Subscriber Discussion

Lenel's Frustrating New Process For Integration Partnership

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #1
Aug 24, 2016

Anyone out there getting the process moving with Lenel's "new" OAAP program? Are you as frustrated at the bureaucracy as I am? Seems like I have to pay more, wait longer, get worse support and yada yada yada - all for the amazing privilege of being awarded with integration certification for OnGuard.

While I really do want to support integration to this product to empower additional sales opportunities, I struggle to manage the overwhelming amount of resources (time, people and money) I dump into keeping things current to "major" releases (which are really minor according to the rest of the world). 

When is the "partnership" line crossed? When does a company have such a grip that they can treat "partners" with such disdain?

...so many unanswered questions. Hate venting here but really interested in others' opinions.

(1)
(1)
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #2
Aug 24, 2016

Trust me, you are not the only Lenel dealer getting fed up with Lenel. If our larger accounts weren't fully deployed on Lenel we would have moved them off already. The majority of our Lenel accounts have asked for pricing options to switch off and most probably will within 5 years, not to mention the accounts we lost pushing Lenel video and that disaster of a product.

(1)
(2)
Avatar
Brian Rhodes
Aug 24, 2016
IPVMU Certified

Ouch, this doesn't sound good. We've heard multiple similar comments from members.

Just for clarity, is OAAP just the 3rd party integration program, or does it encompass OnGuard core functionality as well?

Who do you move your customers to, off of Lenel?

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #1
Aug 24, 2016

Yes, it's the program that third party manufacturers use (inc the SDKs, tools, etc) to implement integrated solutions. Basically, everything and everybody that works with Lenel that is not Lenel. They are revamping the program, which is justifiable, but they seem to be taking it down an extremely non-customer oriented way.

(1)
(2)
JH
John Honovich
Aug 24, 2016
IPVM

into keeping things current to "major" releases (which are really minor according to the rest of the world).

1, is Lenel changing the API or what is happening that one needs to do things to keep things current?

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #1
Aug 24, 2016

They are changing the program as a whole (all emails for collaboration go through a central box and "get disbursed" with little or no response -? the program itself is a multi-step apply, pre-qualify - qualify scenario even if you already have a relationship -> etc).

I don't believe the technical part is changing.

The major release thing is another side irritation - policy is that at every major release we have to redo the entire portfolio integration. But major to them is 7.- to 7.1 to 7.2 whereas with the rest of the SW world it would be 6.0 to 7.0 to 8.0.

It's just another way to pull more funds from a desperate program that is understaffed and being run in a way that is only frustrating partners more.

(1)
(1)
JH
John Honovich
Aug 24, 2016
IPVM

It's just another way to pull more funds

So partners have pay Lenel each time? I am not familiar. Roughly how much?

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #1
Aug 24, 2016

Depends on approach.

For video (this changes for every type): (these are based on my memory - need to be confirmed)

recorders: cost is $2000 per recorder - perhaps less for recert (1500).

cameras: cost is $1500 for 5 cameras (imagine this for large portfolios - and for just this partner) - perhaps $1000 for 5 cameras for recert.

Of course there is pricing for all types of devices and for every partner who wants integration - and every time there is an update.

(4)
UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #3
Aug 25, 2016

I concur with U1M. They are by far the worst integration partner we have for many reasons:

1. They want to charge you every year to re-certify, and their changes they will admit are not really major updates.

2. We had scope problems with them from the very beginning. We are not a camera company, and so when we signed on they didn't have a formal set of functionality we had to provide, so we based ours on competitor functionality they provided. We set the test plan, and then at each step Lenel changed the test plan to include more and more functionality. By the end of the process, we had invested four times as much in development than was initially required.

3. Their system is essentially proprietary, so instead of using web services or other open standards, you have to write connectors to make open products talk to OnGuard.

4. Once you pay for certification, they own the rights to sell your development.

As U1M said, they have you because they know they have a customer base who is loyal to them. But the way they do business, it is only a matter of time before someone comes in and takes advantage of their market gaps.

(1)
(3)
U
Undisclosed #6
Aug 30, 2016

they know they have a customer base who is loyal to them

Or so large that they are effectively locked in...

(1)
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #4
Aug 29, 2016

We have major issues with Lenel, and we have been a VAR for over 10 years, the last 3 have been terrible. They are increasingly harder and harder to deal with, product support is terrible, sales support horrible, our Project Managers hate procuring equipment from them (lack of any communication and days with unanswered questions), and just plain out poor customer service.

The last time our local Sales Rep come out to visit us, his sales manager was with him. We went through our list of frustrations with Lenel, and without acknowledging our frustration, the conversation quickly moved to, how many new licenses/dongles will you be able to sell this year. Excuse me, WTH? It's not that they don't what their issues are, the way it seems to me, is that they just don't care, their mind is on one thing, "What can YOU do for Lenel"?

Their software GUI hasn't changed in over 10 years. I left the integrator world for 4 years and went to work for an end-user. I decided to install Lenel in our facilities, never ONCE, did I ever see a Lenel Sales Rep. Great Support......

(2)
(3)
UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #5
Aug 29, 2016

We investigated doing an integration with our cameras for some key opportunities, but did not pursue it after the initial call with their OAAP team. The cost and process combined were prohibitive.

(1)
New discussion

Ask questions and get answers to your physical security questions from IPVM team members and fellow subscribers.

Newest discussions