THE BOTTOM LINE JULY 2018

Kings recently completed a successful rebrand. What was the aim of this and how has it been received by the market?

Our senior leadership team recognised that our market is changing and we needed to reposition ourselves to enhance our offerings for existing and new clients. The branding we decided on provides a fresh, technology led design which echoes our company ethos and aligned direction. We have received great feedback from our clients and partners, which supports our initial objective.

You mention your new products and services. How important is the embracing of new technologies in the future of Kings?

We have some great forward-thinking clients, who challenge us daily to ‘think outside of the box’ and deliver unique, tailored designs. KST has never just been a box fitting company, but now more than ever is embracing and delivering newer technologies such as AI and cloud based solutions. We are continually challenging every piece of technology we install or data we monitor as well as constantly providing meaningful, innovative review meetings with our clients. Understanding where the investment has been successful and where it can be improved is vital as end-users are demanding more than just analytics. These are exciting times and I’m really pleased we are leading this.

How has the changing face of the high street impacted how you are operating?

The KST portfolio includes many major high street brands and it is interesting to see their evolving challenges and how we can make huge differences to their estate. Cost reductions are still on the agenda, but we are now seeing how innovation can allow the sharing of budgets across different departments, with multiple streams of data being used across their businesses. Traditional security solutions may be in decline, but innovation provides many new features including enhanced data and immediate remote access. It is also important that we stay ahead of the curve and securing the right partners and suppliers is critical. The high street is a great place to be and KST are proud to be leading this vertical. We adapt to and embrace the changes that come our way and we look forward to the next 10 years and what they may bring.

The Kings Academy has continued to be a successful part of the company’s growth. How important is this for the future?

All national providers are looking to engage young engineers due to the significant shortage our industry faces and this trend shows no signs of abating. Engineer rates have continued to rise, resulting in increasing costs and margin pressure which could result in potential increases to clients. Over the last 3 years we have continued to invest in our world class academy. We have trained over 60 apprentices in the last two years, with a further 10 this year. Interestingly, this is across the whole business, not just engineering. We are very keen to widen the career aspirations for young people and have actively tried to introduce more women to the sector using our academy. It has been amazing to see apprentices adapt so easily to the new technologies and App based solutions. By combining these skills with quality training and the right business ethos we are moulding some major talents for the future within our industry. The academy is also utilised by the wider business, to enhance project management, design and business support skills via internal and external training.

You said it!

“Another day another premises secured with @CSLGroupLtd DualCom monitoring #security
#secure”

@Dragonsedotcom – March 6