Business Tools

Remote video offers security contractors an attractive service to sell. Taking it a step further, interactive surveillance transforms the security dynamic from deterrence to prevention.

I just engaged in the exercise of writing down all the special projects, unique initiatives, new features and accomplishments SSI introduced or recorded during 2009. You know what? It was very enlightening.

Let me offer a word regarding the "summer programs" that have entered the alarm industry. First, any effort that adds 150,000 new subscribers who now own and operate alarm systems is worthwhile!

The daily rigors of being a security contractor can be daunting enough without being preoccupied with the travails of enterprise security managers. Yet astute providers understand helping end users overcome their challenges is a key to success. A roundtable featuring six commercial customers expounds upon this assertion.

Improving closing percentages, even during a difficult economic climate, can be accomplished by applying the right skills and attitude. While innumerable sales techniques exist, start practicing the fundamentals for immediate results.

While few may think of residential business encompassing access control and video surveillance solutions, there is money to be made out there for those who do. Cashing in requires knowing what to recommend and how to sell homeowners on it.

The recent start of the NFL season got me thinking about what an inexact science recruiting is. So much time, money and brainpower is put into scouting out the players, yet there are so many variables and unknowns that top picks can turn out to be complete busts (try mentioning the name Ryan Leaf to a Charger fan) and late-round selections or undrafted free agents can emerge as stars (Tony Romo, anyone?).

History is laden with innumerable stories about painstaking gold miners who mistook bountiful shiny nuggets for the real thing, only to soon learn all their hard work had merely produced iron pyrite ... fool's gold.

Ever since I was a wee lad, I have been fascinated by how time seemed to stand still when you are waiting for a big and happy event in your life. And, then again, how fast it seemed to run as you got older. The events of your adulthood move by in a flash until one day, you wake up to find that it's almost all over.

End-user organizations that supply their own in-house proprietary monitoring and services usually cause contract security providers to retreat and move on to the next prospect. However, in this time of economic challenges and cost-cutting pressures, most organizations would indeed consider an alternative if it met their logistical, fiscal and security requirements.

I've only known David Hood for about five years. That's when we helped his company acquire a client of Davis Marketing Group, a.k.a. The Graybeards. When I thought about Hood's idea, I reflected on how many young people are coming into the industry. They are alert, bright, enthusiastic and trying to establish themselves. This new generation of managers/owners/executives is taking over a big segment of the industry.

A stressful workplace can result in behavioral changes even in your best employees. Identify the warning signs and take action to prevent staff-wide chaos.

With a new security services division and the acquisition of a respected central station, Mace Security Int’l is garnering attention for its strategic repositioning. Led by Dennis Raefield and a plum management team, a company once adrift is fighting back with a new product line and a forthcoming dealer program focused on managed services.

Coinciding with an in-depth report about green practices on page 40, I would like to take this opportunity to specifically discuss what part central stations can play in the global effort toward environmental stewardship.

While security integrators and manufacturers are following the “go green” trend at a slower pace, those who have implemented eco-friendly practices have seen a worthwhile payoff. Find out how to save money while using less.

Looking for ways to protect or grow your bottom line? How about which technologies, services and markets you should pursue? Then look no further. SSI’s 2009 Operations & Opportunities Report is overflowing with the ideas and solutions you need to succeed.

Flint (Mich.) Now Billing Security Companies for False Alarms
4032 views

Ky. Integrator Donates Alarms to Schools
1386 views

Alarm System Alert Users With WiFi Camera, iPhone App
4754 views

May 8, 2013
A Look at Thermal Imaging
6 photos

April 19, 2013
Photo Gallery: ISC West 2013 Highlights From the Show Floor
22 photos

April 18, 2013
FBI Releases Suveillance Photos of Boston Marathon Bombing Suspects
8 photos