“Training your customers on system operation, educating them about alarm response and management, and continuously communicating with them about alarm permitting, relevant legislation, new technology, etc. is the formula to having satisfied, loyal customers, and employees, as well as building higher revenues over the long-term.” That was the overriding message Security Sales & Integration Editor-in-Chief Scott Goldfine delivered during “Winning Customer Education Programs,” one of several noteworthy presentations given at the 2007 CSAA Electronic Security Forum & Exposition May 16-20 in Orlando, Fla.
Goldfine moderated the well received and attended session, which also included panelists Mike Overby, vice president of subscriber services for Warrendale, Pa.-based Guardian Protection Services; Bob Ryan, vice president sales and marketing for Beltsville, Md.-based ASG Security; Richard Hahn, principal of Olean, N.Y.-based Richard Hahn & Associates; and Jim McMullen, president of C.O.P.S. Monitoring of Williamstown, N.J. Their broad spectrum of useful information also included how to handle acquired customer accounts, nontraditional outreach programs and how third-party monitoring firms can more effectively partner with their dealer customers.
Several hundred professionals from the central station industry and related fields took part in the annual midyear Central Station Alarm Association event, which also included an exhibition with more than 20 vendors, committee meetings, a golf tournament, UL seminars, product demonstrations, and several social and networking activities. “The meeting always provides me with great ideas and the interaction between the attendees can’t be matched,” says Mary Smith, monitoring division manager for Pacheco, Calif.-based Bay Alarm. “I always find something new that I can take back and improve our operations.”
CSAA’s annual meeting is scheduled for Oct. 19-24 in Hawaii. For more info, visit www.csaaul.org.
