An improving economy means more work for integrators, but do they have the time? As we start the year with high hopes and expectations, I wanted to bring up a topic that impacted many of us last year. Too much work and too few resources, including time and manpower, to complete that work. Sounds like […]
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Overpromising & Underdelivering: How Cutting-Edge Tech Is Often a Waste of Money
We are all familiar with the business mantra imploring you to “underpromise and overdeliver”. The concept is that by managing expectations in such a manner that you are positioned to exceed them, you stand a greater likelihood of leaving behind a happy customer. Or spouse, or child, or co-worker, as the concept really works anywhere […]
Keep the Customer Satisfied
In an earlier posting (Manage Customer Expectations to Define Success) I knocked around the idea that properly setting expectations was a requirement for defining a project’s success. Some inferred that a successful project equated to a positive reference, which could in turn lead to more business. I want to explore that concept in greater detail […]
Manage Customer Expectations to Define Success
I think that most of us agree that the success of a project, to a great extent, is defined by the level in which we meet the client’s expectations. Yes, I know that there are financial goals for a project as well, but if a project winds up not being as profitable as projected, it’s […]
Choosing an Integrator: Small vs. Large
At the end of a competitive bid process, our deliverable is a bid analysis report. We look at a number of factors, with the ultimate goal of making a vendor recommendation to our client. We’re often putting our own reputation on the line when we do this, as our client expects us to be responsible […]
Hacking Surveillance Cameras in Casinos
A high roller and his accomplice scammed a casino in Melbourne, Australia, by hacking into the surveillance system to cheat (and win) at a series of card games in his suite. The Herald Sun in Melbourne reported that the gambler was able to use information from security cameras about his opponent’s cards to scam the […]
The Security Buying Chain Explained
Chances are, if you’re involved in a security project, you are part of a team. And, like most teams, yours has its challenges. From people working at cross purposes, to folks who won’t listen — or won’t speak up — the roles and responsibilities of such a group can be difficult to navigate. Owner (or […]
Starting an Electronic Security Consulting Agency
This blog entry comes from a question we received on our Web site: I work at a major distributor as an over the phone consultant. I like and dislike the job at the same time. I like helping people and I love designing systems, but we have to do the designing so fast, it becomes […]
Passing the Pricing Smell Test
Sometimes things just don’t smell right. Even if you’re not an expert, there’s a dollar figure that will give you pause and make you double check pricing. If your hot water heater dies and the plumber tells you a new one is $700 installed, you might think that’s fair and give him the job. But […]
