Too often security dealers complain that consultants only evaluate price when looking at bids. That’s not the case. In our consulting practice we frequently get questions from bidders about products we have specified. And while I certainly don’t speak for all consultants — or even any consultants other than the ones that work for our […]
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Grossman Tells How to Get Going When the Going Gets Rough
SSI Bench Test products reviewer and well-known industry consultant addresses top integrator challenges. My April issue editorial discusses security integrators’ top 10 challenges as indicated inSSI’s annual Systems Integration Study. I consulted with a handful of trusted colleagues and contributors to the publication for ways integrators can best overcome these challenges, perhaps even turning them […]
Bench Test Returns to Security Sales & Integration
Bob Grossman explains the review process and explains how he comes up with the answer to the question, “Do I want to use this product?” With the May 2016 issue of Security Sales & Integration, we are resuming our Bench Test section. As in the past, the reviews focus on product features, usability, construction and […]
Wink Hub or SmartThings Hub: Which Works Better?
These home automation hubs were tried out in this home to see which better handled connecting its smart devices. Many of us got into this industry because we like playing with toys. Sure, we call it work, but at the end of the day, it’s kind of fun to face a challenge head on, figure […]
The Truth About License Plate Recognition Technology
After numerous questions about the merits and drawbacks of cameras designed to capture images of the license plates of vehicles entering and exiting a property, I wanted to put something together to clarify the two approaches to this application. These cameras are often referred to interchangeably as “license plate cameras” and “license plate readers”. In […]
Do You Really Want to Use That Security Product?
We’ve recently started providing product reviews forSecurity Sales & Integration magazine and its website, www.securitysales.com. As we kick this off, and on an ongoing basis, we’re going to be looking for feedback on how these reviews meet your needs, where they come up short, and what you’d like to see covered. The genesis of SSI’s Bench Test […]
HDcctv: Back to the Future, or Ahead to the Past?
At ISC West 2014 last week, the HDcctv Alliance provided a first look at the new generation of HDcctv 2.0 surveillance technologies and products. As this is a technology that has been mentioned on and off over the years but never really gained traction, I thought I would avail myself of this opportunity to understand a little more about […]
NVT NV-32PS42-PVD Brings Analog Cameras Into IP World
The NVT StubEQ product line allows an integrator to universally run Cat-5 (or better) cable to analog cameras, providing an upgrade path for IP cameras in the future without replacing infrastructure. Hubs are available in eight-, 16- and 32-channel configurations, and each unit allows for a common interface for a number of cameras, sending out […]
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 […]
