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case. Installers need to do their
sums and work out how much a
call out actually costs them when
the same service can be man-
aged remotely and satisfies the
customer.
For an installer who is used
to charging customers for call-
outs, the idea of billing a client
for a service that is essentially
performed with the click of a
few buttons is hard to envisage.
Some installers are already adding
an ongoing maintenance charge
that they bill to customers on a
monthly or quarterly basis which
could easily incorporate charges
for remote maintenance.
Construct a
robust business model
The fact remains that as face to
face interaction increasingly takes
second place to convenience and
speed of service, and the internet
and mobile technologies raise
customer's expectations, installers
must adapt to the opportuni-
ties that remote servicing offers.
Investing time and energy in
securing the best technology to
deliver this will not only keep a
customer happy, but also provide
a whole host of benefits for the
installer from a marketing perspec-
tive a `greener' offering and a
convenience perspective a more
focused service call that reduce
time spent onsite and boost rev-
enue options. The key challenge
for installers is constructing a
robust business model to support
this approach to servicing security
systems both for commercial and
residential customers. Installers
that get this right will deservedly
reap the rewards. n
remote maintenance technology
also has a role to play here. For
example, a remote service check
can diagnose a problem before
an engineer is dispatched. This
reduces time spent on site and also
helps to ensure the engineer has all
of the appropriate equipment on
hand to remedy the issue, avoiding
repeat visits. On larger sites, re-
mote technology can also provide
installers with detailed informa-
tion about which specific part of
the system is faulty or problematic
and where it can be found, mak-
ing a site visit much more efficient
and customer-friendly.
From an installer's perspective,
remote maintenance is also an
important marketing tool. With
carbon footprint an increasingly
important issue for businesses eve-
rywhere, particularly in the public
sector, providing a `green service'
is a huge benefit. By servicing
at least one of the alarm checks
remotely each year, an installer is
well positioned to market their
services as `carbon efficient'. This
is particularly effective in the
public sector where organisations
typically have more aggressive
green targets as the government
pushes to meet ambitious EU
carbon reduction goals.
No loss of revenue
So why are some installers so
reticent to adopt remote servicing
when the case is so compelling?
One issue is the perceived loss of
potential revenue by not sending
a technician out to fix a problem.
The commonly held view is that
by reducing the number of call
outs, installers will see their profits
fall substantially. This is not the
spite of the obvious benefits to the
customer. Using technology that is
widely available, installers can run
these checks overnight, with a full,
detailed report available by the
following morning. These reports
can then be automatically emailed
to clients in most cases.
Remote monitoring can also
provide extra services designed to
improve peace of mind for end
users. Business owners can make
a quick call to the monitoring
station to enable their installer to
set the alarm any time remotely.
This ensures all relevant spaces are
protected, reassures the customer,
wins installers repeat business,
and all at essentially no cost to the
owner. Technology also enables
installers to effectively identify
specific rooms or doors that have
not been secured or alarmed by
predefined times and take the
necessary steps to remedy this by
alerting the keyholder or ARC.;
The ARC can then switch that
missing area back on, an im-
portant `value-add' service that
benefits end-users.
Reduces time spent on site
Obviously there are times when a
site visit is unavoidable; however
Today's '24-7', online and con-
stantly connected society means
customers increasingly expect
access to products and services
instantaneously. When it comes
to their home or business security
systems, they are no different. For
residential customers in particular,
arranging a call out from a techni-
cian during working hours can be
difficult. Taking time out of the
office or even a half day's holiday
is frustrating at best, impossible at
worst, and can foster bad-feeling
for an installer's customer base.
Remote servicing technology that
is working its way into the indus-
try removes this issue.
Obvious benefits
In addition to simple system
configuration changes, Remote
Routine Inspections (RRI) can
also be conducted. Intruder alarms
that are linked up to the police via
an Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC)
are best serviced bi-annually to
ensure that faulty equipment
won't lead to a false alarm. The
possibility of doing RRI's delivers
benefits that only a small number
of installers are taking advantage
of, betraying a level of mistrust for
remote maintenance techniques in
voice of
the security market
Remotemaintenance:
Thekeyto21stcenturycustomercare
despite the obvious benefits of using remote main-
tenance solutions to service alarms and the exponen-
tial improvements we have seen in the technology
itself, some installers are still reluctant to embrace the
change. A desire for face-to-face interaction, tradi-
tion, and caution about the ramifications on their
business model are the key hurdles. Coen van den
Berg of Honeywell Security Group explores the issue
in greater depth.
By Coen van den Berg, Honeywell Security Group
Coen van den Berg,
Honeywell Security Group.