What drew Peter Webster towards Corps Security, and what were his perceptions of the security business sector both before and after engagement?
“I’d had enough of corporate life by then, Brian. In big companies, it’s usually the case that senior people’s first answer when you come up with what you believe to be a valid idea is always: ‘No’. They build barriers, not bridges. They tend to look for the negatives. I don’t like that.”
A resident of leafy Berkshire, Webster found himself preparing for his annual appraisal at Rentokil Initial and took stock of the year behind him. That’s when matters hit home.
“At that point I realised I loved working with my colleagues, but that I wasn’t really enjoying the job itself. I found the environment I was in both difficult to handle and frustrating in equal measure.”
He agreed with his bosses that it was probably best he moved on. Webster duly spent the next two years or so consulting – as the principal of PV Webster Ltd – in the business services space, and often working hand-in-glove with private equity concerns.
By his own admission, he “fell into consultancy” in the knowledge that he was fortunate enough not to have to worry about paying the mortgage, and also took some valuable time out to be with his beloved son (who’s now eight years young).
Conducting strategic reviews
“I found myself conducting lots of strategic reviews for different companies. On occasion, I was looking at security companies. Life was good, but then I started to realise what I missed.”
What Webster missed was the interaction with colleagues on a daily basis, and being part of a team. “I have to admit I also missed the adventure that leadership brings you.”
Harbouring a desire to get back into business, Webster knew that he didn’t want any return to a corporate role.
Fortunately, Webster and Clive Ward – Corps Security’s extremely well thought of and respected chairman – had worked together in the past and were firm friends. Over a drink or two, Webster and Ward chatted about the challenges then presenting themselves just shy of Farringdon Station, and the former began to get excited about the myriad opportunities in situ.
“I understand the environment we work in,” explained Webster. “I understand the market from a wider perspective. I understand the types of customer out there, both in the UK and Europe, and what drives them. That said, I don’t for a minute suggest that I’m an expert on security, which is why Mike Bluestone’s sitting across the table from me.”
Chatting about the security sector
Webster then referred to The Security Institute’s chairman as his security coach.
“What I don’t know about the industry I find out from Mike. As you can imagine, I’ve spent a lot of time talking to him over the last few months.”
Webster is not the sort of person who pretends to know something if he doesn’t: an admirable quality.
“It’s important for me to rely on people like Mike who’s hugely respected for his knowledge of the industry. I’m in safe hands here.”
While operating on one level as the principal consultant at Corps Security, Bluestone’s also a strategic advisor to the business as it goes forward. Webster’s right, too. The company couldn’t wish for a better strategic visionary than Bluestone.
Moving towards the wider security landscape, Webster’s “in total agreement” with Bluestone when discussion turns to the Security Industry Authority (SIA) and the future of regulation.
“I strongly support the perpetuation of a Government-led licensing regime, Brian, and I’m fully in favour of business registration. I’m a supporter of a robust enforcement regime and regulation in general. For the most part, I think it has been good for this industry.”
The desired effect at the time of regulation’s birth in 2003 was that it might start to ease margins upwards for the guarding companies.
“That hasn’t happened, which is a disappointment,” sighed Webster. “That said, regulation has been good for the end user as they now have a more reliable product before them.”
Has regulation been good for the guarding industry per se? “As I said, margins haven’t risen, but without some form of regulation in place we have no chance of improving the industry’s professional image and the returns that companies can achieve from investing in this market.”
Communication, communication, communication
When asked for four words that best describe him in a business context, Webster’s modesty shines through yet again.
“I’m not full of my own self-importance, Brian. I’m actually very self-deprecating.” Again, Bluestone and Rutherford corroborate that statement without batting an eyelid.
“I’d say I’m relentless and, I hope, inspirational.”
At this point, Rutherford chipped in: “Peter’s a very charismatic figure. He’s nothing if not a people person, and a gifted communicator at all levels of the business.”
Speaking of communications, it’s always interesting to find out what media my interviewees read… so I asked the question.
“Virtually everything I read is online, Brian, aside from that time when I travel into work in the morning. Then I read the Metro newspaper. On the way home it’s invariably The Evening Standard. My wife insists on buying the Sunday papers every week, but I read them online.”
Again with a wry smile, he added: “If I sat at home with a newspaper I’d last minutes before my young son ‘attacked’ me. It would be a pointless exercise!”
