What Are You Going to Do at CEDIA This Year?
You might want to add security to your must-see list
August 2008 By Robert Ain
Each year at this time, I usually write about how one should prepare for the CEDIA EXPO. Getting your numbers ready for meetings with suppliers, assigning staff members to meet with suppliers, educating and training your staff members and networking, networking, networking! Rarely do I speak of a specific product category, but this year is different. This year, the secret word is “SECURITY.”
If you go to CEDIA and are not selling security, I want to open your eyes to this growing part of our industry. According to our research, six out of 10 of our readers are not selling security. Those who are may know something you don’t.
So what is security and what can it do for your business? Security is the protection and awareness of what is happening in your customer’s environment. This environment can include virtually any location—home, vacation getaway, office, car, backyard, or kids’ and/or parents’ living spaces. You can help your customer protect any of these domains as long as there is an ongoing supply of electricity. If no electrical power is available, solar-powered batteries can do the job. Your applications of security are limited by your imagination, and which areas your customers want to protect. This protection is not only for theft; it includes fire, water damage, smoke and any almost any other possible problems with the property and its inhabitants.
I called a few custom installers to get their views on security:
One dealer purchased a security company many years ago for the recurring revenue stream from central stations. This dealer is certainly an early adopter and is reaping the rewards from his efforts. Every few months, these customers receive invoices from your business—great advertising! Unless there is a major screw-up, all of those customers should remain customers as few change central stations.
Another dealer’s business partner talked him into making security part of their business, believing it would give them total control over the installation. No more waiting for the security guys to do their work so he can program his Crestron systems to integrate with the cameras. This just saves time and money with the additional benefit of central station income. He has yet to take advantage of his ongoing contact with his customer base but is considering this avenue of communication for the future.
Finally, many dealers stated, “We are just not security experts. We work with companies with which we have a high degree of confidence that they can do the job, and we just interface with their equipment.”
If you go to CEDIA and are not selling security, I want to open your eyes to this growing part of our industry. According to our research, six out of 10 of our readers are not selling security. Those who are may know something you don’t.
So what is security and what can it do for your business? Security is the protection and awareness of what is happening in your customer’s environment. This environment can include virtually any location—home, vacation getaway, office, car, backyard, or kids’ and/or parents’ living spaces. You can help your customer protect any of these domains as long as there is an ongoing supply of electricity. If no electrical power is available, solar-powered batteries can do the job. Your applications of security are limited by your imagination, and which areas your customers want to protect. This protection is not only for theft; it includes fire, water damage, smoke and any almost any other possible problems with the property and its inhabitants.
I called a few custom installers to get their views on security:
One dealer purchased a security company many years ago for the recurring revenue stream from central stations. This dealer is certainly an early adopter and is reaping the rewards from his efforts. Every few months, these customers receive invoices from your business—great advertising! Unless there is a major screw-up, all of those customers should remain customers as few change central stations.
Another dealer’s business partner talked him into making security part of their business, believing it would give them total control over the installation. No more waiting for the security guys to do their work so he can program his Crestron systems to integrate with the cameras. This just saves time and money with the additional benefit of central station income. He has yet to take advantage of his ongoing contact with his customer base but is considering this avenue of communication for the future.
Finally, many dealers stated, “We are just not security experts. We work with companies with which we have a high degree of confidence that they can do the job, and we just interface with their equipment.”
