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Should Your Alarm Company Offer Smart Security?

Mandee Thomas
Dec 13, 2018 8:04:00 AM

It’s no secret that the security market is changing rapidly. As DIY, smart security systems continue their upward trend, traditional security platforms are starting to feel the pain. As this industry shift takes place, security dealers may start looking to include smart security installation into their service offering. When considering the options as a dealer, there are multiple factors to contemplate and even some unique ways to get involved in the smart security space.

Benefits of Offering Smart Security

There are a lot of reasons for security companies to catch the wave of new industry technology, and the potential benefits are immense. Let’s go through just a few.

Work On New Verticals

With tech savvy millennials becoming the primary security system buyers, expectations for a seamless integration into the IoT space are more prevalent than ever. By incorporating smart security options into an established business offering, a dealer can cast their marketing net wider than ever.

Retain Customers

One of the best ways to increase profits a a business is simply to retain the customers you have. By expanding the product selection available, a installation companies are less likely to lose current customers that are interested in potentially switching to a smart security system. This is a great way to maintain and even increase RMR.

Increase Effectiveness

The technology available in new, smart security systems isn't just trendy, it’s incredibly effective. Smart security technology that incorporates video verification and the ability to view surveillance footage in real-time can go a long way in preventing false alarms and the fines associated with them. That can go a long way in preventing negative reviews of your company being stuck on the internet forever.

Stay Relevant

DIY smart security is on the upswing of popularity. And with how quickly security technology is advancing, it’s likely that companies that choose not to incorporate these new advancements will be left in the proverbial dust.

Pain Points of Offering Smart Security

With all of the wonderful benefits of offering smart security, it may seem like an obvious next step for a security business to take. But there are some serious pain points to consider when it comes to this new technology.

Upfront Investment

Incorporating a new product as part of a security line-up will obviously come at a substantial upfront cost. If a dealer is already struggling financially, an investment this sizable may not even be possible. Losing a big chunk of profits on each installation can take its toll in the long run.

Additional Training

Most technicians already have training under their belt for the systems they put in place. Adding installation training on another platform would likely take a substantial amount of time and money in order to execute properly. Having an employee certified on home automation platforms like control4 can cost upwards of $1,000.

Broadened Marketing

Offering a new kind of security system would require the dealer to reevaluate their marketing strategy and reach out to a different demographic. While this could lead to an ultimately positive outcome, the initial effort might prove difficult.

Increased Support

With a more varied selection of products comes the need for more diverse support. A security company would need to either hire or train more employees so that they could provide the support their customers expect with the new devices.

Other ways to Get in the Smart Security Game

If if a dealer is interested in being a part of the smart security action but isn’t ready or able to invest quite yet, there are other ways to get in on the smart security game. Instead of stocking up on new hardware, a dealer could become a smart security reseller or even partner with a smart security company in order to join and expand services on both sides.

Another, more unique way a dealer can try their hand at smart security is by leveraging Amazon’s selling service, by having their installers become certified pros. This option negates the requirement of stocking up on expensive hardware, and could be a great way for an alarm business to get their feet wet when it comes to smart security.

As the price of DIY security options becomes less and less of an obstacle for the everyday consumer, and the technology continues to advance, traditional alarm companies certainly have a lot to consider.

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