Within the video surveillance market, the cloud has transformed not only the solutions on offer but also the conversations and relationships between security integrator and end user. The market is shifting from transactional sales to long-term service contracts, which unlocks both a steady stream of income for integrators and more value for the end user.

“With cloud, the barrier to entry is so much smaller,” says Aaron Saks, director of sales enablement, Hanwha Vision America, Teaneck, N.J. “In most cases, if your cameras are already connected, adding a new feature or function is just a matter of a few clicks. That simplicity — and the ability to license services monthly or annually — has made it easier for users to buy and try, and for integrators to scale these services.”

From One-Time to All the Time

Traditionally, integrators design and install a project and then it’s on to the next. Today, the goal is stickiness. Cloud-enabled video services allow integrators to turn one-time projects into long-term relationships.

“Cloud has fundamentally transformed how integrators approach their business models, shifting from one-time project fulfillment to ongoing innovation partnerships,” says Matt Fishback, global technology partner manager, Milestone Systems, Oswego, Ore. “Cloud enables proactive preventative maintenance, remote system monitoring, and even services like guard tours or video verification.”

Integrators are no longer dependent solely on site visits and the break-fix maintenance model. Instead, they can now perform remote system health monitoring and deliver updates in real time. Users are also attracted to the flexibility afforded them by the ability to “rent” cameras or license VMS on a subscription model.

“Instead of selling one-time maintenance agreements, integrators can offer subscription-based services with guaranteed response times,” says Patrik Pettersson, strategic advisor, Axis Communications, Chelmsford, Mass. “That model turns unpredictable CapEx into predictable OpEx and ensures long-term reliability.”

Rick Urban, senior product manager, video solutions, Hirsch, Santa Ana, Calif., agrees. “The shift to cloud-based surveillance transforms the integrator model from hardware sales to ongoing service revenue. … By reducing on-site infrastructure needs and aligning with customer demand for flexibility, integrators can monetize long-term system usage, moving beyond one-time installations to sustainable revenue streams.”

With SaaS offerings, you can offer monthly or annual billing, and even multi-year prepaid contracts — making it either OpEx or CapEx depending on the client’s needs. ... The cloud doesn’t force one model — it enables multiple.

According to the experts, the most popular cloud-based services include VSaaS, analytics, and lifecycle and health monitoring. “Forward-thinking integrators are helping customers understand the age, performance, and support status of their device fleet and video surveillance infrastructure,” Pettersson explains. “This allows for proactive planning around upgrades, maintenance, and warranty coverage — transforming what used to be reactive support to value-added, data-driven service.”

Pettersson continues, “A common misconception, especially for smaller integrators, is that offering managed services means staffing someone to monitor screens 24/7. In reality, it’s about leveraging vendor tools and platforms to deliver high-value services efficiently, often with technicians in the field using mobile tools. This shift not only improves service delivery, but also scales more sustainably, creating long-term recurring revenue without excessive labor costs.”

Matt Lamb, regional marketing manager, Bosch Video Systems in North America, Fairport, N.Y., sees potential in unlocking more of the software’s capabilities. “As familiarity grows with the different commercial models, skilled integrators will monetize their expertise for deeper ongoing realization of application utilization — capturing more of the software and video sensors’ capabilities/value,” Lamb says. “Traditionally, in the project-based world, integrators regularly need to shift focus to the next project and do not necessarily have the time to see the full solution breadth come to life.”

Dean Drako, CEO, Eagle Eye Networks, Austin, Texas, says that the shift from traditional, one-time interactions to a long-term relationship can be difficult to grasp for some in the industry. “Some of our partners will only sell a subscription-based model. They believe if it’s not a subscription-based model, it’s just a waste of our time. And there are others who basically say, ‘Whatever the customer wants, that’s what we do.’ Of course, we still deal with some integrators who just do project sales,” he says. “That last group is having a hard time understanding the benefits of the subscription model. What I think is happening is that the customers are pushing those project-sales resellers to change. They use cloud-based systems everywhere in their businesses, and they want cloud-based security as well — with the peace of mind that it brings.”

Changing the Conversation

The focus of the conversation has shifted in the age of the subscription model. Sure, the equipment specs are still important, but the outcomes and benefits for the users are evermore so — uptime, flexibility, and user experience.

“The cloud model shifts the sales dialogue from upfront hardware costs to operational efficiency and long-term value,” Urban says. “Integrators can present pricing as flexible monthly or annual subscriptions with minimal initial investment, fostering multi-year service agreements. This approach builds stable revenue streams and deeper customer relationships, emphasizing ongoing support over one-off sales.”

Pettersson adds, “The entire sales conversation focuses on what happens after deployment: response times, service quality, and technical capabilities. You’re essentially selling trust and satisfaction on a monthly basis. Miss the mark, and customers may want to leave — even if they can’t easily afford to.”

