It’s easy to position your systems integration business for success when you’re leveraging a complete, integrated cloud platform. With a single interface, installers can start with small systems and expand into more integrations and services using existing hardware.
Learning curves are minimized in training, implementation and system management. Systems integrators simply turn on new features or add compatible hardware, versus having to rip and replace components to support increased requirements by the customer.
With cloud-based management platforms, you have the flexibility of adding the latest services to both new and existing customers, including intrusion, access control, video surveillance, critical environmental monitoring, asset management and more.
Cloud platforms that are comprehensive allow integrations with leading technologies and devices, offer flexibility in API programming and are a complete, turnkey solution that brings new intelligence and situational awareness to the protected premises.
The right integrated cloud platform lets you lead with the solution rather than the individual products which make up the overall system. It allows you to show customers and prospects how they can satisfy all their security and safety challenges with the right cloud management interface that unifies systems. With the cloud, users can demo the interface to see exactly how it might perform in their environment.
The benefits of a complete integration platform include:
● Unified intelligence from installed systems with a bird’s eye view.
● A familiar footprint for easy expansion, lessening the need for ongoing training.
● Scalable/customized applications to meet every client – from single standalone businesses to multinational and campus customers.
● The ability to deploy new services, like mobile credentials, environmental monitoring or vape detection, quickly and as new needs arise or facilities expand.
Remote programming and system management with cloud platforms offer important residual benefits, like saving money on truck rolls while the systems integrator and the customer have accessibility to features that streamline service.
In access control, for example, user credentials can be batched or populated across multiple facility doors and individual permissions can be applied. Doors can be locked or unlocked remotely and individuals sequestered if health protocols are in place and required before access is granted.
Google map viewing capabilities let users drill down into each location for real-time alarm, health and system monitoring and control – with geographic views showing the exact zone and location on alert.
Some may think a cloud service is too complicated for smaller systems or too simple for larger installations. Not true, as a flexible cloud service can be used for end-user customers with a front and back door or small office environment, as well as a multi-door building with many users.
Some potential use cases fostered by an integrated cloud management platform:
● A city dump leverages the cloud platform with their gate access system for residents. A simple email/text with a link and PIN controls the gate without any App installation. As an added benefit, the link is only active once they complete a waiver, along with their signature and headshot image capture.
● A fast-food restaurant deployed the cloud interface to manage user codes for access control. With high turnover, the cloud provides a convenient way of handling these codes from their central office. Instead of driving to each restaurant to change a code, they simply login through their web browser and can remove someone from all seven locations and just as quickly add someone new without having to enter their information more than once.
● In property technology or Proptech, which covers real estate, offices and multifamily housing, cloud-hosted platforms secure the perimeter, buildings and even provide elevator control. In addition, cloud management platforms can execute liability waivers for party rooms, exercise areas or the pool through the access control program. With this feature, tenants must complete liability waivers – and without them will be denied access to those areas.
An integrator moving into their first or looking for a new cloud service provider should focus on a service that provides a way for the support department to log into their customer’s account and help without having to roll a truck. The cloud management platform should be able to be end user-managed, dealer-managed or follow a blended approach.
The web portal lets dealers view, manage and control the system, and seeing what the customer sees takes the guesswork out of any support issues. When you standardize on one integrated cloud management service for every customer, the support department becomes more adept at handling questions by customers.
This becomes possible when the platform supports many manufacturers and integrates as many of your customers’ installed systems as possible. As an example, perhaps there is a feature that the customer never programmed during initial startup, but is now needed. Support can step in and resolve the situation quickly and remotely.
New services also mean additional opportunities to grow recurring monthly revenue (RMR) with no upfront costs or in most cases no additional equipment other than what you’re currently using. As an example, service and maintenance contracts also bring recurring monthly revenue (RMR), but are directly impacted by field labor, effectively limiting profitability due to higher overall costs.
With the right integrated cloud platform and unified interface, RMR becomes more profitable because there’s little or no labor attached to adding services and often, a site visit is not required to initiate new capabilities. An integrated cloud management interface that yields critical intelligence and expands easily can transform your business. Stretch the possibilities of your installed solutions with new services that are less labor intensive and remotely managed, courtesy the cloud.
