Commercial Integrator + Security Sales Sept/Oct 2023 - 120

BIG IDEA by Ron Davis
EXECUTIVE DECISIONS
Entrepreneurial Spirit Drives Jeff Handy's Success
IDEA OF THE MONTH
JEFF HANDY is not just entrepreneurial;
he is, in fact, a true entrepreneur.
He's been in the security industry for 35
years, yet he is only 53. He's paid his dues in the
industry, fi rst with ADT, then 13 years with Siemens
fi re, and then decided to do it on his own
with FSS Technologies (fsstechnologies.com).
That began with an acquisition in Arlington
Heights, Ill., which led to some other
acquisitions, and now, he's running a small
empire, with offi ces in the Chicago area,
South Bend, Ind., and Detroit. He has an
MBA from Notre Dame and seems to have a
pretty good staff , with some people whose
last name is also Handy, including two sons.
He seems mighty proud of both of them.
He's a likable sort. I had a rather long breakfast
with him and listened to many enjoyable
references about him from competitors,
suppliers and people who have interfaced with
him from our own company. He's the real deal!
With 90 employees and three regional offi ces,
Handy has fi gured out exactly what business
he is in. It is primarily commercial, with a
much smaller consumer base, and he is fi rmly
in the RMR business. And when I asked him
about the size of his business, he answered,
" roughly $625,000 a month in RMR, plus other
assorted revenues [installation, service, etc.]. "
And with all of the prognostications of
If you had one great idea
for the industry, what
would it be?
" what does your future look like in this industry?, "
and you're thinking like Handy, your
answer might be pretty simple.
So, what is the takeaway from reading this
column? I believe there are fi ve things that
you can really glom onto to ensure your own
success and that of your company. They are,
in order of importance, pretty simple. Not
easy, but simple. They are:
1. Make sure that you are smiling more, and
With all of the
prognostications
of gloom and
doom that is going
on in the industry,
Handy has been
steadfastly
adamant about
the future of the
security industry.
- Jeff Handy
gloom and doom that is going on in the industry,
Handy has been steadfastly adamant about the future of
the security industry. He thinks it's great and will be around for
a long time. I do too, that's why I took to Handy so quickly.
In talking with him, I couldn't resist the opportunity to ask him
one of my signature questions: " If you had just one, really great
idea that you could share with the industry, what would it be? "
He hesitated not a moment and responded with: " Make sure
you are hiring the right people, particularly in your sales department,
invest in them, nurture them and watch them blossom
into the real all-stars of this business. "
His company employs 90 people and is growing. He also mentioned
that out of every 10 people he hired as salespeople, there
were only three leſt at the end of the year. But most of those
have stayed with the company and passed the test of time.
I don't want to give you the impression that Handy and his
company are just one of a kind, but if you're an owner or manager
of a security business and you come up against the question,
not let discouragement or failure show on your
face. If you have problems, go to the people
who can fi x them, or take them home with you
and think about it. The answer will come to
you, just take your time thinking about it until
you see the solution you've been looking for.
2. Learn all you can about hiring good
people in this industry. You might want to go
to a recruiter. It's a price you have to pay to
ensure your future. Don't rely on your own
judgment. If you use a recruiter, have them
sit in on your interviews and give you honest
opinions about how you did.
3. Handy and I agree, it takes six months to
train a competent salesperson. That's why only
three oof 10 will make it. Do not use just your
own judgment but get other's opinions. They
may see things that you don't. Have fun. Look
for good things in the people you interview,
the bad things will become apparent soon.
Don't make a judgment too quickly. Sometimes
it takes two, three or four meetings before you can make a good
decision about whether or not to bring the person on board.
4. Always wait a day or two to make a fi nal judgment. That patience
will pay big dividends when making the fi nal decisions.
5. Remember, hiring the right people may be the toughest part
of your job. Do it well, and watch the success come to you.
Yes, the industry is changing, and we probably won't recognize
those changes until a few years from now. One thing is certain:
the industry is not going to remain the same. Take a look at the
number of businesses that have been sold in the past three years.
Some people say that the industry has shrunk by one-third
because of the movements of the companies that have been
sold. Not true. The companies that bought them are still earning
the revenues they bought. The number of companies that were
sold to larger companies might number as much as one-third,
but that business is still there, and some companies are doing
quite well. In fact, many of them are. Take care. SSI
RON DAVIS is an SSI Industry Hall of Fame inductee and president of Davis Mergers and Acquisitions Group Inc. Also known as The
Graybeards, the company is active in acquisitions and mergers exclusively in the alarm business. He can be reached at rdavis@graybeardsrus.com
120 Commercial Integrator+Security Sales & Integration | Sept/Oct 2023

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Commercial Integrator + Security Sales Sept/Oct 2023

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