ADI Counter Person Life Revealed

Carlton Purvis

•Published Oct 28, 2013 04:00 AM

An ADI counter person is truly at the front line of physical security, taking orders (and often ridicule) from a vast number of industry people. But what is life really like at the counter? What problems, issues, experiences have they faced.

In this unique review, we share our findings from an interview with a former ADI counter person plus feedback from an ADI executive.

*** ****** *****
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*** *****, **** ** **** *** source **** ***** *** **** *** the ***** ***** ** ******* ** a ******* ****** *** ***:

The *****

** ****** ********. *** ******* *** *** pay ***** ** ********* ** ***** on ***********, ** ****. “*** ***** be ** *** ******** ** *** could ** * ***-******** ****, *** you’ll *** **** *** **** ****** of ***** ** *** *******,” ** said. ** **** **** *** **** he **** **** ***** *** ****** the ****** **** ** *** ****, but ***** **** **** ***** ******* his ********* *** **** ***** ******.

****, *** *** **** ** ***** ** says ** *** ****** ** *** past *** ****** ** **** ** because ***** **** * ***** ****** ** stores *** **** **** ** ******* turnover *******-**** ********. "**'* * ****** ********* now ******* **'** ****** ** * few **** ****** *** **** ** opening ** **** **** ****," ** said.

The ****

**** ** **** ******** ****** ** the *** ** *** ******** ******* which ** **** *** *** **** part ** *** ***. "**** **** ********* benefits. *** ******, ****** *** **** benefits *** *****. **** **** * lot ** ********* ** **** *** able ** *** **** **** *****," he ****.

The ********* *****, *** *** ** ********* ****

*** ******* ******** ****** *** * counter ****** *** $**,***-$**,*** **** ** started ** *** ****** ****. “**** ***’* pay **** **** ** **’* **** for **** ** **** ******. ***** being ***** *** ***** ***** * went **** $**,*** ** $**,*** *** when * ************’* *** ******** **** open, * *** ** *** ****,” he ****. **** ** *** ************ **** he ***** ******* ** ******* ****** with *** ************ *** **** ***** up *** ***.

*** ****** *** *** **** ******** is *** **** ** ********** *** lack ** ****** ********, ** ****. "*** have ** ****** ****** *** ***** efforts *** ****'* *** **** *** did ** ***. ******* **** **** *** guarantee * ******** ** ****** ******* position ******* ***** ********* **** ****** no ********, ** ****.

*** **** ****** **** *******. "**** ** 10 ***** *** ** **** ******** paying **** **** ** ******, *** today ** ** ***** ******* ** pretty ****, **** **'** ******* ** pay **** ** *****. ** *** a ****** *** **** ******** ***. We *** *********** **** ** ***** to ****** ***** ******," **** *** noting **** *** ******* ****** ** an *** ***** ****** *** ** $55,000 **** *** *********** ** **** more ****** **** ****** ***** ** outside *****.

Where ****** ** **** **** *****

*** ****** **** ****** ** ***** usually **** ** ** ** ***** ************. “I’ve ***** ***** ** ***** ** anyone **** ******* ****** **** ** this *******. *’** ***** ******* ****** to ** *** ***** ***. **** people *** **** ******* ** * stepping ***** ** *** ********,” *** former *******-****** ****.

*** **** ****** **** **** ******** left ** ****** ************ ** ******* reps.

Distributors ** ****** ** ******* ****** **** ******** **********A counter sales position at a distributor, even a major distributor, “doesn’t pay well enough to attract qualified people,” our source said. “If you want someone with real knowledge of the industry, you’re going to have to pay him a little more than that to get him to come do this job.” He says ADI is specific about who they hire, and the hiring process is lengthy.

“***** *** * *** *** *** licensed ** ** ****, *** *** some *** ******** **** * ***** business ** *****. ** ******’* *** the ********* ** *** *********** ** time ** **** ***** ******* *** had ********** ****** ** **** *** and **** ***** ***** *****,” ** said. “****’** **** *********** *** ***’* **** ** *** people **** ****’** *****.

“** **** ** * ***** *** a **** ****** * ******** *** hired,” ** ****. ***** **** *** standard ********** *** ********** ******, *** the ****** ******* ***** ******.

