#WeAreSPIE: A conversation with Sándor Vecseri
SPIE AGIS Fire & Security is a leading player in the Hungarian market for security equipment and provides innovative technical solutions for fire safety, security, and building services. Sándor Vecseri, what are your responsibilities as Industry Division Director?
I head a team of seven that’s responsible for supporting our industrial customers. We offer them fire safety solutions like fire detection systems or extinguishing systems that use sprinklers or foam extinguishers. We also supply security solutions like access control systems or CCTV (closed-circuit television) systems, in other words video surveillance systems. We don’t just sell out-of-the-box products; we design, install and service fully integrated systems.
As Industry Division Director, I’m not only responsible for heading the team, I’m also actively involved in its sales activities. Our job is to give our customers detailed advice and work out suitable solutions that meet the unique needs of each customer. We try to guide them to innovative and future-proof solutions so that they can benefit from SPIE’s expertise in the field.
Are there any special projects you’re working on?
Using conventional and innovative security solutions, we recently developed a comprehensive health and safety package that we can now offer for sale. We installed a CCTV system for an industrial customer to monitor their premises by video. At first it was only intended to protect against theft. Later we modified the system so that it can help to improve workplace safety for their employees. It shows whether they’re wearing their helmets and safety gloves, for example. It can detect the colours of helmets, so it can report on how many people with red or white helmets are moving about on site. It also triggers an alarm when somebody gets too close to a dangerous machine.
Another customer has designated six meeting points outside its facilities where employees can gather in an emergency. Their ID cards, which they have to wear for access to the premises anyway, are linked to the security system so that it can determine how many people are still in the building or how many have already left it.
What do you like most about your job?
I like to be part of a team, and I value the good teamwork with my colleagues. And it always makes me proud when a customer chooses a solution that I suggested. My goal is to establish real relationships with customers and to be there when they need advice. I really enjoy it when I can impress a customer with an innovative solution so that they choose it over a conventional system. I benefit there from SPIE’s corporate philosophy. The company sees the digital transformation as an opportunity for growth, and innovative ideas and solutions are always encouraged. That’s a very good fit with my own way of thinking, so I’m very proud to be part of SPIE.
Why did you choose to work for SPIE?
I started working at SPIE in 2016. One of the main reasons I chose SPIE was the corporate culture created by the company’s management. Its international background was also a strong motivation. Since people from different countries work together here, that inevitably results in an international atmosphere at the company that I found very appealing. I was also impressed that SPIE is so diversified and has such a wide range of services. Thanks to the large number of business units, I get to work with a lot of different departments and come into contact with all kinds of different people. I was also impressed by SPIE’s management team and its forward-looking management style, including how it approaches digitalisation, sustainability and – last but not least – leadership.
What have been your personal highlights at SPIE so far?
We’ve gained a lot of major customers, including several international companies, and completed some interesting projects. But I’d say my biggest highlight is that in just a few years we’ve been able to get much closer to our customers. We used to be more of a subcontractor for big general contractors, but by strengthening our customer relationships we’ve become the direct initial contact for our numerous customers. Now we can satisfy their needs and respond to their requirements even better.
What are your career goals?
I’m quite satisfied with my current situation. I get up every morning and I’m happy to go to work. I enjoy working with my colleagues and look forward to every new assignment. In the future, I want to expand our cooperation with SPIE’s other units and departments. There are so many other departments all over Europe that do similar things and offer lots of innovative solutions. My hope is that by sharing more ideas throughout Europe, we can learn about lots of innovative solutions from other units that we don’t yet know about here but that could be interesting for the Hungarian market. My colleagues are open to such collaboration and mutual support, and we’ve already benefited from it more than once.
