Chris Jepson is the manging director at Ocular Integration based in Nottingham serving UK and Ireland.
What are your company’s main business activities?
Ocular is an independent security systems integrator, specialising in delivering solutions for high-security, public space, transport, and infrastructure projects throughout the UK and Ireland.
That’s really the ‘brochure’ answer to the question, I guess. In more simple terms, we are problem solvers. Ones with a deep understanding of the sectors we serve – from the operational requirements customers have, to specific regulatory demands they must comply with. Leveraging over four decades of experience, close partnerships with a vast range of technology providers, and an amazing team of engineers, we deliver integrated security solutions tailored to each customer’s specific needs. Helping them keep people and assets safe.
Servicing these solutions, ensuring customers have 24/7 support, 365 days of the year is also a huge part of what we do. In fact, I’d say our commitment to this is one of the main reasons for our longevity in the industry, and why we continue to flourish. Our main business activity, in this respect, is building trust. Making sure customers know they will always have exactly what they need, when they need it.
What emerging technologies do you see shaping the future of the industry, and how is your company adapting to stay ahead?
Technology is evolving at a ferocious pace. What’s particularly interesting, however, is that that some of the most impactful developments in our sector are not fundamentally security focussed.
For example, while there have been clear advances in security specific AI applications – especially in relation to biometric-based access control and video analytics, it’s cloud technology in general that is enabling easier and more widespread adoption of these kinds of solutions. It’s also what’s unlocking new ways of working. The ability for multiple organisations to share security system capabilities, footage, and evidence, for instance.
The way we stay ahead of the curve with these emerging technologies is to work incredibly closely with technology providers at every stage in the product development life cycle. We meet with our partners to understand their product pipelines and to feed into the process by passing on details of the key challenges and pain points our customers need technology to address.
Another way we have adapted is to ensure our recruitment process matches the direction of travel for technology. We have built a team, and will continue to do so, with the skillset necessary to advise on and implement cutting-edge equipment and systems.
In what ways does NSI Certification differentiate your company from competitors and enhance your credibility within the industry?
One thing I’m particularly proud of is the fact that we have held NSI Gold certification for such a long time. Many, many years. I think it shows this is not a ‘tick box’ exercise for us but rather an engrained commitment to consistent quality. The systems we have in place are continually audited to ensure every aspect of the service we provide meets incredibly high standards.
This constant review also means we don’t become complacent – we keep looking at ways we can improve. I think that’s important. You can’t stand still in this industry.
How has the rise of smart/home automation technology influenced your business and the services you offer?
We don’t serve the residential market. But what I would say is that the sheer scale of this market has massively accelerated the development of IoT solutions that now have distinct applications in a whole host of settings. Many of the cloud-based surveillance and security solutions that we now regularly deploy use IoT protocols that can be traced back to ‘smart home’ origins.
In your opinion, what is the most common misconception or myth about the security industry?
When people ask me what I do, by far the most common response is “ah, so you install CCTV”. I completely understand the assumption, and it doesn’t bother me at all, but I’m sure many in our industry will agree that this is just such an over-simplification.
Yes, surveillance sits at the heart of what we do. But so does network design. Software development. Enterprise scale project management. When you are integrating a solution, for example, that spans entire cities – allowing council teams, police, and other third-party stakeholders to access and operate shared resources – that’s an incredibly complex process.
What’s more, I’d suggest that the security industry employs some of the most advanced tech out there. Certainly when it comes to AI. I think we are incredibly lucky in this respect, as we really do get to be at the forefront of some cutting-edge developments.
Read the full interview in the November 2024 edition of PSi magazine in print and online
