Taking a Fresh Look at Dealer Programs
Installing contractor support programs have been around for decades but are they keeping pace with changing times? Learn how some programs are continuing to provide dealers with the support, branding and other assistance to succeed in an era of harsh economics, fierce competition, and emerging technologies and services.
Members of the Monitronics authorized dealer program take part in an educational seminar hosted by the third-party central station. Courtesy Monitronics
For the independent systems integrator, this development is introducing a significant business model dilemma. In order to provide managed services, the question is to invest significantly in new infrastructure and additional staff, or leverage the infrastructure and personnel of a partner organization.
Diebold and Niscayah each arrived at ASIS 2011 to present a strong case in support of the latter alternative by way of specialized dealer programs.
Niscayah highlighted its Nimbus 24/7 Secure Video Hosting service, which leverages cloud-based video storage technology from EMC Corp. and a network attached storage (NAS) device from Iomega for local, onsite storage. As billed, the managed service will allow end users to improve their security program while reducing overall costs.
The solution is built around Axis Communications’ Axis Video Hosting System (AVHS) server software and surveillance cameras. Niscayah will take the video hosting service to market through a national dealer program. Dealers will receive discounts on a wide range of security products, plus the program will offer a range of marketing collateral, client activation assistance, IP training, technical support, and the ability to rebrand the video hosting service as their own.
“Down the road we are looking at POS [point-of-sale] integration as another feature to offer, and we are looking at video analytics to be able to offer in a menu or buffet style,” Ed Meltzer, director of cloud hosting programs at Niscayah, explained during an ASIS presentation. “The ultimate goal of that technology add is so that the client can ad hoc go to their Web site, click on one of a number of video analytics, implement it on a specific camera or a group of cameras and be charged accordingly.”
The Diebold Advanced Dealer Program is structured to enable leading, pre-certified installing security contractors to leverage the company’s advanced monitoring services, including remote video monitoring and remote video storage, managed access control, and energy management. They’ll also have access to Diebold’s DVR health check, weather detection notification and other features.
“We are looking for somebody that is IP savvy. Somebody who understands the value of the services model versus a product or hardware model,” says Steve Ipson, Diebold’s director of advanced dealer program development. “Someone with the skills to understand IP surveillance and managed access control; the cloud-computing model that everybody is talking about.”
Diebold says its advanced program allows dealers to take solutions to their customers to which heretofore they were unable. This is not necessarily because the dealer lacked IP/IT savvy, but rather the end user may not have had the capital to invest in installing an access control or video management system, let alone manage them.
“It’s not just the money you put upfront, it’s all the stuff you have to do to support the servers and whatnot,” says Jacky Grimm, vice president of security solutions and business development, Diebold. “That’s what we see as a great advantage for our dealers because now a dealer’s customer, which can be anybody from 100 sites to one site, can have a similar access control or IP video experience and the functionality that they couldn’t have before.”
Rodney Bosch is Managing Editor of SECURITY SALES & INTEGRATION. He can be contacted at (310) 533-2426.
Related Articles:
- On the Lookout for the Right Dealer Program
- Digging Into Dealer Programs
- The New Age of Dealer Programs
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About the Author
Rodney Bosch, Senior Editor
Although Bosch’s name is quite familiar to those in the security industry, his previous experience has been in daily newspaper journalism. Prior to joining SECURITY SALES & INTEGRATION in 2006, he spent 15 years with the Los Angeles Times, where he performed a wide assortment of editorial responsibilities, including feature and metro department assignments as well as content producing for latimes.com. Bosch is a graduate of California State University, Fresno with a degree in Mass Communication & Journalism. In 2007, he successfully completed the National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association’s National Training School coursework to become a Certified Level I Alarm Technician.
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