Our Best Advice Q&A series creeps closer to a major milestone with Freddy Kuo, chairman of Luminys Systems Corp. and special office executive assistant at Foxlink. He shares the best advice he’s ever gotten, gives a tip to security industry newcomers and singles out the person to whom all others should always listen.
Security Sales & Integration: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Freddy Kuo: One of the best pieces of advice I’ve received is: “Listen to the problem before you present the solution.”
That has stayed with me because it is very easy in this industry to lead with technology. We all get excited about the newest capabilities, whether it’s better cameras, artificial intelligence analytics, cloud platforms or new integrations.
But, when you sit down with a customer or integrator, the conversation usually becomes more practical very quickly. They are trying to protect people, reduce risk, respond faster and make better decisions. If you start with the product before you understand that reality, you are already moving too fast.
That advice has shaped the way I look at product development and leadership. The best ideas come from understanding what integrators, dealers and end users actually experience in the field. If you understand the problem first, you can build something that is useful in the field, not just impressive in a demo.
SSI: What advice would you give to those looking to achieve success in the security industry?
Kuo: My biggest piece of advice is to learn how the entire security ecosystem works and spend time where the work actually happens.
Success in this industry requires more than knowing cameras, access control or AI. You need to understand how a manufacturer’s decision affects a distributor, how that affects an integrator and how all of it eventually affects the customer using the system every day.
Early in your career, spend time with installers and visit job sites. Talk to customers after deployment, not just during the sales process. Pay attention to what slows projects down, from installation time and network issues to user training, service calls, cybersecurity concerns and long-term support.
If you stay curious, keep learning and never lose touch with the realities customers face every day, you’ll make better decisions.
SSI: If you could point to one person in the security industry and tell up-and-comers, “Make sure to listen to what they have to say,” whom would you pick and why?
Kuo: I would point to Wayne Hurd, our VP of sales at Luminys. One thing people can learn from Wayne is the importance of staying close to the channel. He spends a lot of time listening to integrators, dealers and partners and he understands the pressure they carry when they recommend a system to a customer.
That has influenced how I think about this industry. A good security solution is shaped by more than what happens in a product meeting. It is shaped by the people who install it, sell it, support it and depend on it after deployment.
The broader lesson is that trust is built slowly. If you want people to believe in what you are building, you have to listen consistently, communicate clearly and understand what they are dealing with after the sale.”
Click here to check out all entries in SSI’s Best Advice series!
