FIDELITY ADT
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FIDELITY ADT
Fidelity ADT:
Always There For You PRODUCTION: Manelesi Dumasi
South Africa’s leading name in security is Fidelity ADT, and since the merger that brought Fidelity and ADT together in 2017, this industry leading organisation has gone from strength to strength, delivering for its clients without exception. National Sales and Marketing Executive, Rob Dale talks to Enterprise Africa about the company’s success.
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INDUSTRY FOCUS: SECURITY
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To be part of South Africa’s private security industry puts you in amongst one of the busiest and most valuable industries in the country. With around half a million people actively involved in an industry that is valued at around R50 billion yearly, private security makes a real impact in the lives of people from all over South Africa. Crime rates remain high in South Africa and this drives demand for private security. A study in 2015/16 revealed that trust in the country’s police force was just above 58% meaning that many entrust their property, possessions and lives to expert security providers. One business that knows this better than most is Fidelity ADT. “We live in a country known for its vibrancy and dynamism, but sadly, not its safety,” the company states. Fidelity ADT is South Africa’s largest security provider and, following a recent acquisition of ADT South Africa by the Fidelity Group, the company has set its sights on the top spot by investing into modern digital solutions that can assist clients in a way that is unrivalled by others in the sector. The transaction that brought Fidelity and ADT South Africa together was finalised in March 2017 when the country’s competition commission approved a R2 billion bid from Fidelity which saw it take control of ADT South Africa’s residential and commercial services and operations and the ADT Kusela guarding business. Today, The Group employs in
// THE COMPANY IS KEEPING UP WITH TECHNOLOGICAL TRENDS IN RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL MARKETS // 4 / www.enterprise-africa.net
excess of 56 000 employees, and manages a fleet of more than 4500 vehicles. When the acquisition was completed, Fidelity Security Group’s CEO, Wahl Bartmann said: “We are exceptionally proud to announce the conclusion of this transaction and the formal establishment of Fidelity ADT. The merger brings together two strong teams with deep industry knowledge and experience, and positions Fidelity ADT as the leading provider of both residential and commercial integrated security solutions in Southern Africa.” This year, Fidelity celebrated 61 years of successful operation and the acquisition of ADT South Africa came as the perfect birthday celebration. “If you add ADT’s armed response expertise and footprint in the residential market, as well as its security technology solutions, to Fidelity’s extensive capabilities in the guarding, cash solutions and integrated armed response sectors, you have a security firm perfectly aligned for future growth in the Southern African market,” said Bartmann. Of course, the merging of the two business brings a unique set of operational challenges. Bringing two working cultures together is no easy task. Employee expectations, rules and regulations,
// MANNED-GUARDING WILL REMAIN PART OF THE PRODUCT PORTFOLIO FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE // structure, working practice, communication with customers – everything can change after a merger. But Bartmann was not worried. “We are confident that the merged team will soon feel part of a single Fidelity ADT family. We have a very experienced management team, who are well equipped to manage the integration quickly and efficiently,” he said. INTEGRATING TECH One of the latest offerings from Fidelity ADT is its SecureHome and SecureConnect Apps which allow users to have full digital control over the security of their homes from the convenience of their mobile phone. The idea is simple: replace expensive, old and complicated home automation systems with a convenient, simple and affordable application that can give peace of mind. The flexible apps designed by Fidelity ADT allow users to view the status of their home
FIDELITY ADT
security, quickly arm or disarm an alarm system, switch and dim the lights, detect movement, monitor CCTV, get video verification on their phone, and open and close electric doors and gates. Using an app to take care of all of these activities reduces cost, provides quick and easy security solutions, and gets things done in an instant. Understandably, Fidelity ADT is proud of its innovation. “With the evolving security landscape and the drive towards always-on devices and the Internet of Things, Fidelity ADT is paving the way in merging security with innovativetechnology that goes beyond just home security,” says Rob Dale, Fidelity ADT Managing Executive. “Today’s modern consumer not only wants more control of their home security, they want more control of
every aspect of their home. Identifying this gap in the South African market, we are proud to announce that we are launching this exciting new offering which takes home automation to the next level.” The app is flexible and can be tailored to meet the needs of different individual clients – as your needs grow, your services can grow, but all in line with your budget. By 2020, it is expected that South Africa will have almost 24 million smartphone users and a move to adopt and app-based system seems obvious. “The feedback from customers has been overwhelmingly positive,” says National Sales and Marketing Executive, Rob Dale. “The company’s services and technology create the illusion that someone is always at home. Customers are notified whenever there is a problem, and they
can use smart technology to see for themselves what the issue is. “The company is keeping up with technological trends in residential and commercial markets,” Dale adds. “The introduction of SecureHome, SecureConnect, and FindU are examples of digital advancements in the residential sector. Partnerships with Schneider Electric and SecuVue in the commercial sector shows the company’s ability to onboard other industry leaders.” SecureHome and SecureConnect go beyond just security, they also bring lifestyle functionality to user’s fingertips. “They can include additional features like cooling or heating their home or opening and closing their blinds. This provides greater peace of mind and makes the system useful for every day convenience at an affordable price,” says Dale.
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INDUSTRY FOCUS: SECURITY
PEOPLE POWERED BUSINESS With all of this tech-investment and digital advancement, Fidelity ADT continues to strengthen its industry-leading position, but the company does not forget how much dependence is placed on traditional manned-guarding services and is not prepared to move away from this offering anytime soon. “Manned-guarding will remain part of the product portfolio for the foreseeable future, however, like any company looking to flourish in an environment where technology is evolving at a rapid pace, Fidelity ADT remains on the cutting-edge of
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developments,” states Dale. The fear in some communities is that their neighbourhoods are turned into militarised war zone-type areas, with heavily armed vehicles and guards patrolling 24/7. This is where specially developed digital offerings can assist. “The brazenness and violence associated with robberies, ATM bombings, and cash-in-transit heists pose unique risks for South Africans, so an integrated solution is an essential part of a company’s arsenal in the war against crime. For example, ‘Fidelity Stratosphere’ was developed to compete in the ever-changing world of technological advancements.
