Companies End-user and Dealer Focused at ASIS 2015

• By Ginger Hill
• Sep 29, 2015

The goal was to hit the showroom floor running, so I started off day one of ASIS 2015 with a power breakfast of steel-cut oats with raisins and brown sugar, whole wheat toast and, of course, java juice! After properly nourished, I grabbed my bag and headed to the convention center here in Anaheim only to be greeted with the sound of a fire alarm with clear audible instructions on what to do. Assuming it was a security product being demoed, I stayed put until I saw like-minded security professionals methodically proceeding to the nearest exits. The flashing lights gave the tell-tale sign that this was real.

I never found out what exactly happened to trigger the convention center's fire alarm, but I did visit with a variety of security professionals throughout the course of the day in which a theme seemed to emerge: end-user focused.

My first booth visit was with Samsung who is focused on the three Ps: partnerships, programs and processes. With 1000 partners and continuous expansion, Samsung has built a new sales force, one that proactively supports all dealers. When dealers have questions and call Samsung, there is an inside sales force poised and on-the-ready for direct dealer support, creating a relationship of support and trust.

"By establishing effective partnerships, this has allowed Samsung to pursue different verticals in which we normally wouldn't," explained Janet Fenner, director of marketing, North America. "We are now able to follow through with these verticals because of our valuable relationships with our partners."

Moving on, Sielox has added new colors to their C.L.A.S.S. product to add simplicity and ease of use for the end user. The graphical map that shows real-time status is completely configurable based on each end user's procedures. By adding a color dimension to the procedure, a quick glance is all that's needed to know immediately how to react to the situation at hand.

"Our products are evolving because they are actually being used," said Karen Evans, president and CEO, Sielox.

For Digital Watchdog, it's all about listening to customer feedback and providing products that meet their needs. So, the word-of-the-day is "multi-sensor." By focusing on high resolution coupled with a good frame rate, Digital Watchdog is able to provide the end user with images that contextually show exactly what's going on. After all, with video, it's all about clarity, so Digital Watchdog empowers the end user by giving the ability to establish regions of interest to record at higher frame rates, therefore, producing enhanced clarity at the end user's fingertips!

Interlogix and United Technologies, with a focus on intrusion, have differentiated themselves by creating a panel that puts the user in control via cloud service. Today's end user is all about instant gratification of having wants and needs met as instantaneously as possible; however, these two companies recognize that security must be number one. By using their UL-listed security panel as a hub, security is managed first followed by lifestyle management to create a connected lifestyle for end users.

Micropower recognizes that sometimes it's difficult for the end user to embrace and use new technology that is introduced into the security market, unless adequate training is provided with the overall outcome of making the customer feel comfortable with a high level of satisfaction of usability. So, when a potential customer comes to Micropower, they "show" rather than just "tell."

Each customer is provided with a wireless, custom-designed, solar-powered video surveillance system that is presented to them in PowerPoint format; however, the "icing on the cake," comes in the form of a video, demonstrating to the customer exactly what they will experience once their project is completed. This shows the end user the actual value of wireless video before they invest their money into a security solution; therefore, solidifying the relationship between Micropower and their customers.

Wrapping up day one on a positive note with Pivot3, I learned that they were mentioned on Gartner's Magic Quadrant, the reliable source that end users look to when selecting security-related products. So, congrats Pivot3!

As with all trade shows, the "magic" of day one sets the tone for the remainder of the show. With a day like today, I am excited for what's to come in day two!