Lenel Favorability Results 2017

By: Brian Rhodes, Published on Feb 09, 2017

At this point, it is not surprising that Lenel is one of the most disliked security manufacturers. From stories like Lenel Partners Angry, Lenel Does Not Care comes a clear, strong theme: Lenel's star has fallen, and in the opinion of many, crashed.

Continuing our series of manufacturer favorability results, we asked integrators to comment on Lenel, and they have with strongly negative sentiment.

In this note, they detail the reasons they dislike the brand, and they describe the increasing trend of ripping out and replacing Lenel.

** **** *****, ** is *** ********** **** Lenel ** *** ** the **** ******** ******** manufacturers. **** ******* **** ***** ******** *****, ***** Does *** **** ***** * *****, ****** theme: *****'* **** *** fallen, *** ** *** opinion ** ****, *******.

********** ********* ** ************ ************ *******, ** ***** *********** to ******* ** *****, and **** **** **** strongly ******** *********.

** **** ****, **** detail *** ******* **** dislike *** *****, *** they ******** *** ********** trend ** ******* *** and ********* *****.

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

Lenel *******

******* **** **** *********** **** a **** ********** ** the *****, ******* **** the ****** ** *** surveyed ******:

** * ***** ** comparison, *****'* *** -**% was *** ***** **** even*********'* **** *** -*% results.

******* ********* ********* ***** major ******* *** ****: Bad *******, **** ******, and *********. ********** ******** colors ***** ***** ****** in *** ******** **** follow:

Pockets ** ***** ************ ****

*** *** ********* ************ ***** as * *** ************ with **** ***********. **** strongly ******** ********* ***** listed ** ***** **** positive *****. ******** ******** generally ********* *** *********** of***** ****** *******, *** *** *** ***** or ********** *****. * ******** of ********, ********* ***** with ***** ************* ****, gave ******** ******** ******** feedback:

"***** ***** *** ******* real **** ** ******** in ***** ********** ** the ******* ***** **** exist. *** ******* ** mature *** *** ********** coming *** ** ** real ****** ****** *** markets. ***'* ************* ****!!"
"** * ***'* ***** VAR, ** ** * ton **** ***** ****. Their **** *** *********, professional, *** **** **********. Their ******* ** ***** the **** ** *** market *** ********** ************."
"***** ****** ******* ** a **** *** ** for ***** ******** *** no ********* ***** ***** access ******* *******/"
"* ***** **** **** an *********** ***** *** I ***** **** *** still ***** ** *** ACS ****."
"***** ****** ******* ** still *** ** *** best ******** ** *** enterprise ******."
"******* ** ***** *** UTC ** ******* ** excellent *** **** *** willing ** **** *** price ** *** * project ****, *** ******* is ********* **** *** sales/technical ****."

*******, *** ******** ** sentiment *** * ****** mix ** **********, ***********, and * ***** **** Lenel's **** ***** *** behind **:

Bad *******

*** ********* ******** ***** was *****'* **** ******* to ******* ***** ****** support ** ****** ******, much **** **** ******** efforts **** ****** **** support. ******* ***** **** not ** * **** job ** **** *** many ** **'* ****, and *** ******** ********** has ***** * *** toll ** *** *************:

"*** ***** ************ ** work **** ** ***. Everything **** *** ******* to ******** ** *** are ********."
"****** **** ** ***** adapter ** ***** *** its *********** ****** ** is ******* *** *** decimated *** ******* **** with **** ********* ******* and ***** ******** ******* / *******. ******* **, 100 *** *** ******* have **** ********* ** rip *** ******* **** anything ****."
"****** ********* ** **** with. ** ** **** they *** ***** *** a ***** ** **** with ***."
"*******: ******** ******* ** terrible, **** ***** ******* & ******* ******* (**** sales & *******), **** not **** *** **** anything *** ** ***."
"***** ** *****. *** best ******* ** *** market, ******* ********, *** some ** *** ***** support ***'** **** ********."
"** ** ******* *** has ********* *** ******* line **** **** ********* support *** ***** ******** support / *******."
"***, ****** ******* **** UTC ** ****"
"** ******* *** *** run ********** ** ***, in **** ****. ******* works"
"******* (*********) ** ****** get *** **** ******* for *** *******, ** is *******, *********, **** of ********** ********* (***** not **** *********)."
"**** *******, **** *** updated *******. **** *********."
"***** ******* ** ********, UTCification ** ********** ****"
"***** ******** ******* *** dropped ************* **** *** years ** **** **** gotten ********** **** ***** market **********."

