Best Manufacturer Perks 2017

IT
IPVM Team
•Published Jul 07, 2017 12:23 PM

A decade ago, the best manufacturer perk was likely a trip on the Pelco jet:

IPVM Image

But the Pelco jet is long, long, long gone.

What types of perks are integrators getting from manufacturers today?

This report analyzes 150 integrator responses on industry perks, what is common, what is exceptional, and how these influence relationships with manufacturers.

No ************ *****-***

****** ** ***** *********** ***** ************ had *** **** *****, ** *** answer ***** ***. *******, **** ******* mirrored ****** *****. **** *** ***** out *** *** ***** ** ***** being ******* ** *** ******* ******, and *** ********** *** *** *** what *********** * "****" *****.

********

**** ********, ***** ** ******** ******, and ******* ***** **** *** **** commonly ********* **** **** *********** **** they **** ******** **** *************.

  • "****, *********, *****, ******** - **** all **** **** ********* ****** **** snack ** ****** *** * **** prepared ********* ****-******."
  • "*******. ***** ***** ***** *** *** partner ***********. ********** *** ****** *** taken **** **. ********* *** ****** and * **** ***** ** ******."
  • "*** **, ******* ******* ******* ******* is *** **** ****. ***** ***** events *** **** *********, ** ** an ***** **** *** **** ******** information **** *** **** *** *** workings ** *** ************, *** **** spend ***** **** ******* ***** *** industry ** * *****, ***** ****** for *** ****** *** *** ******** and ****** ** ******."
  • "********, **** ** **** ******** ********"
  • "**** *** *******. **** **** ********* partner *********** ***** **** *** *** all *** ******** ****** *** *** flight ** ** ** **** **** educational ** **** ** * **** perk."
  • "** **** *** ******** **** ** the *** ** ***** *** ******. We ** *** **** **** ******** here *** ***** **** ***** ******** have ** *** *** **** ****."
  • "* ***'* **** ********* ** ***** opportunities. * ** ****** *** ******* Conference **** ** ********* **** **** when ********. ******** **** ** ******* accommodation *** ***** *** ** *** state ***** *** ********** ** ****, I *** **** ** * **** exchange *** ******** ****** ************ *** their ******* ** ***** *** ******* training ************* ******* ** *** **** time."
  • "**** ***** ***** (***** ****** ******, training) ******** *** ** * *** better **** **** ** **** ***** training ** **** *** ******."
  • "***** ****** & ********* ******* ********, certification ***."

There ** **** * ***** ** * **** *****

* **** ***** ** ****** *** the **** **** ******** ***** **** integrators **** **** ********.

  • "** **** ****** **** **** *** I ***** ******* * **** **** a ***** ************** **** **** ** time. * **** ***** ****** * manufacturer ******* ** ****** **** ******** benefits!"
  • "****, **** **** * ***** *** who ***** *** ***** *** ***** us ******* ** **** **. * think ** *** ***** **** ** us ** ***** ***** ***** *** we ***'* ****** ** **** *** to ** **** ******* **'* * great ***."
  • "***- ******* ******* ********-*******-***** ******** ******."
  • "**** ****** ***** ******* **** ******* gifts, ******** ** *** **** ******* for ** ************ *** **'* *** uncommon *** **** ** *** * meal *** * ***** ** **."
  • "**** ** *** ************* ** **** with ** *** ***** *****, ** a ****** ** *** ** ****. I ***** ****** **** *** ***** perks ** ***** * ****."
  • "****. ****** ******* *** *******."
  • "*** ****. **** *** * ****** of *****/****** ********, **** **** **** rep."
  • "********* *** ***** ** *** ** lunch **** ** *****, *** * also ***'* **** *** *****."

Hikvision, *** *****

********* *** *** **** ********* ** two ********* ******** ******* *****. ********* encourages ****** ** ***** ***** ******** in ***** (***:********* **** *** ***** *** ******* China ****,********* ********, ***** *** **** *** Expense **** **** ** *****?). ***** ************ *** ****** ******* on ***** ******* ***, ***** ** fairly *********** ******* *** ** ***** panel ************.

  • "*********. **** *** ******* ** ***** to *** *** ***** ********, *** it *** ********."
  • "*********, ***** ****** *** *****, **** friendly ********** ******."
  • "********* *** ******* ** * **** to ***** ** **** ***** *********. I ***** ****** **** ***** ** a *** ****, *** *****'* *** the **** ** ***** ****."
  • "*** *** **** * ***** ******* of ****. **** *** ****** *** top ****** ** *** ************ ** their ************ ** ***** ******* *** next *****."
  • "*** ****** * ******* ****** ** Springfield ** **** *** *****. ***** than **** ** *** *** ********** lunch **** * ***."