**** ****** ******** **** ** ******* sales *** ** ***** **** *** to *** ***, ** ****, "*** from ***** *** *** *** **** who *** ** ** * ******** stone *** *** **** *** *** just ***** *******."

*** *** **** **** ** **** one ** *** ******* ****** *** the ******* ** ** **** ********* people. "At *** ***** **** ** **** 40-50 ******** *** ** **** ***** four **** **** **********. ** *** past ** **** *** *** ********* on **** ** *****. ** ***** professional ********** ** **** ****** *** we're ******* **** ****** ***** *** paying ****** **** **** *** ***** in *** ******."

****** ********

** *** **** ***** *** ** training *** ******* ***** ****** ***** **** a ***-*** ***********. *** ****** ******* person *********, "** **** * *** of ****** *** **** **** ******* the ******** ** ** ** *** too **-***** ** ***** ** **** their *****." *** ***** ** ******** ******** that ********* ** ******* ** *** certificates ** ** ********** [**** ** longer *********] ********* ****, ******** *** access *******. **** *** ******** ** complete ** ***** ** ****** ******** per ****.

*** ******* ****** ** ***** ** says ** *** **** ******** **** covered ***** ******* ******** *** ********* earned ****** **** **** ***** ** used ** *** *********** **************** ****, **** *** *-******. *** the ***** ****** ** ****, *** if * ****** **** *** **** training **** *** ** **** ** losing ***** ***********.

*** **** **** **** **** *** training *****, *** **** *** *** employees ** *** ******** ************** ** specific *****.

*****

*********

*** ****** ******* ****** ** ***** to **** *** ** ***** ********* are *********** ******* *** **** ** have * ******* ** *** ***** products.

** *** ****** **** ******** *** done ** *****, ***** ******* **** primarily ****-***. ** **** ****** **** region ** ****** ** ****. “** least **** **** *** ** ** the ***** ** *** **** **** that. ****** **** ** ****** * lot. **** ** **** **** ** going ** ** ***** ** *** phone ******* ** ***** ******. **** you’ll ***** * *** ** **** pulling ******. **** ***’** ***** *** rest ** ** ***** *********,” ** said. “**’* **** ******* ******. ***** day ** *** ****.”

*** **** **** ********* ***-****** ** their ******** ** **** ** ***** and *** ***** ***** **** ****-***, but ****** ***** ** ** **** seeing ******.

*******

"** *** ****** ******* *** *** long, *** **'** *** ******* ** go **** ** ** ** [**********] points. *** ******** **** **** *******, but **** *** ****** ** ** is ***, **** **** **** ******* at ** ****** *** *** ****. When * *** ***** **** *** 22 ******," **** ****************.

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"*** ********* ****** **** **** *** manufacturer. ** * ******** ** ******* for * *********** **** ** ******** then *** **** ***** *** ** the ************ ** *** *** ********** price ******* ** ** *** ****** or *** * ******** *******. **** often **** *** **'* ** ** as * **** ** ************ ** the ********."

**********

******* ***** **** **** * **** salary, *** ***** ** ** ********** commission, *** ****** ****. *******, *** ADI **** **** ***** ** * commission ***** ** *** ****** ** total ***** **** ** ****** ** the *****. "******** **** ******* * customer ****** *****, ******* *****, ********, gets * **********. **'* * ****** commission **** ** ******. ****** *** the ****** ** *** ***** ****," he ****. ** ******, **** ** approach ********* *** ********* *** ********** top **********.

******* *************** ***** ** **********

“**** ********* *** *** ******* ***************, it *** ****** ***** ** ******** preference ** **** ********** **** **,” the ****** ******* ****** ****. “*** it **** *** ** ** **** support. ** * *** * *** that **** ** * *** *** supported ** * *** - *** example **** ** ***** **** ***** bring * ****** **** **** ** something **, **** * ***** ***** those ****** ******* ** ****. *** brands * ****’* ***** ** ******* we *** ** ******* ** ******* they **** ****.”

