Quite a number of end users have enough ongoing work (whether it is service, add ons or new projects) where they can easily justify having their own people.
What do you think of large end users who have their own internal security integration staff?
Have you seen this? Any experiences to share?
Several of my bigger clients have in-house security system techs. All techs were previous employees of integrators.
Primary driver for client's is the speed of service response, and the tech's familarity with the facilities being serviced, not cost savings. Most clients continue to use integrators for new installations and major upgrades.
One integrator I work with has a particularly sweet deal where the client pays for an annual service contract, yet the client's in-house tech handles about 75% of the calls. (Client still likes the warm and fuzzy feeling of having a service contract in case there is a major problem.)
I have found that techs who work with just a couple of products day in and day out become very, very good - far better than the typical integrator tech who typically works with dozens of products in any given week. I knew of a Casi-Rusco (RIP) engineer who used to call one of my client's techs when he needed advice on some of the nuances of Micro5 panels.
This is true.
I have saw couple of End users having inhouse experts maintaining their own Security systems. the staff are mainly picked up from security system integrators. typically from the SI , who was done the installation for them
Core reason is increase turn arround time for the system. these guy will be more efficient in understanding the system challenges.
I have also saw a tread that - the EU appoint a technical staff right at the installation stage and ask him to learn everything from SI from the starting itself.
I've seen pros and cons to it, like in the IT world. I've seen customers with security staff who are relatively pretty good at what they do; and they just use us for installation or to clerk a sales that is only through authorized dealers. The ones who've come from the security world and worked all ends of the spectrum are probably the best.
But just like in the IT world, I've also seen when you only work for one company doing a job, you tend to live in a box, where you have a narrow view of security solutions due to limited "outside" experiance and end up relying on pay-for-display periodicals for your solutions. That's usually when you end up with Cisco as your VMS and D-Link for your cameras, or some company who has C-Cure for just a dozen cameras and 2 or 3 doors.
Many, if not most, casinos have in-house technical staff, although the starting salaries are typically on the low side, making it difficult to find highly qualified technicians and especially IT experts.
If we did not have our own staff we would be paying at least triple what we already pay every year to our “huge integrator who now goes by a different name so its old name can focus on residential” and things would probably only work half as well as they do. Without in house experts I think we would be taken advantage of at every turn by them. Actually I don’t think we would, I know we would. We work with a hand full of integrators in West Michigan that know what they are doing and that I trust. They do good work for us and we enjoy those relationships.
However, our international integrator (previously mentioned unnamed large company) is horrible. They have never done good work for us in the 14 years I have been here. There is only one local installer who knows what he is doing and he constantly takes phone calls from the rest of the staff to walk them through things. Every project this installer is not a part of is a major headache. Everything outside of Michigan is a larger headache. Everything outside of the USA is an even larger headache. Everything outside of North America is an agonizing migraine. Everything in Europe or Asia we might as well fly over there, make the pieces and parts we will need MacGyver style from scratch and do it all ourselves because it would take us less time than we spend on the phone or in meetings with them.
Quite frankly I do not understand how other companies can use them exclusively. Although sometimes I truly think ignorance is bliss and if I could afford to go that route I might…
That rant was abit off topic though so looking forward to hearing what integrators have to say here!
Oh, I'm not doubting you. We have heard of certain un-named large companies that travel on the power of their branding and advertising rather than the quality of their work. We've taken over a few of those refugee customers. If you're big enough and have the budget to hire smart enough people (not people who just read a few articles from commercial magazines on what's supposed to be the best solutions out there and don't fall for the hype), then it's worthwhile to have your own in-house person(s).
But if the organization does not want to invest into staff with a dedicated person, AND invest in that persons continuing training and awareness of the security industry, then you should find a relaible integrator to fall back on. Kind of how when small businesses get to that point when they have to decide if need to hire their own full time accountant or continue giving the work to a seperate CPA service provider.
I'm actually one of them 'people'. I'm part of the techincal department of our Steel industry site. We're a group of about 18 people who deal with intercom, wireless data and CCTV. The group of CCTV is about 3 people big and we're up to our noses filled with projects concerning camera's.
We also maintain all ~1600 of them and we do new projects (except for a few huge projects, like a new factory being build. Those are usually done by the main contractor).
I could see how we might be somewhat more expensive then an intregrator from the outside being called in. But we have standards we use to build our installations which are created so that we can easily and quickly fix things if they break. And since we have a 24/7 site, that's quite important.
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