Jordan Andrews, Sales Manager at Morse Watchmans explains how he leads by communicating effectively and listening to his teams.

A new era

“Not only are Morse Watchmans the industry leaders, but they’re the founders of key management,” explained Andrews, highlighting why in October 2024, he joined as Sales Manager at Morse Watchmans, a leading provider of key control, key security and key and asset management solutions to enhance security.

In this newly created role, Andrews currently leads the domestic sales team and domestic dealers, overseeing sales and demos for Morse Watchmans across the US.

He revealed that his previous experience within sales in the cybersecurity market has allowed him to adapt to the key control sector.

“It was easy to transition to Morse Watchmans – even though we don’t deal in cybersecurity, at the end of the day, we’re still securing assets,” he commented.

Highlighting another reason why he decided to join the key control provider, Andrews noted that he works out of the corporate headquarters in Oxford, Connecticut; the same location that the company uses for engineering, testing and manufacturing.

He explained that having all these departments on site allows the company to remain innovative, with it always seeking to develop new products and solutions that fit the needs of changing industries.

“One of my biggest goals in this role is to have constant communication with our dealers, to get the feedback from them and our domestic representatives, to really understand what our customers and end users need,” Andrews added.

Being more of a corporate partner than a vendor, Andrews highlighted that Morse Watchmans uses these exchanges to identify how the company’s solutions can improve.

A vital part of this system, he emphasized is the cross-functional teams at Morse Watchmans that work together to mitigate and reduce the pain points of end users.

Leading by example

Thinking about his role as a leader, Andrews noted that he has always felt drawn to being a figure of influence and guidance.

“I’ve played soccer my entire life,” he said. “Soccer is a team sport and I was Captain of my high school team. I even went on to play at college.”

From the beginning, these sporting roles taught Andrews a valuable lesson: that you’re only as good as your overall team.

“I believe that’s why I’ve been successful. I understand that the key to being a good leader is that you must also make sure the rest of your team is strong.

“That’s the reason I always make sure to lead by example, so that I can create a culture of opportunity.”

He continued that when he started off in sales, he knew he eventually wanted to become a Sales Manager.

Therefore, putting himself in the shoes of his sales teams enabled him to share their highs and lows, while communicating effectively and supporting them through to success.

This is the same technique he is now applying in his new role.

“Since I’ve been at Morse Watchmans, a lot of people have told me that it seems like I’ve been at the company for a long time.

“It may be because of the camaraderie we have here, but I suspect it is also because of how both I and Morse Watchmans view communication,” Andrews said.

“The company both align in the value we place in people and in making sure they feel heard and seen.”

Andrews added that he saw this in action soon after he began at Morse Watchmans.

“One of the Sales Reps told me that they appreciated how I was giving them all the tools they need to succeed; and that’s something we’re investing even more heavily in for 2025, to help streamline and drive future growth.”

Andrews emphasized the importance of listening; he revealed that a good manager is someone that helps to make improvements and make teams more efficient.

This will be a vital part of his ethos as he continues at Morse Watchmans.

The look of success

Thinking about what success really means to him, Andrews questioned the meaning of the word itself: “Does success mean that you own a lot of things? Does it mean you have a lot of sales? Does it mean how much you grow from year to year?”

However, he decided that overall, success is finding a career – not just a “job” – and developing a team that you choose to be with everyday.

“When you’re happy and communicating effectively, that is what brings you success, because it means you can continually grow.”

Andrews added: “Sometimes, when you’re working for corporate America, you become a number. What I’ve found here at Morse Watchmans is that isn’t the case.

“We’re a flat company, with managers from each department (production, engineering, sales, operations, finance) who all communicate with each other and keep the rest of the company updated on what they’re doing.”

He explained that making sure each person feels invigorated when coming to work, through listening and leading by example, it’s possible to create teams that remain innovative and at the forefront of their industry.

Key trends in the industry

Looking ahead to the next few years, Andrews highlighted that the security challenges faced by K-12 schools will continue to be one of the main drivers of the security industry.

With high-profile reports and the concerns of parents and staff, he predicted that security systems which improve safety at educational institutions will be in demand.

“With all the awful reports that we have heard about schools in the US, I think that we’ll see a significant increase in solutions deployed in educational facilities,” Andrews said.

“Key control can really help to alleviate a lot of the challenges that campuses face so I believe that this is where we’re going to see the most growth over the next few years.”

Growth in the market

Overall, Andrews noted that he wants to make a real difference to his teams and to his customers.

“What’s most important to me is making sure we’re exceeding our clients’ expectations.

“For example, if a client reaches out, it’s our responsibility to make sure that we purchase the tools needed to make their lives more efficient.”

He added that Morse Watchmans stands out in the market because the company does not require a customer to purchase a service for them to remain supportive.

“I was on a call last week with someone about their KeyWatcher. They had it for going on 27 years and they never purchased service with us, but we will still field that call.”

Whether it’s through answering queries quicker, remoting into equipment or sending a service tech out in the field for additional training, Morse Watchmans always aims to not just meet the expectations of its clients but surpass them.

Andrews concluded that while Morse Watchmans cannot give its customers their time back, it can work to streamline their processes and make their lives easier, improving safety, security and saving future time.

This article was originally published in the special February Influencers Edition of Security Journal Americas. To read your FREE digital edition, click here.