Scathing Honeywell Favorability Results

Author: Brian Rhodes, Published on Jan 24, 2017

Honeywell is one of the biggest brands in security, with offerings for intrusion, fire, wire, video surveillance, access control, plus they own one of the largest distributors (ADI). Active in so many different parts of security, most integrators are exposed to the company regularly.

However, integrators were widely critical of Honeywell.

Inside, we examine integrator input on:

  • Honeywell alarm vs everything else
  • Concerns over Honeywell being old and dated
  • Challenges with tech support
  • Issues with product development

********* ** *** ** *** ******* ****** ** ********, **** offerings *** *********, ****, ****, ***** ************, ****** *******, **** they *** *** ** *** ******* ************ (***). ****** ** so **** ********* ***** ** ********, **** *********** *** ******* to *** ******* *********.

*******, *********** **** ****** ******** ** *********.

******, ** ******* ********** ***** **:

  • ********* ***** ** ********** ****
  • ******** **** ********* ***** *** *** *****
  • ********** **** **** *******
  • ****** **** ******* ***********

[***************]

Honeywell *******

******* **** ******* ******** ******** ***** ********* *** ****** **** ahead ** ************ ** ******** ******* ****-***********************.

********** ******** ** ********* **** * ********** ****, *.*.:

  • "*** *****: *********. ***."

** **** ********* ** **** **** ** ** ***** ******* are *********:

  • "******* *** * *** ***. **** *** **** **** ********** necessary."

******** ********* *** ** ****** ********* **** **** ******** ******** were *******. *** ***** ******* ** **** *** ******** ** alarm ****** ********.

Mostly ****** ********

********* *** ***** ******** ***** ********** *** *** ****************** **** *********** ************* ********* **** **** **** ****** ********** *** *******. **** ** the ******* ******** ******** ************ ********** ***** ***** ****** ** the ******, **** **** *** ***** ***** **** ********* ******** feedback.

  • “** *** ***** ***** ********* *** ****'* **. **'** *** fans ** *** ****** *** **** ******** ** ********."
  • "** *** ********* ****** *** ********* ********, *** *** ***** products."
  • "* ***'* **** * *** ** ********** **** ********* ******* of ***** ********* ****."
  • "*** *** ****. ***** ******** **** ****** *** *********."
  • "**** **** ********, **** ** ** **** ******* ********** ** video."
  • "* **** * **** ******* ***** ** ******** *** *********. Their ***** ****** *** ***** ** *******, *******, *** ***."
  • "****** ***** ***** ** **** ******. ****** ***'* **** ** up!"
  • "* ****** ***** ******** *** ***** **** ******, *** **** then * *** ** ***** *****."
  • "**** **** *** ********* ** *** **** ****. ***** *** many ****** * ***'* ****, **** ***** ********** **** *** systems *** ********. *** *** ***** ** **** *** ******* is ****** ********."
  • "** ***** *** ***** ***** ****** **** ***** *******, *** they ********* **** ********** *** **** ** *** **** *** would ***** ** ****** **** * ***** ******* **** **** large ********."
  • "* ***** **** *** ****** ******* *** ** *****'* **** they ****** **** ** ****."

**** *******

  • "**** ********* ****** *** ****, *** **** **** **** *********** at *********** *** *** ********* **** **** *** ******** *********."
  • "** ** ******* *** * *** ** ***** **** ***** equipment **** **** **** *** ****** ****** *** *** ****** very *******. ***** **** ***** ********* ** **** ***** *** works ****. ***** ** ******* ***-**** *********** **** **** ***** systems, ** ******** ** ******* *******."
  • "**** **** * ************* ******* ****, ********** ** ********* ********* and **** ******."

** *************** ****** ***** ********* ********* ***** ** ***** *** ****** ** ******* *** ***, but ****** *** ****** *********. ** *******, ********** ******** ******* those ********.

Old *** *****

*** ********* ******** ******* ******** ********* ********* **** *** *** featureset *** ********** ** *** *********, **** ***** ******* ****** happening *** **** *********** ******* ****. *************, **** ******** *********** the ***** ** *********, **** ********* ** *** **** ****** IP ***** *********:

  • "***** ** *** *****, **** ** ***. **** *** **** their **** *** ****'* ***** *** **** **** ***** *** them ** ** *******."
  • "*** *********. ********* ***********."
  • "****** *** *****"
  • "****** ** ********* ****** - *** ******* *** *********** **** from **** *** ******* ***** ** ** **** ** *** tooth."
  • "***-*********."
  • "***** **** **. **** ** **** *******. **** ****** ** support *** **********."
  • "********** *** ********** **** ************ **** *******"
  • "******** *** **** ********* *** ****** ******* ** *** ******"
  • "***** **** **** *** ******* ***** ** *** ******* **** what *'** ****."
  • "***** ********* ****** ****** ** * ****** *******, *** * bit ******** *************"
  • ***** **** **** *** ******* ***** ** *** ******* **** what *'** ****."

