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| Joined: | Sun Apr 15th, 2007 |
| Location: | Perth, Australia |
| Posts: | 1268 |
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Please excuse the long response! I am really grateful that you all took time to respond, and every comment deserves an answer. Nothing beats getting some responses from people who are either in the game or who use the systems.
ADT is big here, too. As are some other names you would be familiar with, like Signature Security, Chubb, Moss and a few others.
Oscar, KenC and Skip - keep it coming - I need to establish the manner in which people look at buying, and I have already done some market research on some potential distributors. Neither I nor my business tackle something like this lightly, and the issue of brand awareness is an interesting one. Worldwide, most homeowners choose a company and not a brand of system. If, for example, you rang ADT, you will only get the alarm system made by their affiliated company, and ADT do not wish to offer innovative product. I see the issue differently - I would want to get consumers demanding my brand, and get it installed by qualified installers from reputable sellers.
If any new entrant to the US market wanted to promote his or her own brand, then he or she is up against it, granted. But how else does one introduct innovation into a market without either using established sales and installation networks, or creating one's own? hucky - you are right that homeowner awareness is a heck of a problem, as is the training of both installation technicians (and - if I go that way, the in-store attendants as well). Training is not an issue, I have established how to do that in conjunction with the manufacturer.
And hucky, you are a champion, thank you. I will definitely speak with you about testing a beta system in the US in your home somwewhere towards the end of this year, or early next year. I would be happy to offer a system up on the basis that your only payment to me will be to get back to me with no-holds-barred real life feedback on how it works, what you like and what you don't. I did the same thing in Australia with a like-minded guy who has been invaluable in sending both positive (and the occasional negative, during development phase, but now resolved) feedback. The manufacturers are professional and prompt. Because my company is the one with the rights to sell, it is also my responsibility to comply the units for each market. The manufacturers listen, they engineer and they get results. US FCC approval is a hurdle that will involve the engineering side there doing more work, but as with all big projects, ya gotta spend to make. The power going into the control board in the USA is different to the power used in other countries, and so the engineering has to start from scratch because of the electromagnetic energy the system would then produce being strictly regulated. Telecommunications requirements vary for every country in the world. Electrical safety is another matter -each country wants the box and components to undergo varied impact, fire retardance, power surge, lightning, interruption and potential electrocution tests, and all of this is to happen with a battery backup! As they say - if it was easy we would all do it... By the way - kitchenadvice.com is excellent and a testament to your skills and those of your good lady wife - congratulations!
Skip - your point about monitoring is well taken. What I mean to say is that this system of ours will certainly keep calling the monitoring company if you want it to, but if you elect, it can be programmed to contact you first, and you can shut the inquiry down if you see on the camera feed over the internet that a moth is your burglar. Of course, if it is a real situation, you then get the system to contact the security company and they can deal with it. Insurance companies here look after you if you have a "compliant" monitored system - meaning one that has undergone testing from the certification authorities and which passes the telecoms, EMC and safety requirements. If you instal a complaint system here, most insurance companies will offer a discount of around 10% of the premium for your house and contents policy.
We may be in different countries, but the similarities are amazing, aren't they. I appreciate the way you guys talk business and the way you do it.
Please let me know any other feedback or thoughts you may have, 3Ters, it helps me a lot!
Thank you!
IanM