Most Common Integrator Competitors Statistics

Integrator consolidation has been growing for years, driven by companies such as ADT/Everon, Convergint, Pavion, Securitas, and others, but how often are integrators really competing with these mega-companies?

~150 integrators answered:

What, if any, security integrator is your most common competitor (or do you most often work with)? Why?

Inside, we analyze their responses and explain the most common responses, including detailed quotes from integrators.

Summary

The most common response was "None," with integrators explaining they had no competition since all their work was negotiated directly with clients or that they simply did not run into one specific competitor consistently. A potential factor, though not frequently cited in responses, is that these larger integrators typically work for national or multi-national corporations that may not even consider directly contracting with local integrators.

Among those who cited a competitor, Convergint was the most common response, followed by local competition, then Johnson Controls/Tyco. The only other integrators receiving multiple responses were Everon/ADT Commercial, Securitas, and ADT (alarms).

In the coming weeks, we plan to release detailed reports on how often integrators compete with, and their opinions of, several large integrators, including Convergint, Everon/ADT Commercial, JCI/Tyco, and Securitas (mentioned below), as well as Bosch Climatec/Paladin, G4S, and Pavion (formerly CTSI).

No Specific Competition

The plurality of integrators answered that they had no specific competition. Some integrators said they did not have specific competition because their sales are focused on customer needs and directly negotiated. Others simply said they had no competition that was more consistent than others, while some simply said "None."

• "Personally i would be pressed to name ANYONE. Conversation is focused on customer needs and the MANF v MANF battlecard. Not the integrator. The legacy incumbent integrator is not revealed to me personally. And IF another integrator is at play ina green field its not made clear to me either. Of course i work in a techincal design/validation role. Our sales team (inside and outside) are more attuned to the sales motion and competitor presence. If the few times i became aware of another integrator it has had zero bearing on the solution and name quickly forgotten."
• "I don't believe we have any one most common competitor. It often depends on the scope of work we are bidding. If it is residential (which we try to avoid) then there are a multitude of competitors. If it is for perimeter protection there are a couple of players in our market we may compete against."
• "We do not have a common competitor. We do run into smaller integrators in our area from time to time, however, it is not often. Typically, it's during a bid process."
• "We do not have a 'consistent' competitor in our market. Depending on the vertical, we see different integrators."
• "I don't regularly work with anyone else, nor do I regularly compete with anyone in my area."
• "I don't generally compete or work with other integrators Mainly due to smaller size of my clients"
• "We specifically didn't get into alarms because of market saturation and the low RMR. Sometimes we compete with locksmiths for access control, they do ok but stick to very simple systems."
• "I work primarily on referrals typically as we do video monitoring"
• "In this slice of the industry there are many competitors, but none that stand out."
• "It varies, no notable mention."
• "No competitors at present"
• "None, work is negotiated"
• "No common competitor"
• "None specific."
• "none"

Convergint

Convergint was the most commonly mentioned competitor cited by integrators. Integrator opinions on Convergint were mixed (full report coming soon), with some positive about working with them due to their large international footprint, while others found them to be their toughest competition.

• "Convergint is our most formidable competition. They have a good presence in our area, work on the same products that we do, and concentrate on the verticals that we concentrate on."
• "I work with Tech Systems and Convergint Technologies as a sub, and the jobs I do myself are generally smaller than they would look at. So, in this slice of the industry there are many competitors, but none that stand out."
• "Convergint - (Competitor) - Local sites versus national contracts - We have cultivated many local sites that end up Convergint due to a larger national footprint."
• "Convergent, they do the same product lines and we come up against them on a regular basis."
• "Convergint - they used to have a sales person here and have a tech based in the area. They hired a new sales person and we are seeing more activity from them."
• "We commonly work with Convergint. Most of our clients are distributed across the US, we need to work with an integrator with an equally large footprint."
• "Convergint comes up the most out of the national integrators. We primarily work in the financial/government verticals and they come up the most."
• "ASSI and Convergint Technologies are the two integrators I currently work the most with. These companies happened to be contracted with my clients."
• "Competition typically arises from Convergint or Day Automation, although it's not a frequent occurrence."
• "Convergint they take care of customer world wide and most big companies prefer one go to."
• "Convergint They have a good presence in our area working with larger corporations."
• "Paladin and Convergint are usually the big two that we are up against."
• "Convergint. One of the bigger integrators in the K-12 education market."
• "Convergint. They are local and well known in the area."
• "Convergint. Huge footprint in large, sophisticated projects."
• "Convergint. Local office, we work with often."
• "too many, convergint comes to mind"
• "sub for convergint and securitas"
• "Convergint" [x5]

Local/Regional Integrators

After Convergint, respondents most frequently cited local or regional integrators as their most common competition, with little or no competition from national integrators.