High ******

******* *** ********* *** the **** **** ** Lenel's ******** *** ******** compared ** *** **** of *** ******. *** only ****, *** ******* comments ******** ******* ** too **** *** **** is ******* ** *** company, ******* * ******* sense ** ******* ***** dealers ********** ** **** ongoing ******* ** ********** to ******** *********:

"*** ****, ***** ********** has **** **** *** toilet. **** **** *********. Only ** * *** a ****** **** * large ******** ***** ****** would * ******** ****."
"***** ***** ***** **** and *********** *** *********. "
" ************ ******** **** are *** *** ******. I *** **** * major ******** *** ****** they "****** *** **** you ** *****"."
"** ** **** **** expensive ******* ***** *********."
"***'* ***. ***** *** high"
"********* *********** **** *** poor *********** ** *** features."
"**** ****** *** **** you ** **** ******** recieves"
"***** **** **** ***** for **** ****** *** poor **************."
"*** ********** *** ****** not ******* **** *** although * ** *** dealer * **** **** customers *** ****** **** never ****** **** ****."

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

******, *** ***** ****** complaint *** *****'* ******* indifference *** ********* ** working **** ****. **** cited *** ******* ********* 'smaller' ******* ** ******** out ** ******* ** routine *************, *** *** company *** **** *** initiative ** ******* **** its ******** ******* ** win ** ****** ********:

"**** **** ** *** next *****. ***** ** the *** ** *** Access ******* **** ***** made **** ******** *** arrogant. ** ***** ** become * ****** * few ***** **** ******* we *** * *** of ******* **** **** them *** **** **** unhappy **** *** ******* their ***** *********** **** providing *** **** **** not **** ****** *** calls. *** ** *** taking **** ***** ******* with *******'* ******** ** a ******* *****."
"*** ***** ***, * admired *****. **** **** smart ****** **** * great ********. * ****** arrogance *** ********* ******* they **** ** ********** and ****** ********. ***** smart ****** *** *** gone, *** ***** ******** is ****, *** *** that ** **** ** the *********."
"********* ** **** **** at ***** *** ***** to ** ********."
"********* *********** **** *** poor *********** ** *** features."
"************* **** *** ***** quite ******* *** ***** staff ** *** **** to * **** ******** any ******. ** ******* that ***** ******** **** no ****** **** ** fill *** **** ****...** never *** *** ***...**** this ****."
"**** **** ***** ** one ****** *** ** a *** ** ******** every **** **** ****. And *** ******* ***'* exactly ***'* **** ** access *******."
"** ****** ** **** care ** *******."

Outlook *** *****

** ** *** ****. Multiple ******** ******** *************** reaching * ***** ** no ****** **** ****, and ***** ***** ** now ** ***********. *** example, ********** ****** *********** *** ***** *** Keyscan - *** *******? *** ******** ************ **** common. ** ***** *** not ************ * ******** and ******** ******, **** should. *** **** ****, it ** ** ****** a ******** ** ** Lenel *** **** ****** around, *** ****** *** will **** ** ** replace **:

" *'** ***** *** a ***** **** **** is ***** **** ***** system ** ** ** good *** ** ***** I'm *** * ***** dealer. ** ****** *** must ******** *** ******** I ***. ****** * am ******* **** ****** who *** *** ******* to ******* **."
"* **** **** ********* who ****** **** ***** locked **** ****. * am ****** ******* *** offer * ************* **** source ***********"
"** ** * *** of *****-*** ****** ******* systems ***** ** *** REMOVING *****."
"* **** ***** **** frustration **** ********* **** use *****."
"***'* *** *****, **** replaced * *** ******* and *** ******* **** to **** *** ********* better **** *****"
"**** ** **** **** their *******."
"***** ** **** * poor ********** *** ******* (and ********* *******) *** have ***** **** ***** are ******* ** ******* it. **** *** *** and ****** *******."
"** **** ***** **** that ** ****** * Lenel ***, ***** ** have * *** ** misunderstandings **** **** *** with ***-*****, ***."
"***, ***, *** *****. They *** ****** ** old ****** *** ****** to ** *** ****."