The pricing model can also look different from service to service, from product to product, from project to project. “There’s been a lot of noise in the industry about how cloud means RMR, OpEx, etc.,” says David Chauvin, director, go-to-market transformation, Genetec, Montreal. “And while that’s partly true, the real value is flexibility. With SaaS offerings, you can offer monthly or annual billing, and even multi-year prepaid contracts — making it either OpEx or CapEx depending on the client’s needs. That’s powerful, especially in sectors like government or education, where funding often comes from grants and requires CapEx. The cloud doesn’t force one model — it enables multiple.”

That flexibility is a key selling point for integrators. “The conversation moves from selling boxes to demonstrating long-term value through scalability and adaptability,” Fishback says. “Integrators can position cloud solutions as infrastructure that grows with the business, eliminating concerns about hardware obsolescence or capacity limitations. When temporary needs arise, like seasonal retail locations, systems can spin up and down quickly without stranded investments. Pricing becomes more transparent and predictable, with tiered structures that optimize costs as usage scales.”

You’re essentially selling trust and satisfaction on a monthly basis. Miss the mark, and customers may want to leave — even if they can’t afford to.

Cloud-Based Challenges

While there are many benefits to cloud-based offerings, they do not necessarily guarantee success. Of course, there are still challenges to overcome, and integrators will need to invest time and effort into understanding the nuance of the new model.

“The biggest challenge integrators face when trying to scale their cloud-based RMR business is maintaining consistent service quality at scale,” Pettersson says. “As recurring revenue grows, so do customer expectations — and that can strain operational capacity if the right systems aren’t in place.”

Laurent Villeneuve, senior manager, product and industry marketing, Genetec, adds, “It’s not just about switching to recurring revenue — it’s about offering services that bring long-term value to end users. The responsibilities of system management are increasingly shifting to the manufacturer and integrator, allowing end users to focus on outcomes, not upkeep. Keeping systems updated, secure, and continuously improving is part of the SaaS value proposition. … Another growing challenge is differentiation. As more integrators offer similar cloud solutions, standing out becomes harder. Simply reselling someone else’s platform won’t cut it. The integrators that succeed are those who build customized, value-added services — whether through tailored SLAs, lifecycle management, or integrations that align with specific customer needs.”

Villeneuve adds, “Another major challenge is fragmentation. Integrators may find that new service offerings aren’t compatible with existing platforms. That leads to patchwork solutions and more complexity on the backend, which can hurt the customer experience. SaaS platforms like ours reduce that burden — everything integrates cleanly, updates are handled in the cloud, and new modules can be added without new hardware or site visits.”

Advice for Adding Value

How can integrators better leverage the benefits of the cloud?

“Customer appetite for video-as-a-service is growing, particularly in healthcare, education, and retail, where reduced IT overhead and predictable budgeting are prized,” Urban suggest. “Hirsch encourages integrators to educate clients by highlighting: no on-premises storage needs, automatic security updates, rapid deployment, remote troubleshooting, and compliance readiness. Case studies and demos can demonstrate how these benefits enhance security without complexity, aligning with customer priorities.”

Saks, adds, “We also need to explain the elasticity of the cloud, meaning that customers don’t have to start with 10,000 cameras all at once. Maybe you try one or two cameras: one site, one use case. Maybe your existing server is aging. Don’t replace it. Instead, try moving it to the cloud for that one location as a pilot. The fact that the system is open, not locked to one vendor, and that customers can test it without big upfront investments is powerful. Making it easy to pilot these services helps demonstrate their value and paves the way for wider adoption.”

Another opportunity is leveraging AI and video analytics to deliver benefits beyond security. “Video analytics on-demand has emerged as a high-value offering, leveraging cloud ecosystems like AWS Marketplace, where thousands of tested applications can be deployed rapidly,” Fishback says. “Customers can access sophisticated analytics for retail foot traffic analysis, manufacturing optimization, or operational insights without upfront infrastructure investments. Proactive maintenance services round out popular offerings, using cloud connectivity to perform system updates, configuration changes, and preventative care remotely.”

On the topic of leveraging AI, Saks adds, “Our cameras support features like people counting, vehicle tracking, occupancy stats, heat mapping, and more. These features have been around for years, but the challenge was always extracting that data from the camera and presenting it in a useful way. Our solutions allow customers — whether it’s a district manager or someone corporate-wide — to visualize this data using custom widgets. You can tailor the reports by site, region, or even store level.”

Saks continues, “Additionally, we now support natural language AI search, which is similar to how programs like ChatGPT work. You can ask questions like ‘What trends do you see in store visitor numbers?’ or ‘What’s happening in drive-through lines or lobby occupancy?’ This is especially useful for customers who don’t have data scientists to interpret large datasets. The AI engine helps to surface insights or anomalies in plain language, making the data more accessible and actionable.”

Drako says AI analytics and health monitoring seem to currently be the most popular cloud-enabled offerings. “Regarding products that are growing in popularity, there are a couple,” he says. “One is a health monitoring service to make sure the cameras haven’t been tampered with, that they’re still working and there are no problems. The other is the deployment of large amounts of AI. The world is changing from a VMS video management system into an AI safety and security system where AI watches all the cameras all the time for the customer, so they don't have to.”