Rolling Video Showcases

Rolling Video Showcases

Locks Plus outfits mobile fleet with AXIS Companion to deliver surveillance demos to customers’ doors

Locks Plus Security Solutions, based in southern Florida, was founded in 2002 as a traditional locksmith company. The familyrun business offered commercial and residential customers routine services from rekeying locks and replacing doors to installing dead bolts and exit alarms. By 2016, it was clear that branching into the video surveillance side of security would be an important step in its continued success.

MORE THAN A DEADBOLT

“Locking your door with a dead bolt is one thing,” says Daniel Kallan, vice-president and co-partner of Locks Plus. “But seeing who’s on the other side of it is a whole other level of security.”

To learn more about the technology, Kallan attended an industry tradeshow that gave him an opportunity to view and compare vendors for video camera systems. Once he saw the innovations presented at the Axis booth, he knew he found the right products for his clientele. The next step was to figure out how a company without a conventional shop could market a video surveillance solution.

“Our vans are our mobile offices,” Kallan said. “We keep stock in our trucks all the time so customers can see and touch what we sell. I knew that showing customers a product catalog or a YouTube video of a surveillance system wasn’t going to close the sale.”

Kallan believed if his customers got hands-on experience with the cameras they would be convinced.

He proposed installing an Axis system inside his trucks as a mobile viewing point for his customers. Embracing the idea, Locks Plus was off and running with their demo equipment.

CREATING A MOBILE SHOWROOM

Kallan outfitted the company’s three mobile offices with compact AXIS Companion demo systems consisting of two HDTVquality AXIS Companion Dome V network cameras equipped with 16-gigabytes of storage on an embedded SD card. The cameras are powered by a Power-over-Ethernet switch. A smartphone loaded with the AXIS Companion mobile app serves as the viewing platform. Since the vans have no Internet connection, Kallan installed a Belkin wireless network in each vehicle for connectivity.

When prospective customers step into the van, the Locks Plus employee shows the live streaming video on a smartphone so customers can watch how the surveillance solution works in real-time. The two strategically placed Axis cameras—one facing the van’s interior and the other towards the street— showcase the quality of the image under a dynamic range of lighting conditions.

“Once I explain how easy it is to use and how safe the system is, the customers really love it,” Kallan said. “They especially love that the cameras are self-contained recording and storage systems that can be accessed remotely. They don’t need to deal with a separate network video recorder that could be stolen or damaged. If an incident occurs they can copy the video for the police or permanently archive it offline for later analysis.”

Kallan finds that introducing customers to these demos has created a powerful resource for closing and upselling.

ADDING NEW LAYERS OF SECURITY

Locks Plus mobile shops provide security hardware and services to a wide range of properties from retail shops and restaurants to commercial offices. Introducing customers to Axis video surveillance systems is the obvious next step for enhancing their protection. With only a couple of years selling Axis solutions under his belt, Kallan is looking forward to adding Axis video door stations and access control technology to his mobile showrooms.

This article originally appeared in the May 2018 issue of Security Today.

About the Author

Larry Chay is the small business program manager at Axis Communications Inc.

Featured

  • Allegion, Comfort Technologies Implement Mobile Credentials at the Artisan Apartment Homes in Florida

    Artisan Apartment Homes, a luxury apartment complex in Dunedin, Florida, recently transitioned from mechanical keys to electronic locks and centralized system software with support from Allegion US, a leading provider of security solutions, technology and services, and Florida-based Comfort Technologies, which specializes in deploying multifamily access control, IoT devices and software management solutions. Read Now

  • Mall of America Deploys AI-Powered Analytics to Enhance Parking Intelligence

    Mall of America®, the largest shopping and entertainment complex in North America, announced an expansion of its ongoing partnership with Axis Communications to deploy cutting-edge car-counting video analytics across more than a dozen locations. With this expansion, Mall of America (MOA) has boosted operational efficiency, improved safety and security, and enabled more informed decision-making around employee scheduling and streamlining transportation for large events. Read Now

  • Security Industry Association Launches New “askSIA” AI Tool

    The Security Industry Association (SIA) has unveiled a brand-new SIA member benefit – askSIA, a conversational AI agent designed to help users get the most out of their SIA membership, easily access SIA resources and find the latest information on SIA’s training and courses, reports and publications, events, certification offerings and more. SIA members can easily find askSIA by visiting the SIA homepage or looking for the askSIA icon in the top left of webpages. Read Now

    • Industry Events
  • Industry Embraces Mobile Access, Biometrics and AI

    A combination of evolving workplace dynamics, technology innovation and new user expectations is changing how people enter and interact with physical spaces. Access control is at the heart of these changes. Combined with biometrics and AI, mobile access control has become increasingly crucial for deploying entry solutions that are seamless, secure and adaptive to user needs. Read Now

  • Sustainable Video Solution Delivered for Landmark City of London Office Development

    An advanced, end-to-end video solution from IDIS, with a focus on reducing waste and costs, has helped a major office development in the City of London align its security with sustainability objectives. Read Now

New Products

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

  • Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file.