Industry Professional
Always Thinking of the Integrator
- By Ralph C. Jensen
- Jul 01, 2015
Sit down for a conversation with Brian Wiser, the president of sales in North
America at Bosch Security Systems, and concern for the integrator will surface
pretty quickly. Sure, there are plenty of trends to talk about, such as
the Internet of Things, but the basics of how an integrator keeps going is top of
the list.
Obviously, Bosch is not an integrator, nor has Wiser ever been an integrator, but he
said today’s challenge for the dealer/integrator is having a breadth of knowledge
of all the technology and still be able to focus on a specific vertical or solution that
meets your clients’ needs.
“A successful integrator cannot be all things, to all people,” Wiser said. “A good
integrator will rely on partners and manufacturers to supplement their needs. They
need to stay focused and do what they do best.”
Let’s just back up a minute, because Wiser understands the needs of an integrator
and provides expertise to his duties of sales, support, training, customer service
and marketing at Bosch. Wiser recently moved to Bosch after a successful career
for technology distributor Ingram Micro. His strengths include setting strategic
direction, expanding market share and strengthening channel relationships.
“The dealer/integrator is exactly who we support every day,” Wiser said. “The
key is to pay attention to what is going on around you every day. If not, you
might be replaced by somebody else who offers a different and meaningful solution
to a problem.”
Wiser comes to the security market after years tending to the needs of the IT
vertical. There really isn’t much of a difference in terms of selling the industry;
it is a matter of knowing the right skill set and how manufacturers, like Bosch,
respond to that.
There are several trends that Wiser detailed that are on the edge of the industry,
including the Internet of Things—it has a lot of implications to the security industry.
More specifically, he said, video devices are more intelligent than ever before
because they process at the edge and offer much better image quality.
“There is a demand for better image quality,” Wiser said. “Integrating is a really
big deal in offering a complete solution. And, there are a lot of new opportunities
for the dealer/integrator because of connected devices and mobile applications.
“There is a lot going on right now in the security industry. It is a very exciting
time because of the technology and staying on top of the trends and building with
the right solutions.”
Things are changing in the relationship between integrator and end user.
Wiser said that the dealer/integrator needs to speak differently to their clients
than they have in the past, and that manufacturers have a stake in how well the
dealer/integrator represents various products and the industry in general. They
are their primary customers, and they are the bread and butter, the backbone of
the industry.
Well known as an open architecture-type manufacturer, Bosch is one of the
original ONVIF standards supporters. Wiser said the standard is not worn out
but is a progressive offering with ongoing changes. He said standards are a good
thing, and it helps the integrator community understand how to go to market. At
the same time, it is an effort that must evolve over time.
“As a security company, it is incumbent upon us and everyone else to offer a
complete solution to the customer,” Wiser said. “Any manufacturer should be able
to offer a best of breed product that interfaces with other best of breed solutions.
“Bosch has a heritage of technology innovation. We are a leader in the security
industry and we will evolve with the times. This means we will understand what the
end user and client believes is valuable to them.”
Wiser also said that putting the integrator’s needs first means they are able to
pick the best solution. Bosch has a broad portfolio they can leverage in video,
intrusion, fire, communications, access control and software, in addition to their
authorized partners. All these things position the company to do very well in helping
the dealer and integrator.
This article originally appeared in the July 2015 issue of Security Today.
About the Author
Ralph C. Jensen is the Publisher/Editor in chief of Security Today magazine.