40 under 40: Matt Bennett, Atlas Security Service

YARMOUTH, Maine—Matt Bennett, 36, takes a lot of pride in what he does, both in his role as Customer Operations Manager at Atlas Security Service and as a husband and father.

“I've always been very detail oriented and organized; these traits have served me well in my profession,” he said. “When I started at Atlas in January of 2006, I truly had no idea if I'd be any good or even enjoy the job but by God’s grace it quickly became a job and company I loved! Although I love what I do, more so I love being home with my bride of 17 years, our eight children and 11 pets. I am truly blessed beyond imagination!”

Bennett oversees the operations of both the Central Station and Technical Services Departments at the Springfield, Mo.-based provider of security solutions for businesses and residential customers.

“I work closely with employees, clients and business partners,” he explained. “I make sure my departments are fully staffed and run smoothly, customers are given the highest quality in services we provide, alarm and service response time goals are exceeded, and employees feel confident in their role, valued by their leadership and comfortable in their work environment.”

A 16-year veteran at Atlas Security, Bennett noted that his interest in the security industry stemmed from his enjoyment of “fiddling around” with electronics, taking them apart and putting them back together.

“When I had trouble holding down a job, my bride did an online job search and came across an opening for an alarm technician,” he said. “I applied and interviewed, and I’ll never forget what I was told – ‘We are hiring you because we need someone that can fit into small places!’ Seven years later I was promoted to Central Station Manager, then in 2021, I accepted the position to manage both the Central Station and Technical Services departments.”

Trends and Technologies

When asked about top trends in security today, Bennett pointed out that video seems to be the “highest growing in demand.”

“Video products have improved tremendously and there’s no shortage in products available to the DIY consumer,” he noted. “It’s important that our industry continues to promote why hiring the experts is essential and is the deciding factor in person and property theft/damage prevention. I feel video demand will continue to grow, as well as home/business integration. Customers want a one-stop-shop solution, and if you’re not able to provide this it will inevitably affect your company's growth.”    

Bennett believes that video doorbells and wireless cameras are the most exciting new security technologies out there today.

“As rapidly as I see them getting installed, I wouldn’t be surprised if every home in the U.S. has a video doorbell product by 2030,” he stated. “I’m excited for battery-powered wireless cameras to become more available, as well as more options available. The ease of installation and nearly unlimited placement options makes them very simple solutions, even non-security-related solutions.”

COVID Challenges

As we enter year three of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bennett pointed out some of the keys to success during these challenging times, both from a business and a personal standpoint.

“In business, we have had to move our focus quite a bit to how we interact with customers in person as well as over the phone, how to schedule jobs while severely understaffed, and of course, handle product price increases and product unavailability,” he explained. “These are definitely obstacles, but I appreciate a good challenge! The key to this is ATTITUDE, except that things are different, and you make the best out of it. Just because the world around you is changing doesn’t mean it has to have bad results, in fact, it could be the best thing for you and could have very positive results!

“Personally, COVID has brought my family so much closer through us deciding to homeschool, and that alone has been everything to us. God has definitely blessed my family during these past couple of years, even though at times it’s been very stressful and frustrating. To me this is a simple answer and applies to any type of ‘unpredictable’ time. Find the blessings in your life and stay focused on them… they are there! When you do this, you are glorifying your creator and He will bless you beyond what you could ever imagine!”

Meeting Demands

Looking at the security industry moving forward, Bennett stressed the importance of meeting customer demands.

“As technology continues to evolve and security demand continues to climb, as well as crime rates, we need to be ready to meet those demands as we are in an industry that will not rest or slow down anytime soon,” he explained. “Ultimately, we have to remember this industry does not exist for the worker, it's to give peace of mind to the consumers who are either trying to prevent something bad from happening or to unfortunately prevent something bad from happening again. This is real life to many people and it’s up to us to serve! It’s important for us to keep that mindset because it’s what directs our industry, and I would like to see us moving forward with home automation and integration, but not forget where and why we started.”

Services Integration

As a 40u40 winner, Bennett noted the importance of integrating with other services in order to get more talented, diverse young people involved in the security industry.

“The more we can integrate with other services, the more promoting we will do naturally,” he pointed out. “The younger generations are relying on remote everything (socializing, learning, work, entertainment, etc.), which means mostly everything they are doing requires some basic knowledge and involvement in technology. It’s not hard to sell the idea that this is actually a familiar industry to them because we are also driven by technology.”

He continued. “The more we can implement our services into their everyday lives, the more we will show them that security isn’t just protecting their person and property or ‘guards and guns,’ it’s become more than that … it’s what you use every day, it’s part of your life, it’s something you’re already involved in whether you see it or not. Get them to use the services first, then promote the industry to where they spend their time the most, on their phones. If we can find ways to conform to their style of life, meaning convenient work = more profit, the more our industry will be appealing to them.”