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Increasing recurring revenues and differentiating their services has been an ongoing challenge for security dealers. In a market full of potential new services and revenues, Active Response Monitoring (ARM) offers a new solution that makes it easy to address these challenges.
Last month VOXCOM Inc., a successful security firm monitoring over 122,000 customers, launched a new service that offers dealers the ability to expand existing services and to capture new subscribers with ARM's monitoring platform. Russell Keddie, Vice President, Business Development, tells us more about ARM.
Peter Harlick: How do security dealers leverage the additional revenue streams in the home monitoring market?
Russell Keddie: Today's technology savvy consumers and small business owners are driving market demand for new services such as live video, customized notification alerts and energy control for their homes and they want to be able to access that information from anywhere. By allowing customers to take control of their security accounts on the Internet, security dealers can turn those services into additional RMR. That demand can also drive new customers who might have shied away from a traditional security offering because they no longer maintain a phone line.
PH: How has the Internet streamlined the offering of these services and provided advantages through the Active Response Monitoring platform?
RK: The Internet has provided a communication path that allows us to keep our customers informed of activities at their location, whether it's an event associated with security devices or other installed environmental devices. Using our platform, customers can receive event notification by automated phone call, SMS text message, email, or from an emergency operator, generate event reports online, access a complete audit trail, verify video using a personal computer or mobile device, take action on events and automate guard dispatch and management — all from a remote location. The platform is also designed to be branded and customized so that all web portals and notifications look and feel like the dealer is the central station.
PH: What equipment does a customer need to get this service?
RK: The ability to use equipment already in your customer's location is a significant differentiator of the Active Response Monitoring platform. The service will work with all existing security systems in the market using PSTN, IP or cellular communications as well as all brands of IP network cameras and IP-enabled DVR systems.
PH: What's the one feature that you believe customers will want more than any other?
RK: The mobile application allows a customer to view live and archived video, as well as control a pan/ tilt/zoom network camera, see event history, check system status, and contact an emergency operator.
Peter Harlick
Publisher
For more info about the ARM platform, visit www.activeresponsemonitoring.com.