Security Sales & Integration October 2021 - 58

EXECUTIVE DECISIONS
Monitoring Matters by Peter Giacalone
Evolution, Growth
& Change
As technology
has matured
and markets
changed,
new industry
entrants have
led to the
restructuring
of the industry,
which in turn
caused it to
be a bit more
challenging for
a simple startup
to compete
in the current,
rapidly moving
landscape.
▶ MANY OF US have experienced our own
unique paths along our industry journey. For me,
it started at grass roots as a summer job while
still in school. Th rough some fortunate relationships
with some great professionals, my career
progressed and I grew to lead some meaningful
industry companies and start a few as well.
When I started installing alarm systems in the
summer of 1978 while still in school, things were
relatively simple. Th e industry was not nearly as
mature as it is today. Th e sales process was very
traditional like many other trades at that time. A
prospective owner would consult the yellow pages,
call a few companies, collect a few estimates of
work and a company would be selected to install
the system. If you were fortunate to get the nod,
you would visit the local, independent distributor,
purchase the hardware and wire and install
the system. When the system was installed, you
would get paid a fair price with a great margin for
the system and installation. During that time, it
wasn't necessary to subsidize the installation by
leveraging or selling the account, the system installation
profi ts were very good.
I continued installing systems while in school
at William E. Grady High School in Brooklyn,
N.Y. After a few unfulfi lling jobs and over a short
period of time, while still in school, I started my
fi rst company along with my good friend, Andrew
( " Drew " ). Drew and I quit our jobs and
started Bergen Security Systems.
With a telephone in my parent's basement,
Peter Giacalone
is President of Giacalone
Associates, an independent
security consulting fi rm
serving central stations,
manufacturers and
dealers.
58
and new knowledgeable industry friends like
Christy, Tommy and Carmine at Christy Industries
in Bensonhurst to manufacture and sell us
hardware and systems, we were on our way to leveraging
our entrepreneurial spirit and realizing
our dreams of self-employment in an industry
we had embraced.
Drew and I started by selling systems to
friends who owned businesses or lived in big
homes. Th e fi rst year brought us more work
than we expected and the word of mouth that
brought us this work was incredible.
Th rough Christy and Certifi ed, we learned
Security Sales & Integration OCTOBER 2021
peter@giacaloneassociates.com
of central station monitoring. Th is was our fi rst
introduction to these services that came with a
recurring cost and additional margins. We needed
to create an additional relationship for monitoring
services. So, we drove to an apartment
building in Bay Ridge to this UL central station
above a shoe store and purchased an Acron
DD-2 digital dialer. We started presenting this to
new prospects. Some engaged as they were not
comfortable with tape dialers that dialed straight
into the police. In short, our friends at Christy
and the central station relationship legitimized
two trunk-slammers with a dream.
As technology has matured and markets
changed, new industry entrants have led to the restructuring
of the industry, which in turn caused
it to be a bit more challenging for a simple startup
to compete in the current, rapidly moving
landscape. With the widespread proactive market
of security and life-safety systems, consumers are
more informed than ever before.
Th e smarter consumer is looking for a reason
to buy; they are looking for services, stability,
effi ciency and value-add. Th is is where the successful
dealer needs to focus for prosperity in the
industry today. It is not enough to off er a free
or inexpensive system. Consumers want relationships
that bring them value-added services and
conveniences.
Th e dominant players in many industries
demonstrate how strong strategic partnerships and
alliances result in greater success. Th e entrepreneurial
world should be no diff erent. Why it has
taken the independent world so long to catch up is
probably due to a lack of understanding and trust.
I believe that we have embarked on a period
that has presented some of the most signifi cant
and positive changes this industry has ever experienced.
What information and technology have
put on our doorstep is fascinating. We as an industry
have the opportunity now to " step up to the
plate " and really mature into the primary service
provider for a variety of services for our clients. We
have been given the ability to secure relationships
with consumers and present them with turnkey
solutions for all their service needs.
Th e industry has changed. National companies
continue to grow and DIY is a prevalent element
of the industry growth. While the level of
sophistication may have elevated, the nimble and
forward-thinking entrepreneurs will continue to
grow and succeed.
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Security Sales & Integration October 2021

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