• "There is usually only 1 or 2 local competitors that we bid against. The big names aren't usually an issue as customers come to us because they don't like working with a large corporation."
• "No Nationals. Only smaller regional integrators. One isn't anymore of a competitor than another. Our biggest competitor is their significantly lower rates."
• "Several small independent local companies. I rarely compete with any of the big names. I do more complex type CCTV installations. The chain companies are looking for mostly cookie cutter small jobs."
• "We typically are working against mid sized local competitors. Customers want good products but also a local company they know will be able to support them if they have a problem."
• "We have a local integrator we go up against regularly but we don't go after each other's throats either. We have a mutual respect with one another."
• "Only small local businesses, typically because they can provide local resources or specialist support for unique customers"
• "We have a couple of other larger local integrators that are our main competition."
• "We don't really have any big competitors besides the small local businesses."
• "We do not have most common competitor. Most of them are local ones."
• "Most common is other small local integrators."
• "None other than a few small local companies"
• "Mostly local mom & pop outfits around here"
• "Typically local companies in our city"
• "Local smaller shops like ours"
• "Local Regional Integrators"

JCI/Tyco

Next, several integrators mentioned JCI/Tyco as frequent competition, especially in large systems.

• "JCI. They have been "in the way" several times when a general contractor with whom we are friendly tries to use us for an expansion of some sort to an enterprise account that uses JCI."
• "The large national / multi-national integrators are very rarely pursuing the work we do. We occasionally compete against Tyco."
• "CHUBB or TYCO. They have a large influence in the Canadian commercial market."
• "Johnson Control, and we are often kicking them out"
• "JCI. They're one of the few that are of a similar scale."
• "Its probably Johnson Controls INC. / Tyco IS / ADT"
• "JCI, Software House systems"
• "JCI big company with big name"
• "Tyco" [x5]
• "JCI"

Everon/ADT Commercial

A few integrators mentioned ADT Comercial, now rebranded as Everon (though none called them by that name).

• "Mostly local mom & pop outfits around here. Occasionally we run into Stanley/Securitas or ADT Commercial."
• "Commercially: Bay Alarm, ADT, Verkada The list above is all competitors. We dont work with any competitors we just try to sell our service over theirs."
• "ADT. Mostly due to being a well- known name. I prefer them as my competitors because my prices are always better."
• "Occasionally we run up against ADT as well, though we only lose those when name recognition plays a huge role."
• "Occasionally we run into Stanley/Securitas or ADT Commercial."

ADT (Alarms)

While others mentioned the "old" ADT, typically in the context of alarm systems:

• "Most common competitor ADT / Ring"
• "Competitors: Convergint Mid-Atlantic JCI Sonitrol ADT"
• "Other companies local to the area, bay alarm, & adt"
• "ADT, known nationwide."
• "Residentailly: DIY, Comcast, Bay Alarm, ADT"

Securitas

Finally, a few integrators mentioned Securitas. Outside the US, Securitas was mentioned more than Convergint or ADT, though JCI/Tyco was still more common.

• "Securitas. They are our direct competitor offering the same services we offer."
• "Securitas We compete against them in some niche markets."
• "Securitas. They run the same type of business as we do (security in the public domain)"
• "Top 2 players in Belgium : Securitas, G4S"
• "sub for convergint and securitas"

Upcoming Competitive Statistics

In the coming weeks, we plan to release report detailing integrator opinions, positive and negative, about several national integrators, including:

• Bosch Climatec/Paladin
• Convergint
• Everon/ADT Commercial
• G4S/Allied Universal
• JCI/Tyco
• Pavion (CTSI)
• Securitas