Slap a slick brochure on your prospect’s desk and expect them to bite? That’s not how it works these days for any contractor, and especially those in the highly competitive systems integration industry.

The end-user’s experience is what matters, but how do you ensure your installations meet their expectations? The first step is establishing yourself as the expert who can guide your customer to the right solutions, while working with stakeholders for a clear assessment of what’s needed and how to achieve it in the facility.

What is experience when it comes to systems integration? For access control, entrance and egress must be fast, safe and secure. Users don’t want to fumble with cards and prefer their smartphones as an access credential. A positive, smooth experience includes easy management and programming by security directors or facility executives. They want to be able to add and delete users quickly. Experience is also having the right data to assist in meeting compliance regulations or workforce mandates.

Fact-gathering assessment

The starting point is a thorough understanding of what the end-user expects to accomplish with the installation and an evaluation of the current infrastructure. That means assembling all those who may be responsible for security, which could include a security director, facilities manager or HR. 

“Systems integrators need to work with all the team members in the information gathering and decision-making process,” said Kevin Whaley, a senior security consultant for Kenton Brothers Systems for Security, Kansas City, Mo., and special operations veteran. Whaley participated in the webinar “The Symbiotic Relationship of End-Users and Systems Integrators,” conducted by SecurityInfoWatch.com (SIW). 

“The people with institutional knowledge of the facility are important to have at those meetings and site visits,” Whaley said. 

Systems integrators, he added, need to ask the right questions, including what type of network connection they have, how they get cable runs to the area and what the state of the infrastructure is. They need a full picture of how things can be installed or whether there’s an alternative solution. The client might not have the right infrastructure to install what they want, so that should be part of the conversation. Examine the network infrastructure with the IT team to find out what’s required for the installation to prevent any hiccups.

A successful relationship also means working closely with manufacturers. 

“We reach out to vendors and discuss what the end-user wants to achieve,” Whaley said. “We get them involved immediately so we can fully understand the system’s capabilities and if it will align with the customer’s expectations.” 

Shifting to a solution mindset

Manufacturers and distributors today recognize the necessity of presenting complete systems that address a specific problem. Rather than offering only a single core item and letting the systems integrator cobble together the project, they’ve changed their methodology by partnering with others, adding products that are open and easily scalable, and working alongside the systems integrator and end-user to devise a manageable and adaptable plan together.

Systems integrators have become trusted advisers—experts who work with the end-user and other trades to design the system—as opposed to simply providing products. Finger pointing is replaced with hands-on collaboration that transverses security, safety, operations, automation and business data. 

They also need to clearly define and map out how the system will operate. Friction between systems integrators and end-­users occurs when the contractor doesn’t clearly state how the system will function on a day-to-day basis. 

The end-user experience with the systems integrator can mean the difference between a successful relationship and a faulty one. 

“The vendor and the integrator need to be true partners supporting a member of the security user’s team,” said Bernard Scaglione, associate principal at Cerami & Associates Inc., New York, and a panelist on the SIW webinar. 

“They need to provide expertise in different types of technology, effectively helping the security director and giving them the tools they need to solve problems,” he said. “Once the user decides on the solution, the integrator delivers all the necessary components, including installation, service, cyber support and IT support.”

Systems integrators are in a strong position with end-user customers when they work alongside them in collaboration and focus on delivering solutions, not just the latest trending hardware product. 

Author’s note: I’d love to hear from systems integrators doing physical security projects about what you feel matters most for customers and your ongoing viability. Feel free to email me or connect on LinkedIn. The best stories are ones shared from systems integrators in the field.

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