mPERS Mobile App Trio Introduced by SmartTek Systems Provides Dealers with a Competitive Edge
SmartTek Systems, Inc. announced the introduction of a full trio of smartphone apps designed to give its security dealer partners a competitive edge, a true “value-add” and an additional revenue stream.
The trio of apps is comprised of the previously announced SmartAlert (a panic, safety and mobile personal emergency response system [mPERS] with nationwide coverage, designed to preserve the users’ personal privacy), SmartGuard (designed to give families peace-of-mind by providing optional location information about family members), and SmartTrack (a powerful fleet-tracking and mobile productivity solution for small businesses). Pilot testing of the new app offerings has been ongoing with central stations for months and the service is immediately ready to come to market.
“The landscape of the alarm industry is changing. The traditional market is being threatened by DIYers and mass marketers,” said SmartTek co-founder Barry Schweiger (co-founder and former president, Fire Burglary Instruments, Inc.). “SmartTek changes the focus from price as the deciding factor to a feature not available elsewhere. By extending protection services to subscribers and their families when they are out of their homes at school, work or out enjoying themselves, security companies can practically guarantee increased RMR and lowered attrition rates. We see this as a very strong closing tool for dealers.”
According to Bart Didden, USA Central Station Alarm of Port Chester, NY, "We see virtual services such as SmartAlert mPERS as an essential tool that installing alarm companies are going to need to compete with the likes of ADT and the growing Do It Yourself (DIY) market. If the independent alarm dealer is going to survive they need the right tools and the knowledge to use them. USA Central is dedicated to providing these cutting edge services.”
Fellow co-founder Bud Wulforst (former president, Central Station Alarm Association) agrees: “This is the service that all dealers are going to have to offer to compete. Since our solutions are cloud-based apps that use existing GPS and smartphone technologies, there’s no installation and virtually no investment for the security company. Dealers will have the opportunity to sell the app as a stand-alone product or bundle it with other alarm services that are becoming popular such as the ability to turn on lights, set home temperature and general convenience tools. Personal security away from the home should be one of those tools.”
“The SmartTek turnkey platform removes the obstacles that previously prevented central stations from entering the mPERS market,” said SmartTek’s Technical Consultant Mark Fischer. “It adds no hardware or software costs to the central station and requires no costly servers, subscriptions, or maintenance fees. SmartTek’s software integrates with virtually any existing central station automation system. We’ve eliminated the need for the central station to subscribe to a costly PSAP database, and we still provide the service at what we believe to be the lowest cost per app.”
Subscribers to central stations and alarm dealers offering SmartTek services do not need to purchase any additional equipment, and there are no service calls or cellular charges to the central station or dealer. Subscribers simply sign up, download and install the app on their iPhone or Android smartphone and they are immediately protected.
METRODIAL Central Station of Hicksville New York will be among the first central stations to go live. METRODIAL has been providing innovative alarm monitoring services for over 30 years.
“We believe that this is an important service that our dealers are going to need to offer in order to compete in a market that is always quickly changing,” said METRODIAL’s Andrew Lowitt.