Paris Conferences mark Phase 2 launch of PPI CCTV Scheme

CCTV solutions specialist Panasonic has marked the next phase of development for its hugely successful Panasonic Premier Integrator (PPI) Scheme with the launch of a dedicated web site and revised logo, and news of the inaugural PPI Awards (scheduled to take place during IFSEC 2007).

The joint announcement was made by Panasonic (UK) System Solutions Division marketing and projects manager Rob Healey as part of the UK PPI Conference held at L’Hotel Scribe in central Paris on 8 November (to which Security Management Today received an exclusive invitation).

“One of the reasons behind the web site launch is our desire for increased vertical market activity that will help in driving sales,” Healey told the assembled UK congregation, including PPI affiliated security systems integrators Chris Brown (of AIS), David Richardson (Camrascan), Neil Smith (Clear Image), Nigel Fairhurst (CPS), Roger Noakes (OCS Security), Sandy Rowan (Pointer), John Pye (Reflex Systems), ViS Security Solutions’ Michael Patterson and Steve Reece of Zoom CCTV.

The site (at www.premierintegrator.com) allows end users to find out about each PPI involved, and to access Case Studies (all of which first appeared in the pages of Security Management Today) that highlight the benefits to be derived by security managers who source qualified and approved installers working with state-of-the-art surveillance equipment supplied by one of the leading manufacturers in the business. Access can also be gained via www.panasonic.co.uk/cctv

Healey continued: “Categories for the PPI Awards Scheme will include Best PPI, Best PPI Project, Best PPI Engineer, Best PPI Marketing Initiative and Best PPI Sales Person. We want to reward the quality of the systems integrators with whom we have formed excellent partnerships. To ensure that the Judging Panel is totally impartial, we’ll be employing the services of the industry’s leading trade journal Editors, including Brian Sims from Security Management Today, who publishes our PPI Scheme Case Studies, and Security Installer’s Alan Hyder.”

PPI Scheme Business Update

Prior to Healey’s announcements, Panasonic (UK)’s Paul Meehan offered an overview of PPI progress across the previous 12 months. Although the CCTV market has been a tough place in which to do business, with great pressure brought to bear on prices, Meehan reported increased sales and “encouraging growth” for the PPI Scheme as a whole. An interesting trend to note is that the company has seen a cut-back in the number of distributors it works with in terms of analogue CCTV, but has boosted its distributor partners in the IT arena.

“There has been a huge demand for our lower level IP offerings,” affirmed Meehan, Panasonic’s UK sales manager. “Here, we have seen a 300% increase in year-on-year sales. We have also had great success with the Super Dynamic III camera series, and launched a real-time DVR to market. We’ve had a busy time.”

However, in terms of logistics and operations the past 12 months has been “the hardest year” Meehan has experienced, with the Regulation of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive biting deep. For security companies who take their responsibilities seriously, this has involved testing all existing and new products to make sure that no components used contain hazardous substances.

“By last March we had checked well over one million components,” claimed Meehan. “We are coming towards the end of this process now, but other manufacturers have only just begun. For our part, the tests showed up no less 250,000 restricted substances which we have had to replace with subtle alternatives that do not disadvantage system performance in any way for the installer and end user.”

John Pye of PPI Scheme-affiliated integrator Reflex Systems sympathised with Meehan. “We recently worked on a contract for the MoD. Obviously, they are well up on the RoHS Directive, and wanted to check every detail of what systems we proposed to use, even down to where the wooden sections of the DVR racks had come from. Every time we start a project this seems to be the case now, as clients want to be sure their security installations meet all legal obligations.”

Improved technical support

In relation to the PPI Scheme, Meehan cited “improved turnaround times for quotations, schematics, technical diagrams and tender responses”. There have also been enhancements to documentation for system users, and a revised series of easy-to-understand product guides (available in PDF format to download from www.panasonic.co.uk/cctv) for both installers and security managers.

“The end user guides really are first class,” chipped in David Richardson (managing director of Camrascan). “They have saved us a great deal of time, and cut out the task of having to draft our own version for customers.”

Further good news comes in the form of an exclusive PPI Telephone Hotline for PPI sales and engineering teams. “That is very welcome indeed,” commented Roger Noakes (corporate development director for OCS Security), “but the crucial factor is how well this can be managed at Panasonic’s end of the line.” Meehan responded by reassuring all PPI representatives present that priority calls would be answered immediately, while all users will have to be registered (and verified by name and number).

A further initiative will be the PPI Service Manager Conference. To be run during the first quarter of 2007, the event is targeted at installation managers and the content framed by a detailed run-through on all relevant Panasonic CCTV systems. “We want an open discussion and honest feedback from integrators on current products and a two-way evaluation of training requirements for existing and new products, with the latter being explained in full detail,” added Meehan.

Enhanced product supply

“If a major project was taken on board and then soaked up much of our existing stock, we would have to wait a long time to replenish it from the factory in Japan,” commented Meehan. “The problem is being resolved. We are now looking at six-week lead times for some systems, but integrators who are part of the PPI Scheme will always be at the top of our distribution list.” Reassuring news for end users, then.

In the distribution sector, the merger of Gardiners and ADI coupled with the drop off of VisionLink – on top of other factors – has, of late, precipitated a market contraction. Panasonic (UK)’s response has been to partner with the CCTV Center, which has duly become the first Panasonic Systems Distributor (see panel ‘Panasonic Systems Distributor Scheme: guaranteed levels of service’ for further details on this initiative).

Best of Breed solutions

In what was an unscripted – but nonetheless seamless – link, next to speak was Lloyd Gozzett, a consultant from Atkins (a FTSE 250 concern employing over 14,000 staff that sits pretty as one of the UK’s largest multi-disciplinary consultancy firms).

Gozzett specialises in project and programme management, and has been enlisted by Panasonic (UK) to incorporate “an extra link within the PPI chain” by offering managerial expertise and advice.

PRINCE2 Regulations outlining the need for sound project management have escaped their lone remit in the IT sector and now apply to any commercial project. According to Gozzett, a White Paper recently produced by Atkins shows how mobile communications giant Ericsson’s use of PRINCE2-qualified practitioners has reduced security risks to the company while significantly improving customer relations.

“Project metrics including time, cost and overall quality also improved by some degree,” suggested Gozzett.

“Larger projects involving major end users will see the client seek a larger installation company with a proven track record,” asserted Paul Meehan in support of Gozzett. “Not many of the PPI integrators fit into this bracket, so bolting on this project management solution from Atkins might help ourselves and the PPIs to win bigger contracts.” On the face of it sound reasoning with which John Pye duly concurred.

“It’s not every day of the week that smaller integrators manage to ‘bag the elephant’, so to speak,” said Pye. “When you do then you need excellent project management expertise to see the installation programme right through to its conclusion. In general, the standards of project management are poor in the UK. They are PRINCE2-lite, to be honest.”

Pye continued: “Increasingly, security companies will sub-contract or employ IT specialists directly because they simply don’t have that kind of expertise in-house. We are guilty of being fixated on products when we should be focused on the final result and maximum returns for the end user.”