// FIDELITY’S HELICOPTER UNIT AND CANINE SUPPORT UNIT HAVE ADDED TO ADT’S RESPONSE CAPABILITIES // This product-suite focuses on video surveillance, anti-cyber terror and proactive tracking,” details Dale. “Fidelity Security provides ADT’s more than 350,000 residential and commercial customers with an
FIDELITY ADT
CEO Fidelity Security Group - Wahl Bartmann
integrated security and guarding service in a localised environment. Fidelity’s helicopter unit and canine support unit have added to ADT’s response capabilities,” he adds. And it’s not just residential customers that see the value of a combined service offering. Commercially, the company is responsible for contracts with major international brands and utilises its full portfolio to deliver first-class service. Fidelity ADT’s customer base includes the likes of FNB, Nestle, Curusana, Grand West Casino, Hyundai, Makro and Tygervalley Country Estate. “Fidelity ADT’s commercial offering
includes a locally produced motionactivated recording system developed by SecuVue. With the systems in place at commercial properties, the company can use facial recognition technology to compare images against a detailed database of ‘persons of interest’ when the need arises,” explains Dale. “The system was built for the South African market to ensure seamless integration into existing control room infrastructure. Smart analytics algorithms automatically verify information, reducing the need for human intervention. “Fidelity ADT Commercial also offers building management solutions
that can handle the complexity of interlinked systems and are agile enough to scale as more items become connected. The company provides tailor-made solutions to fit any configuration and keep up with the growing Internet of Things architecture. Fidelity ADT’s building management solutions utilises software developed by multinational company, Schneider Electric. This technology integrates different system operating protocols into one userfriendly platform to monitor, control and formulate reports, essentially enabling ‘smart buildings’.” It is this combination of the
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INDUSTRY FOCUS: SECURITY
country’s most advanced digital offering, paired with a strong manned guarding team that upholds the company’s reputation as the best. “Our airborne capabilities, more than two hundred community partnerships nationally, modern control rooms, and effective customer engagement all contribute to our unique selling point, placing Fidelity ADT a cut above the rest,” enthuses Dale. SECURING A FUTURE The merger between Fidelity and ADT was the first step in the group’s futureproofing strategy. The new entity is 54.62 % black-owned and 100% South African. The group continues to invest in growth activity and also internally,
in its people, so that it remains in pole position atop the industry. “The new entity aims to position itself as a leader in providing customers with an end-to-end solution from the individual in the residential space all the way to corporate asset protection. There are exciting new developments in the pipeline,” says Dale. “In May last year, Fidelity ADT welcomed KB Special Eye Security Services (in Jeffrey’s Bay) as a new member of the Fidelity ADT family. “There are a few in-country footprint expansions into new areas, such a Klerksdorp and Ballito, which will continue as opportunities arise, however, there are no large expansions planned at present.
“In the retail sector, one of the new and exciting projects underway is the Polo RFID pilot, which includes new technology that is regarded as trailblazing,” he says. Fidelity ADT’s 55,000 people are also regarded as important drivers of future growth and, as such, the company invests in training and development programmes to ensure its staff are prepared. “We will continue to grow headcount in line with additional contracts. The company has a number of long-standing technical learnership programs which has proven very successful,” says Dale. He says that there are several examples within the business where employees who have started their
// THE COMPANY HAS A NUMBER OF LONG-STANDING TECHNICAL LEARNERSHIP PROGRAMS WHICH HAS PROVEN VERY SUCCESSFUL //
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FIDELITY ADT
careers on the front-line (as armed response officers) have undertaken training programmes and now work as line managers or heads of departments. This type of investment has already brought success for the business. In November 2017, Fidelity ADT was named winner in the Security and Armed Response category at the 2017/18 Ask Afrika Orange Index Awards. “In our business our product is defined by the quality of our people,” said Rob Dale. In May 2018, Fidelity ADT’s south coast branch was awarded two Diamond Arrow awards in PMR. africa’s KwaZulu-Natal Leaders and Achievers survey. The company was labelled ‘the best security company’ and ‘the security company doing the most to fight crime in the region’. The company’s Western Cape division was also successful, claiming a further
two Diamond Awards in the PMR. africa Western Cape Provincial Survey Business Excellence Awards. “As an organization, we continue to invest in both the training of our staff as well as the technology we use in everything we do. The end-goal will always be the safety and security of our customers. These two awards tell us we are on the right track,” said Fidelity ADT’s Regional Executive: Coastal, Adrian Good. This exciting, growing industry is in need of organisations like Fidelity ADT; organisations that invest in worldclass solutions to deliver services to clients, helping those clients to achieve their goals. While of course everyone wishes there was no need for a private security industry, the facts dictate that it is an industry that is required. So, it pays to partner with the best. “Fidelity ADT has built up a
long track record of community engagement and support which sets it apart from competitors. People see Fidelity ADT officers patrolling their streets and keeping an eye on their neighbourhoods,” says Dale. “Fidelity ADT is an industry leader with years of experience and the trusted support of the communities we serve. There remains a strong demand for armed response services in a country with a high crime rate like South Africa where house robbery is the most feared type of crime. The Fidelity ADT merger expands the scale and scope of services to customers, giving the new entity the competitive edge,” he concludes.
WWW.ADT.CO.ZA
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July 2018
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