**** ***** ** *** ****** ** ******, ** ********* ********* pursues *********** ** *** ***** ****** ** ******** ********* ****** than ******* *********** *******.

Tech ******* *** ****

******* *** ***** *** ******* ******* ********* ******* ** **** to **** **, * ********** ****** ********** ** *** ***** breadth ** *** ******* *********. ******* ******** ******** **** **** for ***** ********* **** **** **** ******** ** ********* *******-***** ****** *******, *** ******* *** ***** ** ********* ******* *** ** as *** **** ** ********** **** *** ********* *****.

  • "********* ***** ** ** ****** *** ****, **** **** ********** on *** ******, *** **** *** ***** ******* **?"
  • "*** ******** **** *** ***** ******** ********* **** ** **** it. *** *** ******* * ******** ****** **** ****** *** camera ****** ****** **** *** **** ********* **** ******* ******** us ** **** *** ******* ****** **** ** * ***? We ******* ******* **."
  • "***** **** ******* *****, ***** ***** ******* *****."
  • "**** ********, ** ******* ** *** *** *** *********"
  • "********** ******* **** ******** **** **** ******* *** *&*."
  • "************ **** *******"
  • "******** ***** ****** ******** **** ********, ** ******* ***** ** firmware ********. ******* ******** **** ******** *** ****** ********* *******."
  • "**** ***** ***********, ******* ******** *** ****** ******* ***** ** the ***. *********** ** *** *****. *** ********** *** ************* are **********."
  • "***** ****** ********** ** ******* ** ** **********."

****** **** *******, ****** ******** ****** *** ***** ******* *** also ***** ** ** * ****** ********.

Stale ******* ***********

**** * ******* **** ******* * ****** ********* ********, ******* are ********. *** **** ** ********** ******* *********** ******* ***** offerings *** *********** ***** *** '**** ****' ** '** ***' offerings **** *** *** ************** ******** ** ***********:

  • "**** ***'* **** ** **** *** ** **** *******. ******* are ********* *** ************* *** **** ** *****."
  • "******** ** *** ****** ******* *** **** ***** **** * mess ** ******* **** ********* (?) ******** *** ********."
  • "** *** ******** ****, ****'** *** ****** ***** **** **********"
  • "*** ********, ****** ******, *** **** *** **** ******"
  • "** ** **** *** * "** ***" *******. **'* * shame ******* ********* ******** ****** ******* ***** ***, *** *** company ** **** *** **** * ****** ********* **** ****** at * ********** *****, *** **** ***** ****** **** ** the *****. **** **** ******** ******, * *** *** ************, but **** ***'* **** * ******* **** ****** ********"
  • "*** **** ******** **** ****'* ********* ** ****'* ********** *** capability ** *** ******** **** ***********. ******* ** *** ** whack *** **** *** ***** *** ** **** ******. **** end - **** ***** ******* ** ** ***! ****** ***-******, not ***** ** ***."
  • "****** *****'* **** ******** ****** *********** ***** *** *********** ** IP."
  • "****'** ****** ** **** ********* *** **** ********* ***** ********* that ***** ** ** ******** "********* ********" ******* ****."

*********'* ******** *** **** ** ******* *** ******** *** ******** offerings (*.*.,********* ******** *********) ****** **** ********** ******* ***** *** ********, * ***** not ******** ** ****** ************* *** *** **** *** ********, loyal ******* ** *********** *********.

High ******

*******, ******* ******** ********** **** ********* **** *** ******* ******* that ********* *** *****'* ****** *******:

  • "***** ******* ** ********** *** ** **** **** *** ***** building ****** *******."
  • "**** ***** ******** **** *** ******** ******* ** *** *** premium."
  • "***** ******** **** ****** *** *********."

** *******, ***** ******** ** *** ************ *** ********* *********, as *** ********* *** ****** ***** ***** *** ***-***** ******. While********* ******* ******, *********'* ********* *** *********** *** *********** **** ** *** ********** *** *******, **** ** *** ******* ** **'* *** offerings.

Comments (4)

Undisclosed Integrator #1

07/09/18 03:07pm

Is the Honeywell Commercial Security Line (the one you have to be a certified dealer for .. not the products ADI sells over the counter) really as outdated and difficult to support as I am reading on some forums? Is this old news from a few years ago (and it has gotten better), or is this just the complaints coming from integrators that don't have direct access to the Pro line and are expressing sour grapes from a distance?

