Business Tools

The dictionary defines "best" as being of the highest quality, excellence or standing. Great, but how is it achieved? Looking at the three companies featured in this 2009 Best of the Best issue, although they are all very distinct operations, each is centered around a universal principle: The customer comes first.

It's been pretty firmly established: The Digital Revolution is inevitable. The Convergence Wave is coming crashing down whether we like it or not. That being said, there is still much debate on the merits and benefits of old-school analog systems.

While watching the recent "American Idol" season finale I got to thinking about the splashy ads seen during such a high-profile broadcast and how many millions of people those messages reach.

Finding a first-rate match in a dealer partner is no small notion. Prepare to consider a host of topics such as how programs vary, identifying benefits that best fit your needs, membership terms and financing.

We’ve made our list, we’ve checked it twice, and we’ve decided what qualifies as a lofty device. You’d be hard-pressed to find an installing security contractor who ...

Today's building managers and owners are not spending as much money as they did post 9/11 when there was a rush to increase security systems through large ...

When you surrounded yourself with quality people and make use of their thinking, it can force you to unleash the power that’s within your mind in creative thought.

In era of mergers, acquisitions and other agents of change in the electronic security industry, maintaining customer longevity has become increasingly more complicated. To a greater extent, long-term relationships — say, more than two decades — are by far the exception ...

In an era when superior manufacturing processes and commoditization have leveled the product playing field and economics have caused buyers to be more cost-conscious than ever, service has become the prevalent differentiator. Doing business as a premium service provider entails a top-down company culture predicated ...

As the owner or operator of a company you can claim to provide good customer service, but this assertion can be hollow if you don’t have a firm grasp on what your customers think about your company. The truth is your company is only as good as your customers say ...

As an active and contributing member to an industry association, a small company can have a big voice to help shape the business landscape on which it operates. To be sure, participating in an association will take hard work, cooperation and company funds. However, by staying on the sidelines small companies forfeit their right to be heard, and no doubt ...

Ouch! This isn’t a very nice title for an article at all. What’s even more acerbic is that many owners and managers in our industry seem to be missing the top signs that our service quality quite possibly isn’t all that. I wish I had a dime for every time an alarm company owner told me, “We provide the best service in the industry!” If we are being truthful with ourselves, the fact ...

When Mike Duffy told me his great idea, I just looked at him and for a second, the image of a bus flashed through my mind. I then realized what he was really saying. The companies that we work with are the “buses” in our lives. The quality of the ride and the satisfaction that we get from it is in large part determined by making sure we ...

As an Irish kid growing up in the melting pot of New Jersey, I commonly heard the popular Jewish expression, “Oy vey!” (actually from the Yiddish language). It was used to convey seemingly anything from the absolute delight in the birth of a bouncing red-cheeked newborn to a parental lament to an unexpectedly poor report card from the protégé. However, in general ...

As I write this, the championship fate of the Los Angeles Lakers — the NBA team I have rooted for since boyhood — hangs in the balance against a tough Boston Celtics squad. Typically, when sports titles are on the line, the difference boils down to role players, or who has the strongest bench. No matter how great or talented he is, Kobe Bryant can’t ...

Wilson has been in the industry for years — probably more than his age would indicate! His company monitors more than 850,000 accounts and is one of the top three largest wholesale central stations in the world. Tony is young, bright and a real pro ...

It seems as though we’ve done a number of columns on this same variation about customers, and of course, you can never run out of ideas and material to write. As I interviewed Pierson at ISC West, I realized she is starting her third career in just the few short years that I’ve known her ...

The shift to digital technology and IP-based solutions is readily apparent, especially at the big trade shows. Jim Talbot, CEO of Chicago-based Ionit Technologies, a provider of advanced DVR systems, provides his perspective on what security contractors could be doing better to take advantage of sales opportunities beyond legacy infrastructure.

Most owners/operators of installing security systems companies would agree nothing beats word of mouth/referrals/networking for generating new business. It costs next to nothing and the potential customer is already “sold” on your abilities and services, which means price is typically low on their list of concerns. However, those relying exclusively (or close to it) on this strategy are ...

Guardian Protection Services knows a thing or two about marketing, and its display case holding a total of 15 SAMMYs proves it. The armoire is proudly showcased at the company’s corporate office in Warrendale, Pa. — just 20 miles outside of Pittsburgh — and is a good indicator that Guardian is an industry leader where marketing is ...

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