"****'* ** ****** *****," ** ****. At *** ******* ***** “**’* **** based ** ******** ***** *** ** sale **** ****. [*** ********] ** really **** ******* ** **** *** out *** **** **** *** **** rebates ** ** **** **** *****. ************* set ***** **** ** **** **** do *** ***** ******. ** *** distributor ***** * ******* ****** **** get * ******, **** *** * certain ******* **** **** *** ************.” ** says *** ******* *** ******* ****** two *******.

Comments (11)

Undisclosed Manufacturer #1

•Oct 30, 2013

As a rep firm, we find the counter people at ADI do a pretty good job, overall. There are exceptions, of course, and we try to individualize our support based on knowing who we can work with, and who we can't. Our job as reps is to raise their comfort level with the brands we represent. We don't expect them to be technical wizards on the myriad of items they carry, and a good relationship with the counter people results in calls for assistance.

One question...do they get incentivized to push the Honewell and other house brands over their other suppliers? We suspect they do, and have some hesitation when we have to decide which distributor to share a lead wiith. Some reps don't trust ADI, as they think the counter people switch customers to their store brands.

Undisclosed Integrator #2

•Oct 30, 2013

I used to think they were pushing Honeywell one the company I work for, but then I found out that was more because our Marketing reps were dealing with Honeywell direct.

I personally have found that ADI as a whole does not push a particular brand, how ever the counter people I deal with have their own personal prefered brands, stemming from reports they've heard back from people who've bought them. If a handful of people come back and say this camera from ABC Company they bought last week is amazing and does what I want it to, the rep will try and sell that camera to others.

And it works vise versa, if they hear a product that maybe isn't working so well, they don't really mention the product unless some one asks about it.

This is only my personal experience with just my local branch.

Carlton Purvis

•Oct 31, 2013

In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #2

The counter-person we spoke too didn't say they were asked to push any specific brands, but said what brands they pushed were based on the relationship with the manufacturer's rep and what products they could get rebates on. Maybe at one point there were some kind of incentive for selling Honeywell products. I can ask about that.

Keefe Lovgren

•Oct 31, 2013

IPVMU Certified

In reply to Carlton Purvis

i believe adi owns honeywell...

John Honovich

•Oct 31, 2013

IPVM

In reply to Keefe Lovgren

I believe it's the other way around. That said, they are both part of the same conglomerate, ergo the issue/concern. This is similar to the questions raised about Tyco IS - the integrator - and Tyco Security Products - the manufacturer.

Ethan Ace

•Oct 31, 2013

IPVM

In reply to John Honovich

It is the other way around. Honeywell owns ADI. But I think they are next to each other on the Honeywell org chart. It's not like ADI is contained under the umbrella of Honeywell Security.

In my experience, they never pushed Honeywell products on us. They pretty much never pushed anything, actually. They just took orders.

Undisclosed

•Oct 31, 2013

A somewhat similar question to the one posed above, how much are the counter personnel incentivized to push their own Capture branded products. Previously, these products would be older spec products at competitive pricing. Now they are competing directly with their suppliers by offering the latest technology (basic configs/performance) at competitive pricing

Sagy Amit

•Oct 31, 2013

Back in the 90's when I worked in NYC, the local ADI branch on 14th street was a life saver. They had tools, and products on the shelf and I would visit them on a weekly basis.

The people at the counter were all very knowledgeable and helpful.

I have worked with other distribution channels and i don't think the picture is much brighter anywhere else.

If you need a product to complete the job without waiting for UPS, ADI was always a good choice.

Undisclosed Manufacturer #1

•Oct 31, 2013

Whe you walk into an ADI branch today, the choice end cap displays are reserved for Honeywell. My manufacturers buy end cap spaces one month at a time, but the Honeywell displays appear to be permanent, lending weight to the theory that they tend to push their captive brands.

John Honovich

•Oct 31, 2013

IPVM

In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #1

It could just be because Honeywell makes the highest quality, least expensive products :)

Undisclosed #4

•Nov 03, 2013

As a rep, it's pretty clear that ADI has a preference for Honeywell, (end caps and branch stock), but they seem to make it a pretty level playing field for manufacturers if you are willing to play their game.

Tri-ed, on the other hand seems to be going farther and farther towards their own products to the point of artificially loading products in their system to make Northern look more favorable.