Rowan Holmes, the technical sales manager at Xpanda Security, shared that he moved to the business after 25 years in varying management roles in one of New Zealand's leading electronics retailers and distributors.
"Those roles gave me a huge passion for retailers as people. Beyond the business that they operate, foremost they are people with families," said Holmes.
Holmes continued that he moved to Xpanda following the start of the recent crime wave to transfer his management and technical experience into protecting hardworking retailers. With an engineering background, Holmes adapted to the new environment well.
Xpanda Security has adopted a holistic approach when working with customers, offering free advice and quotes, with most products being fully customised and made in the business's Auckland factory.
"However, we still get the greatest kick out of knowing that a business is protected when we are finished."
Xpanda's collaboration with customers revolves around answering perceived challenges such as appearance, with Xpanda committed to explaining how different security measures operate when they visit customer sites.
When a job is accepted, Xpanda determines the most suitable install date and makes arrangements to suit customer needs.
Holmes has a significant client story from an owner of a bottle store who came to Xpanda after experiencing four ramraids.
"We worked with them to design and build a range of measures, and we can happily report that since we did the job, he has not been hit or even attempted since."
Holmes continued that Xpanda only makes recommendations that the business believes can meet customer-specific security needs. He acknowledged that quotes may not always be the cheapest, but Xpanda was more concerned with ensuring that it could successfully fulfil a customer's needs and would rather miss a job than compromise results.
"We also drop everything right away and deal with any issues that customers might have after we have done the job. Many big retail chains prefer Xpanda for a reason."
Xpanda specialises in physical barrier security and prides itself on being a one-stop shop.
Holmes stated that there were two different types of security with distinctive and critical differences, being Preventative and Reactive security.
Preventative security solutions, which Xpanda offers, aim to prevent security threats from occurring in the first place. This is achieved by implementing various measures to deter or prevent potential threats, such as installing security gates, bars, bollards, and extra locks. Preventative security aims to identify and address potential security risks before they become security incidents.
Comparatively, Reactive security solutions are designed to respond to security incidents after they occur. This includes measures such as security alarms, fog cannons, and cameras. Holmes emphasised that Reactive security solutions do not do much to deter criminals from attacking businesses as there is a general belief for criminals that even if caught, nothing will happen to them anyway.
Xpanda offers practical solutions which are custom-made and then installed permanently, and it also offers full training of business teams for items that need to be closed and locked.
"We always follow up with problems immediately if they arise."
Holmes said that uptake was high, and the past couple of years have shown a rapid increase, with a great sense of urgency attached. He added that Xpanda never makes recommendations for the sake of sales and that there can be a false economy to 'save' money by not doing some things. However, Xpanda knows its products and the urgency and reality businesses face and is passionate about not cutting corners.
Holmes continued that the past few months had been brutal for the retail industry, with nighttime attacks becoming daytime robberies and business owners experiencing expensive damage even with insurance.
"Xpanda thinks that we're making a difference, at least if it's our customers not getting hit as badly."
For the future, Holmes hopes to work with more community groups to support local businesses and that Xpanda has product concepts that will roll out soon. Meanwhile, he emphasised the importance of proactivity and getting the right advice for businesses to protect their people, stores, and customers.
