How Security Companies Can Adapt and Thrive During the Pandemic

Don’t be afraid to change the way you communicate with customers and vendor partners or restructuring the way your business is organized to fit the “new norm.”

How Security Companies Can Adapt and Thrive During the Pandemic

Like the rest of the world, the alarm industry is facing significant obstacles in the marketplace this year, which not only includes regular competition and a technological sunset, but now a global pandemic. While we have all been aware of the 3G sunset for some time, upgrading your customers can be challenging.

Now, the coronavirus has complicated things more by drastically changing how the entire world does business and interacts with their customers and business partners — at least for the time being.

The adjustment period to our new way of doing business may seem steep at first; however, there are endless possibilities and opportunities that you can take advantage of to build your business through strengthening relationships with your customers and vendor partners.

To begin, if you haven’t already, consider implementing a “customer outreach program.” Most of your customers have been forced to stay at home, making tough decisions regarding where their money is spent and how they can best protect their families.

Designing a proactive initiative that connects you to your customer can help you grow your business and control your attrition by simply communicating with them. Take the time to inform your customers of new safety precautions that your service, install and office teams are making to continue serving them as safely as possible.

Having a one-on-one call to relay this information to them creates a more personal touch and allows you to review their current protection plan, discuss upgrades they may be curious about and update their contact information for the central station. Above all, just let them know you’re there, and help them feel protected.

This time also presents a great opportunity to discuss upgrades with your 3G customers. Keep in mind that the 3G sunset has not been put on “stay at home” status, and it is essential to continue replacing these devices before your competitor does it for you.

Your central station can provide you a list of devices that are currently active so you know which customers to target. Depending on how many 3G customers you have to contact you may want to create a 3G webinar presentation to reach a much larger audience.

Chances are if you reach out to your preferred vendors, including your monitoring center, they will be eager to help you create engaging content for your presentation and may even join you for added expertise. Afterward, your team can follow up with the one-on-one call to the customer and to schedule a service call or upgrade the system.

If you or your team has any downtime, now is a good time to stay up-to-date on products, programs and services. There is an abundance of industry experts, associations, and central stations hosting virtual town hall meetings and webinars that include valuable information you can use to keep your employees and customers engaged with your business.

Encourage your staff to stay on top of new products and services that can be integrated into your current business plan and create value for your customers.

Now is also an ideal time to evaluate and organize stock and equipment kept in-house for your 3G upgrades and other service calls. Check in with your manufacturer and distributor representatives who can help you put a new inventory system in place that you have been putting off.

If your supply house doesn’t offer this type of assistance, perhaps now is a time to evaluate vendor relationships. Your central station is an excellent hub of knowledge and connections that can help you find great new partnerships you may not have otherwise considered.

To thrive in this new context, you must adapt to take advantage of services and creative ideas to reach out to customers and create unique solutions to grow your business.

Don’t be afraid to change the way you communicate with customers and vendor partners or restructuring the way your business is organized to fit the “new norm.”

It is essential to continue to connect with folks while proactively engaging and protecting your clientele from competing organizations that are actively participating in new technologies. Connect with your central station today and let them know your needs.

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About the Author

Contact:

Sarah Salazar is Account Manager at United Central Control.

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