Comments (7)

Undisclosed #1

02/10/17 02:59am

A few things -

I enjoy the fact that you use direct quotes from the surveys, including spelling/grammatical errors. That certainly adds a few grains of salt to any opinions I read.
One of my comments appears on there and it is not positive at all, so I'm far from a Lenel cheerleader. But, I don't think anyone should be able to comment on Lenel that isn't either a Lenel dealer or a Lenel end-user. Anyone who says it's "not God's gift to access control", respectfully, either doesn't have the slightest idea what they are talking about or they simply don't understand the purpose of a system like Lenel. They'd probably have similar comments about Software House. I actually would wait with bated breath on what their recommended access control system would be. Countdown to "Infinias" in 3....2....1....
There is no denying that their technical support has been utterly putrid recently. However, I know first-hand that it has improved considerably. It's still not good enough, but it has improved to the point that it no longer makes me want to set every panel on fire.
I couldn't help but laugh at someone talking about "ripping and replacing" Lenel or someone offering a "open-source" replacement. Because yeah, nothing like trusting the basis of your physical security to an open-source software! Sounds like a great idea!

Ross Vander Klok

IPVMU Certified | 02/13/17 02:09pm

Their tech support has indeed improved from what it was and they have gone on a hiring spree to try to rebuild the department, but it is still woefully inadequate and will remain that way for some time. Lenel is way to complicated and immense to get up to speed in anything less than 6 months. Probably more like a year or two.

I figure they have a long road ahead of them to get to where they should be. I am hoping they can last that long and not slash other departments to continue funding tech support.

Undisclosed Integrator #2

02/16/17 04:49pm

We all have different strategies and markets, which is why there are so many choices and opinions. I see a lot of companies trying to fit square pegs into round holes. The depth of selections allow me to chose a system that meets the needs of my strategies and markets.

Just like cameras, (see Integrator's Top Selling Cameras 2017) we used to sell a lot of Axis and apparently most of the people out there are selling Axis (see the survey), but now we don't sell it very much. This is mainly due to the fact that it is sold literally "everywhere" (even at Walmart.com). It became a commodity and off the shelf box item. Anyone can get Axis and and watch all the youtube videos of how to install and set up. It is the DIY of the security industry. I don't fight it - I accept it and adjust my strategies.

Regarding Lenel

1. yes - there have been some issues with support in the past and a few still today. But we are starting to see strong improvement in this area. One key thing is that they are listening to us - which they did not seem to do a year ago.

2. Some "costs" issues we run into is with small or medium systems wanting "no annual license fees".

3. The big costs and competitive issue we have with Lenel is the video integration. OnGuard video is weak, but to integrate "other VMS" pushes the cost up too much. Customers want to add more cameras, more video analytics, LPR, etc. Yes they are still adding doors of access, but video is a faster growing market. We have many customers with "other" VMS integrated into Lenel and they LOVE it. Some video integration is extremely impressive (Milestone, Genetec, ExacqVision, etc). But the cost is an issue, since we have to double purchase licenses (license for VMS and license for Lenel).

2017 seems to be a year of change for Lenel / UTC. Will be curious to see if the constant improvements and the "wanting to improve" - we are currently experiencing will continue. Also, to see if they can catch up with some of the market trending concerns (web client, video integration, database management, lower cost professional services, more "free" items, etc.)

Undisclosed Manufacturer #3

02/16/17 05:14pm

Anyone looking to replace Lenel software only has to contact Mercury Security to obtain a fine list of valid, cost effective software companies that OEM the exact same Mercury Hardware.

1.Convert the Database

2.Install the New Software

3.Reflash the Firmware to the panels

4.Conversion Complete

5. 80% of Initial Investment is Saved in Place with the exact same state of the art hardware.

Magic being performed weekly.

Rian Schermerhorn

02/16/17 05:50pm

It was touched on above, but I'd think that responses and opinions will vary greatly depending on whether or not an integrator is a Lenel VAR or not. Every company has issues, but I personally have seen people go from devout Lenel haters while competing with them to a 180-deg shift and loving them once they moved to a company that was a VAR.

For just about any product that has a tightly controlled VAR / dealer channel, responses will almost always be more accurate if the responders are current -- or at least recently former -- VARs / dealers for the product. Products that are widely accessible, like cameras, or really anything available through general distribution, won't matter with regard to who's responding.

My 2 cents...

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Rian Schermerhorn | 02/16/17 08:58pm

For just about any product that has a tightly controlled VAR / dealer channel, responses will almost always be more accurate

While that is certainly true, the fact that Lenel suffers such ill-will is still an issue and should not be discounted, especially since many of the comments come from Lenel dealers and partners, e.g., Lenel Partners Angry, Lenel Does Not Care.