I am asking since some of the Honeywell integrators in their certified integrators program seem to be doing quite well ... however, I am really not sure if they also carry other lines that add to their market penetration.

Also, since most of the major larger national companies have access to the Honeywell Pro line, like Johnson Controls, Siemens Building Technologies, etc. what gices as far as any "exclusivity" goes since in essence, these bigger multi-branch companies (that are also quasi manufacturers themselves) can cherry pick projects that require Honeywell Pro products anyway. Does anyone see this occur?

Lots questions, I know, but maybe putting the main question in the IPVM terms:

"Would you work for a security integrator whose main product line is the Honeywell Pro IDS/ACS/VMS"?

Undisclosed Integrator #2

In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1 | 07/09/18 03:32pm

My experiences with Honeywell have never been great. From the intrusion line to the more pro stuff. I am more recently involved on the pro side, Pro-Watch and MaxPro, and I don't find it much better.

Granted some of my issues are internal, within my own company. I am not certified myself, nor do I know all of our dealer ID's, so phoning or contacting Honeywell is a pain that way. That's not Honeywell's fault, that my company doesn't want to send anyone in for certification. But if my experiences with Lenel Certification mean anything, it may not help much anyway.

They(Honeywell) are a huge company, but sometimes act like a small start up in a way. Every product line is like it's own department, and they don't all seem to like dealing with one another. Documentation, of any kind, is getting harder to obtain, especially when it comes to integrating their products together. And even if you do find a document how to integrate x Honeywell Product with y Honeywell Product, sometimes they send you to the wrong version, or a very key and crucial step is missed completely.

For example, after my bosses being told for years you can integrated Pro-Watch with MaxPro VMS (and how easy it was), they finally task me with setting it up. Great, sounds easy from the way my bosses describe it. No documentation included with Pro-Watch. No Documentation included with MaxPro. Go to My Web Tech, the go to place for Honeywell Documentation. Can't really find anything, I find one little document that has the how-to set up on ProWatch. I follow all the steps, and nothing. Can't connect to the MaxPro server.

Now I can admit, I can be a little stubborn and try for quite awhile to figure things out on my own without involving tech support, but eventually I give in, get the Dealer ID from my boss, and call tech support. I tell them my problem, and right away they ask "Do you have a MaxPro VMS client on the Pro-Watch server". Well no, I don't, why would I? "You need one" they say. Oh...well is this documented anywhere? "Yeah, it's on MyWebTech" they say. I could not find it, I reply. About 20 minutes later the guy does find the document, and sends it to me. So it was there, but even the Tech Support guy had troubles finding it.

So great, at the end of the day, yes Honeywell did help me. But this took much more time than it should have. An easy to find document, or even included document would have saved us both a lot of time.

If I had a choice in the matter, I would rather use just about any other Access Control product. I don't have the choice, aside from changing jobs, which I would rather not right now. Luckily some one else deals with Pro-Watch for the most part, and I don't have to so much.

Undisclosed Integrator #1

In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #2 | 07/09/18 03:42pm

Thanks for the detailed reply. Do you have a feel for how pleased the end user customers were, i.e. did the systems/products work to their liking, or did they also express some difficulties with ease-of-use, training, or reliability issues?

Undisclosed Integrator #2

In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1 | 07/10/18 11:25am

Well in my case I am an end-user integrator. I guess that's the best way to put it. We are both the end user and the integrator. Handling a few corporate offices and retail stores ourselves. The retails stores I guess would be internal clients, and there have been some reliability issues with the recorders. Sometimes it's environmental stuff, but not always. For the most part the MaxPro NVR/VMS is fairly easy to use, I will give them that.

Training has probably been poor for them, but I can't blame Honeywell, again I haven't received full "training" myself, and the managers can't seem to decide how much we are going to let the retail store managers do, versus having a remote group handle certain tasks.

On the MaxPro end, from the other folks who use it more than I do, they'll say the same thing about how it's clunky, and not so easy to use. But they've all been using the software for so long now, it doesn't bother them so much anymore.

The benefit of spending a lot of money with Honeywell, is at the management level anyway, you hear from them frequently. How ever it always seems like big changes that we have been asking for are constantly just "In the next release". Or "Coming next year". After me being here just over two years, the first major thing we asked for, that was supposed to come to us in my first year (and possibly even earlier than that) is now coming. That's not unique to Honeywell though, when I dealt with Lenel with a previous company, I heard the same stuff.

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