Security Info Watch: The Steps to IP Video Surveillance

A recent article on Security Info Watch shares the steps to converting customers from analog to IP video surveillance and asks: Whatever the security environment, IP’s capabilities, growing standardization and increasing affordability make adoption the only real choice —the question is, how to get your clients to make the transition.

Photo Credit: Big Stock

Organizations that are still dependent on analog technology and not yet operating with versatile IP systems are increasingly handicapped in their day-to-day operations. For educational and government organizations, the ability to respond to emergencies and regulate access are hampered by low-resolution imaging and the limitations of decentralized control centers. For places of business, competitors using IP solutions are enjoying the advantages that high-definition clarity and cloud-based recording bring to loss prevention efforts, for example.

Whatever the security environment, IP’s capabilities, growing standardization and increasing affordability make adoption the only real choice —the question is, how to get your clients to make the transition.

“Simplicity” and “affordability” appear to be highly subjective terms. When it comes to replacing an obsolete multi-component system that is relied on for day-to-day functions, what is simple and affordable for a large business may not seem so painless to a smaller establishment. Thankfully, the nature of IP’s architecture allows for a measured transition, which, in the end will provide businesses and institutions with unprecedented flexibility for improving their integral security systems.

A measured transition breaks down the largest perceived barriers to obtaining an IP system. An integrator can help customers’ loss prevention or security teams facing limited budgets by laying the groundwork today for an eventual full IP conversion.

To read all of the steps

Advertisements

Convert Your Clients to a CLOUD Based Video Surveillance Solution

Dealers and Integrators: Bring your client’s video surveillance up to date and earn recurring revenue ControlByNet’s i-flashback CLOUD surveillance can be used for numerous business applications from apt community management to retail stores such as pawn shops to recyclers. When servicing a client, ask about their existing security and see if a DVR is part of their surveillance plan. By converting to a CLOUD based video surveillance, you are servicing your customers by preventing the DVR and evidence from being stolen as well as creating a recurring revenue stream for you & your business.

Custom Integration Community – Future Predictions & Hopes

CE Pro announced the most influential people of past 20 years yesterday.  These innovators are the backbones of home consumer electronics. As part of the article, they asked the custom integration community to comment on the past 20 years, and predict where the next 20 years will take us. Here are excerpts from the Julie Jacobson article.  To read the complete article

Combating Mass-Market Installers
Over the past 20 years the technological advancements in IP have changed the landscape significantly. The technology to control your home and distribute A/V has made it easier and less expensive for people.

I see DIY exploding in the next five years as IPv6 comes online. In addition, the traditional CAT V [cable] and security providers are going to learn how to sell and install this technology better than they do today, and it will continue to disrupt the traditional A/V integrator. If I were starting out now I would consider only targeting the very high end where DIY and low-tech CAT V and security providers can’t play and likely never will.

– Aaron Miller, formerly Magnolia Audio/Video and La Scala, Vancouver, BC

Whither the Art of Selling
I do think that the art of being a great salesperson has for the most part left the industry. It seems that too many in this industry don’t involve the customer in the buying process enough to get them excited. Too many buying decisions are made by reading “unbiased” reviews that at times are anything but. This industry needs to get back to telling the story of the product and the company it came from, and selling on a product’s merit, not solely on if it is the best “deal’” or not.

– Joel Russcher, Grand Home Automation, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Networks, LEDs, Pre-engineered Panels, Remote Monitoring, Life Safety
These days, changes are recognized in quick loading applications so my thoughts begin and end with the quality of the network. Over the past 20 years we’ve seen the non-existent network give way to today’s managed and robust networks, which are the backbone of every system out there today.

Security, led control, and panels that are pre-engineered, designed and installed that cut down on site deployment time are also in the cards. these developments, along with constant remote monitoring, are in the future and we are beginning to see it now.

I also believe that life safety systems will begin to look better in the overall picture in new construction starts – not just to meet code requirements, but also to have an aesthetic that is on par with architectural designs from the likes of truFIg, sonance, leon speakers and Crestron.

– Richard Hollander, Performance Imaging, Stamford, Conn.

Don’t Count out Analog Video yet???

According to a recent industry article, integrators shouldn’t count out analog video yet. The article states “IP is without a doubt the new king of the jungle, but the old lion is still here, roaring just a bit less loudly.”

This is bad advice for integrators for many reasons. IPVM states that it is the “Worst Advice Ever” (http://ipvm.com/updates/1351) and we agree.

The article points to the following as some of the reasons dealers’ haven’t made the transition:

“And just as there are dealers who haven’t made the transition, there are end users who still prefer analog 1) because of the lack of PTZ latency, or 2) because small analog systems still are less expensive than their IP counterparts, or 3) because they already have the coaxial cable in place. “

We argue that by making the move to the cloud, integrators can seize new business opportunities including providing flexible hosting solutions, maximizing recurring revenue and entering the monitoring and guard-station market.

Solutions like ControlByNet’s I-flashback provide integrators with an easy to use, 100-percent browser-based application. Dealers can provide their customers with the full benefits of having their security ‘on the cloud’ including remote hosting, multiple location access (onsite, hosted or any combination) from a single web login and access on mobile devices.

We believe that now is the time for both large and small integrators to find the right IP solution for their customers. Yes, this requires continued education to integrators on the benefits of making the move to the cloud and providing them with the resources needed to succeed. We work with integrators small and large every day to make the move seamless. No longer do dealers or customers have to worry that a DVR is broken or missing and at the same time they can enjoy additional business opportunities including recurring revenue and new revenue streams like guard and monitoring stations.