As a specific counter example here, Avigilon is a tightly controlled channel and they have created significant ill-will but their favorability rating are the mirror opposite of Lenel's (note Avigilon results not released yet but written / tabulated).

Brandon Knutson

IPVMU Certified | 02/16/17 07:58pm

As a former Lenel end-user I found OnGuard to be bloated and rather old feeling. It worked well for me (powerful features), but it was a demanding relationship and I did have to rely on my Lenel VAR to keep it running smoothly.

Login to read this IPVM report.

Why do I need to log in?

IPVM conducts unique testing and research funded by member's payments enabling us to offer the most independent, accurate and in-depth information.

Related Reports

ZK Teco Atlas Access Control Tested on Aug 20, 2019

Who needs access specialists? China-based ZKTeco claims its newest access panel 'makes it very easy for anyone to learn and install access control...

Suprema Biometric Mass Leak Examined on Aug 19, 2019

While Suprema is rarely discussed even within the physical security market, the South Korean biometrics manufacturer made global news this past...

Biometrics Usage Statistics 2019 on Aug 13, 2019

Biometrics are commonly used in phones, but how frequently are they used for access? 150+ integrators told us how often they use biometrics,...

US Government Ban of Dahua, Hikvision, Huawei Takes Effect Now on Aug 13, 2019

The 'prohibition on use or procurement' of Dahua, Hikvision and Huawei products and 'essential components' take effect today, August 13, 2019, one...

Proactive CCTV "Only Affordable Video Archiving Solution" Profile on Aug 12, 2019

Proactive CCTV is claiming to offer "the only affordable video archiving solution on the market", reducing the storage typically required for H.265...

ProdataKey (PDK) Access Company Profile on Aug 09, 2019

Utah based ProdataKey touts low cost cloud access, wireless controllers, and no dealer required national distribution availability. But how does...

Axis Door Station A8207-VE Tested on Aug 07, 2019

Axis newest door station, the A8207-VE, claims to deliver "video surveillance, two-way communication, and access control" in a single device. But...

Mobile Access Control Shootout - Farpointe, HID, Openpath, Nortek, Proxy on Jul 29, 2019

One of the biggest rising trends in access control is using phones as credentials but which offering is best? IPVM has tested five of the...

Responsibility Split Selecting Locks - Statistics on Jul 22, 2019

A heated access debate surrounds who should pick and install the locks. While responsible for selecting the control systems, integrators often...

Mobile Access Usage Statistics 2019 on Jul 18, 2019

The ability to use mobile phones as access credentials is one of the biggest trends in a market that historically has been slow in adopting new...

Most Recent Industry Reports

Uniview Beats Intel In Trademark Lawsuit on Aug 19, 2019

Uniview has won a long-running trademark lawsuit brought by Intel, with Beijing's highest court reversing an earlier Intel win, centered on...

Suprema Biometric Mass Leak Examined on Aug 19, 2019

While Suprema is rarely discussed even within the physical security market, the South Korean biometrics manufacturer made global news this past...

Verkada People And Face Analytics Tested on Aug 16, 2019

This week, Verkada released "People Analytics", including face analytics that they describe is a "game-changing feature" that "pushes the...

Dahua OEM Directory 2019 on Aug 16, 2019

US Government banned Dahua OEMs for dozens of companies. The following directory includes 40+ of those companies with a graphic and links to...

Installation Course - Register Now on Aug 15, 2019

Register Now for the September 2019 Video Surveillance Install Course. This is a unique installation course in a market where little practical...

Axis Suffers Outage, Provides Postmortem on Aug 15, 2019

This week, Axis suffered an outage impacting their website and cloud services. Inside this note, we examined what happened, what was impacted...

Hikvision Scrutinized In The Netherlands on Aug 15, 2019

Hikvision is facing unprecedented scrutiny in the Netherlands, at the same time the US government ban has taken effect. This week, a Dutch...

Axis 4K Camera Shootout 2019 on Aug 14, 2019

Axis' 4K Q3518-LVE claims the "best video quality possible", with Lightfinder super low light performance, Axis' high end Forensic WDR, and...

CheckMySystems Company Profile on Aug 14, 2019

CheckMySystems says that too many users respond, "I get an email when something is wrong" when talking about their video system maintenance plan,...

Hikvision OEM Directory on Aug 13, 2019

The Chinese government-owned and US-government banned Hikvision has become the world's largest video surveillance manufacturer and generally hidden...