Those news portals Webster frequents most often are The Times, the Financial Times and, pleasingly, Info4Security/SMT Online. “I find what you do on your website fits into my lifestyle and my way of doing things.”
Focus on the UK’s policing landscape
In terms of the UK’s policing agenda, there has of course been so much talk of security solutions providers in the private sector taking on low-level policing duties.
Indeed, at the outset it was one of the basic premises behind regulating and licensing practitioners, but no-one in authority appears to have asked guarding companies – on a formal basis, at least – if they want to take on this work.
If the guarding sector were to be asked the question, would Webster and his colleagues welcome that scenario, and what duties could they take on?
“One quick observation is that, if our industry were to take on low-level policing tasks on a formal basis, we would need to be talking about more than just the guarding industry,” he asserted.
“We would almost need to create a new sector within the guarding space that’s home to a different type of security provider. Taking security guarding to this next stage is not just about moving our people from one place to another, and from one scenario to another. It would need to be a situation properly organised by the suppliers.”
Webster’s adamant that, if the motivation is: ‘Let’s get some cheap guys and girls in on the National Minimum Wage to take care of some matters in policing circles’ then that’s absolutely the wrong premise.
At this juncture, ‘coach Bluestone’ refers back to regulation and licensing.
“If the business registration plans are approved then the Approved Contractor Scheme as we know it will become an irrelevance. You may find that there will be Class 1, 2 and 3 licensed companies. Maybe there will still be some form of performance measurement in place, but that could overcomplicate matters. Either companies will be a licensed business or they will not.”
Bluestone is an advocate of the doctrine that says you cannot prescribe by regulation how good a security company will be in terms of its performance. “That should be down to the commercial initiative,” said Bluestone.
“In short,” he added in serious tones, “it’s up to us and the entrepreneurial spirit of guarding companies to demonstrate their unique qualities. I agree with Peter that we as a company would be well placed to take on some of that public sector work because of our history and what we stand for today.”
Corporate Social Responsibility agenda
The Corporate Social Responsibility agenda is, of course, on the radar of many a guarding company these days. What does Corps Security have to contribute here?
“In a business like ours it’s perhaps not as easy to focus on CSR challenges as it is for, say, a manufacturer,” explained Webster. “I think what we can do in terms of reducing carbon footprint lies in the field of transportation. In London, for example, we run hybrid vehicles.”
Indeed, before I headed back to SMT Online’s offices, Mike Bluestone made a point of letting me see some of the new vehicles in action.
For my money, CSR is all about setting polices, sticking to them, delivering on them and, every bit as important, shouting about your achievements from the nearest rooftop.
“It’s clear that we haven’t been very proactive in telling people about Corps Security, and when we have done we’ve talked largely about the past,” outlined Webster.
“Mike, Stuart and I now have an external communications plan in place. We want to be at the centre of the debate concerning key issues in our industry. That’s a massive step forward for us. It’s not about distributing glitzy brochures. Rather, we want to engage in the debate around Total Facilities Management versus specialism, and the debate about the future of policing.”
Taking that belief one stage further, Webster referred to the fact that he has been an active participant in Trade Associations within every sector he’s found himself.
“I passionately believe that, if you’re ‘in’ an industry, you either lead that sector in its thinking or you sit back and become a passive player in the marketplace. I can tell you we’re not going to be passive. We’ll be out there challenging people, kick-starting the discussions on counter-terrorism.”
Bluestone has already developed a computer-based training module for Corps Security’s staff aligning on that very subject.
“It’s about telling our customers there is a real threat. However big or small it may be, it’s real. We don’t live in a bubble, none of us do. It’s our duty as security professionals within this sector to make sure we’re on top of those threats and informing our customers and staff about them.”
Almost out of the mainstream
Harking back to the top of our conversation, Webster stated: “The ways in which we manage people and communicate with them have to be different. We have a duty to the stakeholders of our business to explain why we are doing things in a certain way.”
Webster sees Corps Security’s position in the marketplace in the medium to long term as a specialist provider “almost out of the mainstream” for those end user customers who really care about security and want to employ his company’s services because of the added value they can bring.
“We do not supply bodies, Brian. We supply solutions.”
Back in 1964, legendary crooner and social visionary Bob Dylan released his third studio album on Columbia Records. Its title? The Times They Are a-Changin’…
Well they most certainly are at Corps Security, whose CEO Peter Webster is the kind of chap you’d happily work with and for. This is a man for whom ‘Inspirational’ could so easily be a middle name.
