Security Sales & Integration June 2021 - 30

Management
2021 Distribution
Roundtable
Dealers are
getting requests
for analytics
related to
occupancy and
people counting.
- Tony Sorrentino,
Scansource
The PowerHouse Alliance's 11
distributor members give dealers
access to 55+ fully stocked
locations across the U.S.
Shown here is N.Y./N.J.-based
Ui Supplies AV & Electrical.
In what ways did the pandemic impact
your dealer/integrator customers?
Clint Choate: Before the pandemic the vast
majority of experience with our products took
place during evenings or on the weekends.
COVID-19 quickly changed that. In an instant,
end users at home wanted more security,
more entertainment - and what started as a
potential threat to our industry led to unprecedented
demand. These demands created new
business opportunities across multiple categories
for partners. Their customers wanted solid,
reliable networks; surveillance systems that are
safe and secure with the ability to see what's
going on around their property; the option to
have their systems serviced remotely without
calling a partner onsite; and more.
COVID-19 will likely reshape our world
for years to come, and many of these implications
may be hard to predict. But it's clear the
pandemic has created a need to schedule and
conduct service calls remotely, reinforcing the
benefit of contactless service throughout our
industry.
Rob Aarnes: The pandemic has had a significant
impact for our customers. Our dealers
were forced to alter their business practices
and reposition their focus on the technologies
that became more prevalent during this time.
Although building closures and construction
slowdowns had effects on the market, new opportunities
became available around thermal
imaging products, contactless access control,
intrusion and analytics. And as more consumers
were staying home, we saw new opportunities
for dealers around home networking,
A/V and residential security. During this time,
ADI hosted numerous webinars and panel discussions
with our supplier partners to help our
customers learn about the technologies becoming
most important to end customers, and pivot
their businesses as needed.
With fewer projects on hold, construction
beginning again and schools
opening back up, there is significant
opportunity for dealers going forward.
Tony
Sorrentino: Their requests have
changed. Dealers are getting requests for analytics
related to occupancy and people counting.
They have also seen changes in who they
are servicing and how. For example, school
projects used all be in the summer months and
now they are throughout the year. Retail has
become contactless with both indoor and outdoor
increasing the need for more perimeter
video coverage. Right now we are seeing supply
shortages pushing back dates of installs. It is
imperative the partners, suppliers and distributors,
work closely together and clearly communicate
expected delivery dates.
Which product categories did the
pandemic most affect negatively as
well as positively?
Dave McClary: Early in the pandemic, we observed
a surge in sales of solutions that enable
remote work and home-based learning. That
demand has ebbed somewhat in recent months,
while interest in occupancy management and
return-to-work/school solutions remain high.
Last summer, we experienced a burst in thermographic
screening camera sales. Interestingly,
these sales seemed to indicate a general
preference for minimally compliant/lower cost
over higher priced, more accurate products.
Some of the solutions spawned by the pandemic
will probably fade away, right along with it.
But some will remain relevant going forward.
The need to protect employees, customers and
visitors by providing a safe environment is not
new and won't go away.
The pandemic's impact on workplace safety
was unanticipated, but with the benefit of
hindsight it's clear that plans to maintain safe
working environments and operational continuity
should be part of future corporate/public
safety and security plans. We have assembled
a portfolio of occupancy management solutions
we think will maintain relevance, even
post-pandemic. The most important common
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Security Sales & Integration JUNE 2021
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Security Sales & Integration June 2021

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