Making Your Best End-User Case
Close to four in five security directors/managers are looking to spend more money on security, with 76% of that group considering new or upgraded systems. However, SSI‘s ninth Commercial End-User Study also indicates funding is more of an impediment, equipment costs and reliability are of greater concern, and integrator IT know-how is lagging.
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Going from a zero to a hero with a prospective or challenging customer is attainable if you thoroughly understand that end user’s unique organizational needs and specific pain points, and are willing and able to deliver solutions to minimize or eliminate them. And if your customer already holds you in high regard, reinforcement of those edicts is essential to ensure a deep and long-lasting relationship. To help you keep your finger on the pulse of customers’ operational health and safety, SSI’s 2013 Commercial End-User Study taps into their minds to render rare and valuable insights into the realities of their world.
This year’s results indicate 77% of those end users intend to boost security spending — 68% looking at new security/fire-life safety systems, and 8% evaluating upgrades and risk assessments. Those percentages represent substantial year-over-year increases. In addition, around four in five plan to either maintain or raise their security budget. Nearly eight in 10 are highly interested in video surveillance, with access control holding almost as much appeal. Technologies of highest interest for video, access and intrusion are, respectively, networked video, smart cards and wireless devices.
The results also point to rising concern about budgetary constraints (59% identify funding as top obstacle for a secure workplace) as well as several areas suppliers and integrators would be well advised to address as opportunities for improvement. Given the spending challenges, the fact that the cost of security systems extended its lead as end users’ chief complaint is not surprising, but that is compounded by increased dissatisfaction with reliability. The issue exhibiting the biggest upswing as a complaint about integrators was a lack of IT expertise.
SSI’s ninth annual Commercial End-User Study — conducted in cooperation with ISC/Reed Exhibitions and Campus Safety magazine (for more, see Methodology box) — offers industry-exclusive data that can be sliced, diced and analyzed in practically limitless ways to yield invaluable market intelligence. Look it over thoroughly, assess how it stacks up against what you are encountering in the field, tailor it according to parameters that make the most sense to advance your business — and then reap the rewards.
View the 2013 Commercial End-User Study results.
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About the Author
Scott Goldfine
Scott Goldfine is the marketing director for Elite Interactive Solutions. He is the former editor-in-chief and associate publisher of Security Sales & Integration. He can be reached at [email protected].
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