Why wire-less is more!

Installers often look at me in horror when I start talking about wireless alarm systems.

“I don’t want to know about it. There’s not enough money in it for me,” is the typical first response I get from installers.

But that’s just not the case. In fact, the reverse is true: installers can actually make more money if they opt to work with our wireless system.

I’m sure that there are a few sceptical readers who are shaking their heads at this point. After all, if a system requiring cabling on average takes one to one and a half days to install, and a wireless system typically just two to three hours, then how on earth do the figures stack up? How can an installer justify charging the same rate for the job?

I’ll answer this point in a moment, but firstly, let’s look at the facts.

First of all, the wireless alarm market is likely to increase dramatically over the next couple of years in this country. At present, just nine per cent of households in the UK have an alarm system and of these, only two to three per cent are wireless. This is completely different in the rest of Europe where nearly 33 per cent of all households now have wireless alarm systems, and the figure is rising all the time.

We are about to see the new generation of sophisticated wireless alarms being marketed far more heavily to consumers, and in this age of mobile phones, wireless laptops and remote controls, they seem a natural and welcome progression to the majority.

Our system, the PowerMax, is an advanced home security and automation platform enabling homeowners to view real-time images of their homes from any remote location. Capabilities include detection of smoke, gas and flooding, GSM backup capabilities, and easy remote access via SMS, e-mail, mobile, landline or a secure computer.

Installers really do have to turn detective to identify needs and then demonstrate how additional features could benefit the customer

Of course, every householder wants a reliable system – wireless or not - that will secure premises with advanced motion sensors, door and window magnetic contacts and glass break detectors. But the basic PowerMax alarm system also has many add-ons, which means that there is great potential to make extra profit. Your customer may be excited by the opportunity to be able to monitor his home in real-time from his computer screen at work using discreet miniature cameras in key positions within the house.

Other customers will be interested to learn that they can control time switches on lights, heating and even the oven, remotely – from anywhere and at any time using SMS, e-mail, mobile and landline phones or the web. Other functions include an advanced scheduler to automatically set multiple daily routines, and a voice message centre accessible within and outside the home.

It’s worth pointing out that the option to change settings remotely is actually a very environmentally friendly and economical way of using energy. For instance, someone who arrives home at different times each day can remotely programme heating to come on exactly when it is required – rather than at a pre-determined set time which could be wasteful.

Someone away from home can use their mobile or laptop to switch lights on, sprinkle the lawn, and even operate a stereo system to give the impression that the house is occupied in their absence.

The installer needs to be alert for other relevant sales possibilities too, so they can be recommended to the customer. A good example of this would be if the customer is caring for an elderly or frail relative. In this case, the installer might suggest that it would be a good idea for safety reasons for the elderly person to have a personal pendant or wristband transmitter linked to the system. In the event of an emergency, the relative would press the transmitter, which would activate an alarm direct to the customer’s mobile, phone or computer.

Another example of a useful add-on would be for the family with school age children where both parents work. The parents may well be very interested in the optional function that alerts them when the children get in safely from school. They might also be interested in the option of installing small cameras so the activities of the children at home alone could be monitored remotely for peace of mind.

I know one installer who always checks out the garden too, and if there’s a shed he’ll suggest that this is linked to the system, pointing out the value of the lawnmower, garden furniture etc. It always works for him.

Of course, there is another obvious benefit to wireless systems, which is that plaster, paint and wallpaper will be left virtually untouched

Installers really do have to turn detective to identify needs and then demonstrate how additional features could benefit the customer. This doesn’t have to be a hard-sell sales pitch – I believe that it is simply giving good service to provide this kind of information.

A very successful installer I know has a detailed checklist covering all the possible options specifically with a view to identifying add-ons, and he goes through this with his customer. He estimates this takes 30 minutes or so, but says it’s worthwhile as it reaps benefits in extra sales.

If done correctly, this type of analysis of lifestyle requirements reflects the fact that the installer is offering a thorough professional advice service, and it is this expertise that the customer will value.

Of course, there another obvious benefit to wireless systems, which is that plaster, paint and wallpaper will be left virtually untouched, avoiding the expense, disruption and bother of redecoration for the customer. This could be an important factor for some property owners, particularly if the building is listed or has other historic value.

I know that some installers have doubts about the reliability of wireless security systems, based on the first generation of wireless products launched around ten years ago. There were certainly problems with these systems, but a decade later the situation is dramatically different. Hundreds of thousands of families in more than 70 countries around the world rely on Visonic PowerMax systems to protect their homes.

Let’s get back to the figures. You can still charge a reasonable sum for the installation of the wireless system, but without having to spend so much of your time doing so. You can also add a good profit for all the various add-on options selected by the customer.

In conclusion, the installer shouldn’t be worried that the new generation of wireless alarm systems will cause a decline in revenue. If marketed properly, they will appeal to a whole new wave of customers and will help boost profits.