Looking back 15 years to Security Installer, April 1987
So just how good a salesman are you?
You know the business. You might have a great product or service to sell. But how good are you at selling it? ...)

"No matter how hard you work or how good an installer you might be, if you can't sell you are never going to make a success of your business. Bear this in mind as you walk around IFSEC looking at those large company stands. Virtually all these large companies started out small, just as you are now (comparatively), and all of them have grown to be successful not just because of their products and services, but because they have been successful in SELLING them.

"Contrary to popular belief, a good salesman spends very little time talking, most of his time is spent listening ... the customer talks, you listen. Mistrust can only be broken down by being honest. If you don't sincerely believe in your company, your product and yourself you won't sell successfully."

Installers to provide first response?
(The past decade had seen an enormous growth in the alarms industry, both in its size and diversity. Aritech MD Graham Harper gave a potted history then came up with an interesting suggestion ...)

"The police fully appreciate the benefits of alarm systems, as they claim that the deterrent value of an installed system decreases the possibility of being burgled by a factor of 10.

"From the statistics produced, the average system generates two to seven alarms per annum and with the number of installed alarms growing, several of the leading police forces are wondering how long they can continue to respond to alarm signals.

"One suggestion that has been put forward is that the alarm installation company should be the first to respond to any alarm call."

Ten years of success for distributor
(A special supplement celebrated the tenth anniversary of Gardiner Security Ltd ...)

"In the short history of the security industry there can be few companies who have grown and expanded as successfully as Gardiner Security Ltd. Only ten years ago the company was launched by Geoff Gardiner and Paul Kelly with a modest capital and managed to achieve half a million turnover in the first year of trading.

"Initially operating from home with the two directors each running a van sales and delivery system, with one covering the north and the other the south, the company soon acquired its first small premises in Heywood, near Rochdale.

"From the small office and warehouse premises the first telephone sales operation was developed, expanding an original customer base from 40 to several hundred and increasing the staff to ten."

Manufacturers – help us to help you
(Editor Paul Arden got in a dig about companies not sending us enough IFSEC preview information. You won't make that mistake this year – will you guys? ...)

"Some of you may remember a campaign a few years ago when, to promote sales of British-manufactured goods, the Union Jack and the British Bulldog were enlisted to persuade people to 'Buy British'. Perhaps it is time we had another such campaign.

"Certainly our overseas competitors can show us a thing or two when it comes to promoting their goods and services and this was nowhere more evident than when preparing our IFSEC Visitor's Guide this month. Given this opportunity of some free publicity to inform our readers (that is, their customers) there were quite a few British companies who failed to respond."