Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/31793
2011 Central Station SOURCE BOOK evolving continued from page 2 “Ten years ago most smaller centrals didn’t even know what an IT professional was. Now we have four full-time IT staff posi- tions and a custom software developer on staff. Technology and effi ciencies are driving us every day.” Hertel said. “With the trend towards managed everything, the central station is becoming the hub for all of this. Its scope just keeps growing all the time.” Furthermore, “central stations should look to provide value-added enhanced ser- vices that alarm dealers can market to their consumers. This generation of consumers as well as the next are technologically savvy, and they want services that allow them to be connected, integrated and on the go,” United Central Control president Teresa Gonzalez said. “As a central station it is our obligation to be technologically cutting edge and assist dealers in understanding new technologies ... If we don’t start identify- ing what our role is now and how we play in that environment, we won’t be relevant.” Kenny Savoie, director of Acadian Monitoring, agrees the key to staying relevant as a central station is staying technologically Morgan Hertel current as well as diverse in the portfolio of dealer offerings. “In the past, the role of the central station was rather simple: answer alarms; contact keyholders; dispatch police, fi re or ambu- lance,” Savoie said. “Dealers are inundated with new technol- ogy from different vendors, but most do not have the time to sift through the mess … That’s why it’s imperative for a central station to: know its customers’ needs; take the initiative to do the R&D on new technologies; and, fi nally, make it easy on your customers to gain access to those technologies by becoming the provider or gatekeeper.” So what can dealers and central stations look forward to? The opportunities are limitless, according to Diebold’s Grimm. “It’s an exciting time to be in the industry. And it’s going to keep getting more exciting,” Grimm said, noting the advent of PSIM was bringing everything together. “I think there are some central stations that have that ability now. They have the technical sophistication and the fi nancial wherewithal to get it done. Anyone can do it with one customer, but to do it with a thousand? You can’t be rolling around on a chair with wheels between different systems. I think that’s what most central stations are going be doing over the next several years, bringing all that together. Security folks are going to expect it. They’re going to expect to have the information they want available, when and how they want it.” Get your news - anytime, anywhere Download the SSN News App for your iPhone or iPod Touch today! Now available at the App Store. www.securitysystemsnews.com SSN News Download the SSN News app now at: http://linktoapp.com/ssn+news 14 JUNE 2 0 1 1