SIA New Member Profile: ColorID
New Security Industry Association (SIA) member ColorID provides high-quality identification solutions, tailored to meet the unique needs of its security partners. The company is headquartered in Cornelius, North Carolina, serving clients across North America and globally.
SIA spoke with Danny Smith, owner of ColorID, about the company, the security industry and working with SIA.
Tell us the story of your company.
Danny Smith: Founded in 1999, ColorID has dedicated itself to providing top-tier identification products and services within the security industry. From the beginning, we have utilized a consultative approach, ensuring lifetime support for all our customers. Our core belief is that accurate and automated identification is crucial for effective security practices. Over the years, we have honed our expertise in both physical and digital credential technologies, as well as credential life cycle management across multiple systems. This commitment has solidified our reputation as leaders in the field, helping clients achieve seamless and secure identification solutions.
What solutions/services does your business offer in the security industry? And what makes your offerings/company unique?
DS: ColorID offers a comprehensive range of identification products from well-known and respected vendors, as well as our proprietary solutions for issuing and managing credential lifecycles across multiple access control and other systems. What sets us apart is our deep expertise in ID technologies and our commitment to a consultative approach. We take the time to understand our customers’ unique needs and tailor our solutions to enhance security and user experience. Furthermore, we provide unmatched support, ensuring that our clients receive the best possible service and guidance throughout the entire lifecycle of their identification systems. This dedication to excellence and personalized service is what makes ColorID a trusted leader in the security industry.
What is something we might not know about your company – or something new you are doing in security?
DS: ColorID is pioneering cloud-based software solutions that leverage artificial intelligence and automation to streamline the issuance and management of physical and digital identities across multiple access control systems. Our innovative solutions enhance interoperability between different systems, providing a seamless and superior user experience for all members of an enterprise. By integrating cutting-edge technology, we are setting new standards for efficiency and security in identity management.
What is your company’s vision, and what are your goals for the security industry?
DS: As experts in identification technologies, ColorID is dedicated to providing tailored solutions that meet the unique needs of our security partners. Our goal is to seamlessly integrate the best identification technologies into their systems, ensuring smooth connectivity between single and multiple access control systems as well as other enterprise platforms. We envision a future where users enjoy a frictionless experience, security managers encounter zero system failures, administrators benefit from streamlined and efficient workflows and financial officers find our identification solutions to be cost effective and budget friendly. Our commitment is to enhance security practices while optimizing user experience and operational efficiency.
What do you think are the biggest opportunities in the security industry right now?
DS:
- System integration: The ability to connect systems using modern software tools like APIs and webhooks, and to integrate various internal and external enterprise systems, offers unprecedented possibilities for creating cohesive and efficient security solutions.
- Diverse identification methods: There is a wide array of secure identification methods available today. Our expertise, developed over years of experience, enables us to assist our partners in selecting the most appropriate methods for identifying users within any given system.
- Mobile identification: Although still in its early stages for access control, mobile identification holds tremendous potential. With almost everyone carrying a smartphone, the desire to use it for secure identification and access purposes in daily life is growing rapidly, paving the way for innovative mobile solutions.
What are your predictions for the security industry in the short and long term?
DS: In the short term, we anticipate significant progress in breaking down the silos between systems, people and departments. Access control systems will no longer serve as the sole automated authority on identification and permissions. Instead, an integrated approach will emerge, where various enterprise systems can seamlessly share identity data without resorting to manual, time-consuming processes.
In the long term, diverse identification methods will gain broader acceptance and implementation, tailored to specific needs and contexts. Technologies such as barcodes, chip-enabled devices, real-time location services and biometrics are already well developed and will be increasingly adopted based on their suitability for different applications. This evolution will lead to more versatile and robust security solutions, enhancing both user convenience and system efficiency.
What are the biggest challenges facing your company and/or others in the security industry?
DS:
- Infrastructure: Outdated access control technologies that are both difficult and costly to replace pose significant challenges.
- People: Resistance to change among enterprise administrators, who often hold onto insecure and unmanageable technologies and solutions, hampers progress.
- Culture: There is a widespread reluctance to invest proactively in security. Many only recognize its importance when it’s too late, much like the reactionary nature of insurance.
What do you enjoy most about being at your company – and in the security industry?
DS: People, collaboration and the challenge of solving complex problems together. The satisfaction of helping our partners enhance their enterprise systems. It’s rewarding to see how our solutions make systems more connected and interoperable, ultimately improving security and user experience.
What does SIA offer that is most important to you/your company? And what do you most hope to get out of your membership with SIA?
DS: Access to a robust network of companies and professionals dedicated to advancing security solutions and enhancing user experiences. We hope to leverage this membership to collaborate on innovative security projects, share industry insights and stay updated on the latest trends and technologies. Ultimately, we aim to foster partnerships that will drive both our growth and the overall improvement of security practices.
How does your organization engage with SIA? What are your plans for involvement in the next year?
DS: ColorID actively engages with SIA by exhibiting at their events, where we showcase our latest identification technologies and solutions. We also contribute by submitting proposals to speak at these events, sharing our expertise and insights with the broader security community. In the coming year, we plan to deepen our involvement by participating more actively in the SIA network, leveraging member resources and collaborating with other members on innovative security projects. Our goal is to foster meaningful partnerships and stay at the forefront of industry trends and advancements.
The views and opinions expressed in guest posts and/or profiles are those of the authors or sources and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Security Industry Association.
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