3. Training

In the business of security, technologies and best practices change and evolve, sometimes quite rapidly. Indeed, because knowledge is power it’s imperative that integrators remain up to date on the latest technologies. Otherwise, they risk falling behind the competition. Hence, making an investment in training and education is not a luxury – it is a necessity.

The knowledge and technical expertise integrators and their staff gain from solid, well-rounded educational offerings will allow them to make the most informed decisions and recommendations about products and solutions. Maintaining or pursuing multiple certifications provides an even deeper understanding of various technologies and solutions. Becoming skilled on how they are integrated and how to make the most of those integrations can provide installing security contractors with the upper hand in the proposal process and help close more business. Many manufacturers offer training on their products and information about the certifications that will help integrators succeed.

4. Vertical Markets

Security requirements are growing rapidly in a number of vertical markets, particularly health care, education and public safety. Recognizing and pursuing projects and customers in these markets will help integrators build their business.

However, while these areas present opportunities to increase profits, the systems designed for use in these sectors must meet specific requirements unique to each market. These requirements may also be outside of an integrator’s area of expertise, so there will likely be a bit of a learning curve to become familiar with the particulars within each vertical.

Reading about projects in these areas, seeking training specific to each industry and working with manufacturers that have experience and expertise in specific vertical markets are great ways to ensure success in designing, recommending and installing systems. But the best strategy is to listen carefully to customers’ needs and develop solutions to address those specific needs.

5. Promotion

A final strategy for integrators to win new business is to share their success stories with others. One way to do this is to participate in the case studies that most manufacturers produce. Many companies actively seek integrator input for these stories designed to highlight the effectiveness of their solutions. However, smart integrators are proactive in this process, sharing their own experiences and successes with manufacturers as part of an ongoing dialog.

Providing input to publications, whether they are specific to the security industry or local, regional or national news media is another excellent approach for telling success stories. An additional tactic is to provide useful and helpful information via social media (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc.).

RELATED: Social Media Can Be a Friend to Security Pros

People want to work with someone they trust and who they know will do a good job. Testimonials are one tool integrators can use to position themselves in a positive light. But augmenting them with a number of promotional actions can cement a provider’s reputation as a subject matter expert in a particular technology, integration or vertical market to build that ever-important trust with customers and potential customers alike.

Open-architecture solutions ensure that all necessary third-party physical security integrations are in place before dealers and integrators make specific product and solution recommendations. This provides the flexibility to deploy best-in-class hardware and software to deli
ver exactly the feature sets customers want and need to meet their business and security requirements. By considering these five strategic factors when planning, designing, specifying and deploying complete end-to-end systems, integrators can achieve greater overall success.

Gadi Piran is President of OnSSI, a provider of IP video management software.

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