ESX 2019 Preview: Emphasizing the Value of the Consumer Experience

Geared especially for installing security and monitoring contractors, here’s your roadmap to make the most of your time at the big show.

Among the educational session titles at ESX 2019 will be “Why Building an Innovative Culture Is Good for Business.”

May 08, 2019 Rodney Bosch

INDIANAPOLIS — The Electronic Security Expo (ESX) will travel here to the Indiana Convention Center June 3-6 with a special focus on exploring the consumer experience and how sales, culture and customer engagement drive business.

In an announcement, ESX cites a PwC whitepaper that found consumers will pay up to a 16% price premium on products and services to have consistently great experiences with a company. Conversely, one in three consumers say they will quit buying from a brand after just one bad experience.

Peer-led breakout sessions will be held each day of the conference with an aim to inform managers and executives how to align their processes internally, so they can better provide their customers the best experience their businesses can offer.

Session titles include:

Onboarding Customers: Creating Amazing Experiences That Drive Referrals
Data That Drives a Personalized Customer Experience
Successfully Launching New Products With Existing Customers and New Markets
Installation Performance: On Time, On Budget, On Par for Quality
Why Building an Innovative Culture Is Good for Business

ESX Chair George De Marco tells SSI that while many security companies promote they have the best products, employees and customer service, essentially there is little difference among security companies for the services they provide.

So what makes your company stand out from your competition? It’s all about the customer experience, De Marco says, which he defines as the impression you and your staff leave with your customer at every stage of the customer journey, resulting in multiple touchpoints that leave a lasting impression.

“In other words your brand is not defined by what you say it is, rather it’s defined by what your customers say it is. And social media platforms allow consumers to express their customer experiences about your company in a very public forum, giving consumers the power to control your brand,” he says.

More than ever customer experience is critical to the sustained growth of your business, De Marco continues. Delivering a positive customer experience helps customers evangelize your services and refer their friends, which builds your brand loyalty and affinity. As a result, these brand evangelists will leave positive customer reviews that retains your existing customers and attracts new ones.

“With a positive customer experience, you can rise above the vast commoditized service offerings, shining a light on why you are uniquely qualified to deliver what they expect and deserve,” De Marco explains. “This will fortify your brand identity and brand promise that brings your company into focus as the security provider of choice.”

All told, ESX educational programming will offer four distinct tracks led by executives from installing security contractors and manufacturers, plus other subject matter experts. Following are brief descriptions for each session track:

Grow Your Business: Innovative ideas to increase top line revenues, offer new products, invigorate sales and build a customer-centric team.
Maximize Your Monitoring Center: Zeroes in on next-generation monitoring technologies, services and management techniques that deliver meaningful services.
Rethink the Future: Provides the broadcast perspective of what lies ahead and how to prepare for fast-paced, business-changing breakthroughs.
Run Your Company: Focuses on innovative ways to lead and manage your company, including operations, finance and customer service.

ESX Keynotes, Exhibits & More

Owned and presented by the Electronic Security Association (ESA) and The Monitoring Association (TMA), ESX hosts many of the associations’ respective industry awards programs, national committee meetings, as well as other joint endeavors.

The official kickoff will be held the evening of June 3 at the Indiana State Museum. During this welcome reception ESA’s Weinstock Person of the Year will be recognized, plus TMA will present its Monitoring Center Excellence Awards. SSI will also team with TMA to bestow the annual Marvel Award, which will be presented to one overall winner for the “best adoption of new technology to advance your business.”

The following morning, the OpenXchange Breakfast includes an interactive session to identify disruptive technologies and emerging trends to help security pros navigate the changing competitive landscape and pinpoint opportunities.

Sunflower Labs CEO and Founder Alex Pachikov will participate in the OpenXchange panel. His company is bringing a high-end drone security solution to the residential sector, with the goal of one day producing at scale and offering commercial solutions.

Then a keynote luncheon will feature Dr. Rick Rigsby presenting “Making an Impact.” Rigsby is a former journalist and a former professor at Texas A&M University. He has written “Lessons From a Third Grade Dropout” and “Afraid to Hope.” Among Fortune 500 corporations that have brought in Rigsby to speak are Walmart and ExxonMobil.

During the June 5 general session, Kevin Brown, a motivational speaker and author of “The Hero Effect,” will share a message that is designed to help individuals and organizations achieve greater results by eliminating ordinary thinking and mastering the habit of excellence.

The closing keynote luncheon on June 6 will spotlight three law enforcement professionals who will discuss ways to implement better strategies that help reduce violent crimes against employees, students, visitors and customers. Louis Dekmar, chief of police in LaGrange, Ga., will moderate a panel that includes Ted Fries, director of safety and security for Hulman Motorsports, responsible for oversight of security and safety at Indianapolis Motor Speedway events; and, Mindy Pretzman, assistant to the special agent in charge for the United States Secret Service.

During the luncheon, a college-bound son or daughter of a first responder will be awarded ESA’s Youth Scholarship, and SSI once again partners with the Security Industry Alarm Coalition (SIAC) to unveil the recipient of this year’s Police Dispatch Quality Award.

Of course, there is much more on tap during the conference, not the least of which is an exhibition replete with the latest security and life-safety products and services exhibited by leading vendors. Expo hours: June 4, 12:45-5 p.m.; June 5, noon-4 p.m.

Nightlife enthusiasts will gather for a pub crawl June 4, 7 p.m.-midnight. And for an additional cost, the ESX Indy Speedway VIP Experience (June 5, 6-8 p.m.) will offer participants the chance to network and take a cruise around the famed track in an official pace car.

For more information or to register, visit esxweb.com.

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About the Author

Rodney Bosch, Senior Editor

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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.

ESX 2019 Preview: Emphasizing the Value of the Consumer Experience