Getting Involved With Customers

• By Brent Dirks
• Oct 21, 2024

Security Data Supply started small. Founded by Ron Broussard in 2001, it began as a distributor in Mandeville, Louisiana with a single location. Instead of driving 24 miles across Lake Ponchatrain to pick up products in New Orleans, Brossard saw the opportunity to give customers an easier opportunity to make a purchase.

Now, almost 25 years later, you can find locations all over the United States—from Portland, Oregon to Norfolk, Virginia and everywhere in between. Currently, there are 20 locations, and Chief Operating Officer Mike Capulli says that the company is looking to add two or three additional locations before the end of 2024.

While it originally began as a distributor, the company now uses a franchise model so each location has an independent owner.

“The advantage to our customer is at every location, the customer is dealing with an owner,” Capulli said. “So there’s a high level of service. A lot of our owners are long-time industry professionals that saw an opportunity to own their own business. And when somebody walks in the door, there’s no problem making decisions because they’re dealing with owners at every location.

“With the franchise model, we feel a that the customers are receiving a very high level of service a level of care. Getting involved with the customers, I call it getting inside their DNA. We want to know the customer well and provide exactly what they need.”

Capulli has more than 40 years of experience in the security industry with a number of big names like DSC and Tyco and was convinced to join SDS by Broussard in 2018.

Security Data Supply works with a wide variety of manufacturers like Bosch, HID, Honeywell Fire, DSC, NICE, Digital Watchdog, and many more.

No matter the current economic environment, Capulli said the security industry is strong and resilient.

“If the residential markets go down, the commercial side of the business goes up,” he said. “And if there’s a recession and increase in crime, the residential market increases their security. We’re very heavy in the fire business, which is a very required and mandated section of our industry. The CCTV area of security is always expanding because it’s becoming more affordable day in day out, and more residential users are putting video surveillance in their homes.”

In the residential area, Capulli says there is a significant shift.

“Previously, residential users were only usually concerned about security with a security panel, horn and siren.” he said “But now users are looking for more home home automation along with security in a single hub. So instead of just security, you can automate lighting control, locking the doors, AC, and more in a single product. Some commercial users are even wanting to go that route and automate multiple systems.”

Wireless technology has also taken big step forward, Capulli said, making it a strong choice for both residential and some commercial spaces.

“Manufacturers have become better and better at wireless devices so that the technology can now can move into the commercial space and reduce installation times and provide cost effective installation of security systems within commercial applications as well as residential. In commercial applications, wireless technology can strongly reduce installation time.”

Previously, trying to use wireless in large buildings was difficult, but Capulli mentioned that specific products like PowerG from Qolsys has made that much easier.

Cloud-based services are also reaching a tipping point for users, Capulli said, and will be a major part of the industry in the years to come.

“For a long time, people were wary of cloud-based services,” he said. “They thought they didn’t have control and wanted everything on their premises. But customers are finally realizing all the benefits of cloud computing for video and access control, and that will only continue to grow as the technology gets even better.”

Another trend to watch, according to Capulli, is AI technology in security applications.

“I think AI is going to be the lead in terms of how we interact with things,” he said. “It will be less and less hands on and more and more automated intelligence whether it be through geofencing or understanding voice control. People don’t realize that the number one technology sold today is voice. Eventually, a commercial user will be able to access their system with a simple voice command. A voice command paired with a proximity card or something else to provide dual authentication can truly be something powerful.”

And the business always continue for Security Data Supply After our discussion, Capulli was jumping to a new task. SDS recently acquired Arlenco Distribution, a wholesale distributor of low-voltage solutions based in Utah.