If you are a dealer who is looking for a monitoring partner, you may be asking yourself: “which are the best wholesale monitoring companies and who should I go with?” That’s a fair question, but we suggest that you change some words around. Instead, the question should include your own company’s strengths and weaknesses as well as what your goals are. If you are looking for a monitoring company who also provides a dealer program, or a chat service for your customers, then the choice becomes easier to make.
Setting Priorities:
Upon investigating some of the larger names in the wholesale monitoring industry, you may notice that some monitoring companies make it easy to identify what their particular strengths and focuses are. For example: Rapid Response is an incredibly technology-focused company who prides themselves in having every individual wire and circuit board they can get their hands on. That’s fine, and for many dealers, that is where their focus should be. Perhaps because they had a bad experience with faulty technology in the past, or perhaps because they know customers like reliable technology.
COPS on the other hand is the security behemoth of the US. With six central stations and over 2.7 million accounts, they have made their mark on the industry. COPS, like most other central stations, has all the technology and certifications anyone would ever need. So, if multiple monitoring companies have the same technological capabilities, what is left?
Networking
Waves were felt throughout the security industry as soon as Google purchased Nest. The networking power that was necessary to strike such a partnership and put Nest in a position to be bought is not often spoken of. Unfortunately, outsiders only see a brand rise before it gets bought out. However, the power behind the deal belonged to the years of networking and partnership building that Nest worked hard to earn before they got the $3.2 Billion check.
It was necessary for nest to sell their products in retail stores, earn exclusive partnerships and provide a product and service that outperformed every other on the market first. An effective monitoring partner should do the same. Whether this networking happens through specialized events, industry associations or otherwise, networking is a big key to an even bigger door.
Shared Knowledge
Another crucial factor to helping your business grow, is having a plentiful source of industry knowledge. It’s one thing if your monitoring partner has it, but it’s another if they actually share it. Whether they do it through downloadable content like eguides, white papers or ebooks, or they provide monthly webinars and connect you with industry experts. The important thing is you are continually learning and finding new ways to improve your business.
While some wholesale monitoring companies will produce webinars with their manufacturing and service partners, those are built with the purpose of helping people sell products, not exactly to help you learn more. Although you are “learning” about new products and services, the learning you want has more to do with industry best practices, consumer insights and how tos.
Service
There are two aspects for consideration when it comes to service. The first is how the wholesale monitoring company helps you directly, and the second is how they help your customers. Many people are aware of the brash and direct personalities of the East coast. While that mentality works for many, it is not considered the gold standard for exceptional service. When you are in a pinch and need to solve a problem, you need someone who is known for their hospitality alongside expertise.
A service-oriented mentality will go alongside added tools and resources they provide to their customers. For example, some added features that dealers could find helpful are: group chat event management, mobile account testing, customizable partnership options and a learning resource center. These added tools can seem like frosting on a cake, but they truly make the difference between a business agreement and a mutually-beneficial partnership.
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