social Media. I know because I am in it. You reading my blog is an example of how it is reaching people you never thought it would reach. I will share more about my "journey" in this area in future posts but for now, just accept that this is clearly a revolution and it is going to impact all of us. If you want to know more, check with Blaine Millet at WOM10 - they are experts in this area.

But for now I wanted to talk about the issue of "being security smart" when you are using some of these new social media tools - such as facebook and twitter and linkedin. People love to tell others how they are doing and what they are doing. This is fun and exciting and builds great relationships. But did you realize when you take it too far, like saying, "I can't wait to get out of town tomorrow for a week" you are leaving yourself open to potential intruders? There is a great article, "Hello Internet, I'm on Vacation - Please rob me" that is worth the read.

So think about your physical security next time you decide to tell the whole world you are on vacation and won't be at home so nobody will bother you while you are robbing my house. By the way, please help yourself to a ham sandwich, it will have gone bad by the time I get home anyway.

Security goes beyond your doors and windows...

Security has been a hot topic over the past few years with the downturn in the economy (I really hate to use the "R" word). With millions of people losing their jobs and companies going out of business left and right, both individual and company security has become an even larger issue.

But one thing that comes to mind and I wanted to share some thoughts on with you today is that security is not just "keeping intruders out", it is about not sharing information with people that could use it against you. So many times I hear of someone putting in a new security system with all the new "bells and whistles" only to come to realize that they have given the information and/or keys to people that shouldn't have them.

Just because we put up some great systems doesn't mean they can't be broken into or should I say "let into" because of the carelessness of the staff or management. My recommendation is to still solidify your security for physical intrusion, but don't forget about developing the plan and approach to who should have access, why and how are you going to manage and maintain who has access to "the keys" that are out there. Think through the whole situation and you will find there are loopholes that need to be plugged.

Protect yourself - are they a "licensed" contractor?

I was reminded the other day (again) about how something as simple and straightforward (at least to me) is often overlooked by many people and the results are usually never good. Hiring a LICENSED contractor - seems simple yet often overlooked.

I hear so many horror stories that could have been prevented if people just knew some basics about what they should look for when hiring a contractor. I has become such an issue, especially in these tough times where everyone is trying to get the most out of every dollar they spend. First, do yourself a huge favor and CHECK OUT any contractor you are considering hiring.

Spend the 5 minutes online at the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries and you can find out in advance if someone in licensed to do the work they are saying they know how to do. It's just a simple and easy way to protect yourself from spending a lot of money and not getting the quality of work you expected for your dollar.

Last, but certainly not least, you should insist that the contractor obtains a permit for your project and it gets inspected by the local authority that has jurisdiction in your area. Without this final step, you may have to have the work completely redone, at your expense, because it can't get approved by the local government authority - not a great place to end up when we are all trying to get the most from the least.

Are you the victim of a PHONY LOCKSMITH?

OK, this is an issue that most people are very unaware about and yet one I feel compelled to share with you as I see more and more of this happening today. When times get bad, security is one of those “top of mind” issues people have. We have seen an increase in demand of people wanting to me more secure and protect themselves just a little more than normal. Because of that and the economy, there are all kinds of strange people showing up and claiming they are in the “security business” – only to find out they are there to rip you off. Let me give you some ideas on how you can protect yourself from these predators.

Over the past year or so, there has been an alarming increase of people being ripped off by phony locksmiths companies – and they are currently operating in our area. They have very clever and deceptive ads that make it easy for someone to get lured into using their service.

For example, we did a Google search of our own name and found a fraudulent listing. The listing showed our correct name and address but had the phony locksmiths phone number attached to it. We called the phone number and told them we wanted to come to their location to have some keys made. They told us that they would have one of their locksmiths come to our location. We told him that we were going to be in their area today and would just like to stop by and pick up the keys. We asked if we had reached Watson Security’s/Nyberg lock and if the address listed is correct. We were told that yes, they are affiliated with Watson security and Nyberg lock and they would have the locksmiths stop at our location. I was shocked! Our companies have been in business since 1921 and I have never heard of anything like this before. This is corporate identity theft! And they are ready, willing and able to come by and rip off customers under our very reputable name.

I started researching other legitimate locksmith companies and found the exact same thing. The correct name, the correct address, and the phony locksmith’s phone number. I contacted the Associated Locksmiths of America (ALOA) regarding this matter. They said they had been getting complaints from across the country about phony locksmiths. To get more information about phony locksmiths from ALOA, please visit and click on the phony locksmiths tab. The Federal Trade Commission has written an ARTICLE on the keys to hiring a reputable locksmith and information on how to file a complaint with them. I will continue to share ideas for you on how you can protect yourself from both the phony locksmiths AND with security overall.

Be aware and be secure...

Welcome to my blog by robwatson

About me...

I have been in the business of helping keep people and their assets safe for over 20 years. In fact, the reason I ended up owning two security companies was that I saw a tremendous opportunity to improve the services being offered in these areas. There isn’t a day that goes by that I am not being asked questions like, “What can I do to keep my business more secure?” or “What can I do to help improve my employees and family safety?” or even, “This whole security area is such a mystery to me, (and sometimes scary) it would be great to talk with someone knowledgeable so I can have more peace of mind.”

Its questions like these (and many others) that prompted me to create my own Blog and share what I can that can help in these areas. If I can help keep just one business or family from having a break-in or robbery (or something even worse) happens because of what they got from my blog, it will have been worth the effort. This is all about helping you, my readers, become more knowledgeable, more confident and ultimately more secure.

As you read my blog, please remember I am surrounded by a great group of talented individuals in our company with more than 88 years of experience. I am proud of all our dedicated associates who strive to bring you reliable, dependable and quality solutions on a daily basis – their who make us a success.

I really want to hear from you. This blog also gives you a forum to interact with me – and I encourage your comments. Hopefully we will both get to know each other a little better on this journey of sharing and helping each other. I look forward to crossing paths some day and saying hello.

I am delighted you have decided to visit and I'll do my best to make it a valuable experience for you.

Rob