Featured Stories - Articles - Page 54

Asking the ‘Top 5’ Questions

Integrators and manufacturers weigh in on the five key questions integrators should be asking about visitor management systems.

Karyn Hodgson

August 10, 2012

When choosing which access control systems to offer one of the most important things to consider is customers’ needs. Often the end users don’t know which questions to ask, leaving the task to the integrator.

SDM’s 5th Annual Channel Partners Awards

The SDM 5th annual Channel Partners Awards, voted on by SDM’s subscribers, recognize the superior support that vendors provide to the security dealer and integrator channel.

Laura Stepanek

August 10, 2012

As a reseller in the security channel, you know that if you choose the right vendors to partner with you will get plenty of support — technical support, sales support, marketing support, and advanced product solutions. This is especially important to smaller security dealers and integrators, who may not have the time or resources to do these functions in-house. Recognizing the vendors that offer top-notch support in these areas is the purpose of SDM’s Channel Partners Awards, now in its fifth year.

Fiercely Competitive

This year’s CSAA Central Station Excellence Awards winners faced some stiff competition as nominees stepped up their game.

Sabrina Gasulla

August 10, 2012

Identifying standout performers in the great big pool of talent that is found in the security monitoring industry is no easy task. The unique nature and requirements of a successful central station almost dictate that every operator, support person and manager must go above and beyond the call of duty to ensure the safety of people who suffer alarms, while remaining very conscious of the need to conserve both central station and law enforcement resources during non-actual alarms.

Pelco’s Big Promise: 24-Hour Shipments, No Fee 90-Day Return Policy

Heather Klotz-Young

August 10, 2012

Pelco announces quick delivery and the ability to return product with no questions asked, giving dealers the flexibility they need.

Leviton Acquires Home Automation Inc.

August 2, 2012

HAI acquisition broadens Leviton's home automation controls offering.

In Retail & Elsewhere, Analytics Ease Shrinkage, Perk up Profits

Video analytics gain momentum with compelling multi-department benefits for retailers, helping combat shrinkage while offering business insights.

Heather Klotz-Young

July 23, 2012

The U.S. Commerce Department reported total retail sales in 2011 were $4.7 trillion, an 8 percent increase over 2010 total retail sales. The retail industry’s sheer size presents a big target for internal and external criminal activity, creating a major issue for retailers — to the tune of $119 billion in shrinkage in 2011, up 6.6 percent since 2010.

How Reliable Is Your Alarm Communicator?

Taking stock of technologies used for alarm signal transmission shows that the security industry has done a great job of working with cellular and broadband providers to improve reliability and instill confidence.

Joan Engebretson

July 23, 2012

With more and more residential accounts foregoing a traditional phone line in favor of cellular or VoIP, security dealers increasingly are installing alarm systems that use alternative forms of communications such as cellular, wireless mesh or Internet protocol (IP) communications over the customer’s broadband Internet connection.

The 3 Profitable ‘C’s of Wire and Cable

Cost, control and codes can make all the difference in whether wiring is a profitable or losing prospect.

Karyn Hodgson

July 23, 2012

Ask most security installers what the most time-consuming aspect of a job is and they will likely put pulling wire and cable at the top of the list. Knowing exactly which product to select, how to meet code, and how to make the installation go as fast and smooth as possible can make or break the whole process.

Mobile Video Viewing: Why It’s Becoming Indispensible

There has been an explosion in the number of manufacturers and others who offer smartphone apps specifically for viewing video systems.

Derek Rice

July 23, 2012

If you have a smartphone, congratulations. You’re now in the majority. So says a Nielsen survey conducted in March, which found that 50.4 percent of U.S. mobile subscribers owned a smartphone.