*******, *** *** ********* ******* *** offered *** **** ** ***** *** other ***** *** ********:

********* ***** **** - **** ********* us **** * ****** *** **** sales, **** *** *** ***** *** for ****** *-* ***** *** ****, invite ** ** ******* ****** ***.

*****, ********* *** ********** **** **** mentioned ** ******** **** *****:

  • "**** ********* ** *** **** * manufacturer *** **** **********, **** * paid **** ** ***** ***** ******** plant ** *** ****, **** ******** covered."
  • "********* (***** ****) ***** (******* ****)"

Pelco **** ** ****

***** ******* **** ** ******* *********** with ***** *****, ** **** ******, and *** ******** ********** "**** *** **** ***** ** *** Pelco ***?", ******* ** *****'* **** ******.

  • "**** ** *** ****'* ** *** Pelco- **** **** **** *** ** throw *******, *** ** ***'* ****** in **** *********- ***** ****** *** world, *** ***** *** *** ****** for ******** ********* **** ** *** hay **** **** *** ***** ****....**** were *******. :)"
  • "* **** ***** ** *** ***** was ***** *** ****, *** *** me **'* **** ******* ****** ******* fancy ** *****."
  • "***** ** *** *** **** ***** training ******* ** ******. *** *** more ****** *** *** **** ***** ISC ****** **'** ********* ****."
  • "**** **** * **** ** *** Pelco. *** ** ****** ** ********** area *** ***** (***** ****). ** one ****** *** ***."
  • "**** ** ** ***** **** ** the ***. * *** **** ***** were *******. (** ***** **** ***** stories ***** *** ****** *** ** Pelco) ***** **** ** ** **** as **** * *** ***** ***."

Glory **** ****

**** ******** *********** *** ******* ******* in ********* ******** ***** ** *** security ******** **** *** **** ******* years.

  • "***** **** ******, **** ** *** perks ***** ****"
  • "*** **** **** **** **** ********!"
  • "******* **** ** ** **** **** more, *** **** *******."
  • "** **** ** ** ******* *** they ***** **. ***'* ****** **** a **** ******."
  • "***-** **** ** **** * **** ride ** **** ****** ** *****."
  • "*** **** ***** **** - ***** Axis *** **********"
  • "* ***'* *** **** ** **** today ** * ***'* **** *** examples."
  • "*** **** ***** **** - ***** Axis *** **********"

Non-Security ******** ******* *****

*** ***** **** ****** *** **** growing, *** ********* **** ******** *** trying ** ******* (** ******) *** dealers. ***** ** ********* **** *****/** tend ** **** *************** ****** *********/**** budgets, *** *** ***** ****** ***** to *** *********.

  • "******** *** ****** **** ****** ******* for ******* *****, ***** ** **** about $***** ***** ** ****** *** year."
  • "*** ****** *** ************ *** ****** the *****. ***, ***** ***. *** security ****** ************* *** *** ***** the ****."
  • "**. **** ** **** ******* *** entertainment ******** *** ****** ** ****."
Comments (11)
UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #1
•Jul 07, 2017

It appears that not all manufacture perks are dead... these guys promise "so much money... you can get two in different colors". 

(3)
Avatar
Rich Moore
•Jul 07, 2017

I find it fascinating the evolution of this industry.  While some remember the good ole days when manufacturers offered trips, today it's more lunch/dinner over a training seminar.  

The good ole days were when everyone was making profits as it wasn't a race to the lowest price available.  Now that it is, training is more important than lavish trips.  

(6)
(3)
U
Undisclosed #2
•Jul 08, 2017
IPVMU Certified

No love shown for the late, great prince of perks, Frank De Fina?

Avatar
Blake Murphy
•Jul 10, 2017

2015 our branch took our top installers on a conference cruise where they were forced to endure about 10 hours of sales pitch amongst the 4 days of fun, was a very successful way to spend our marketing budget.

In 2016  we had a golf day that left a lasting impression on some.

In 2017 we had a fairly stock standard sales seminar & provided a couple of nice meals.


As this was a branch based initiative I am not going to state who I work for, suffice to say our customers had fun & got to see the current sales presentations & offerings.

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #3
•Jul 10, 2017

Many comments illustrated the general decline in companies offering perks in the security industry over the past several years.

  • "Aside from dinner, most of the perks faded away"
  • "The ones that have gone bankrupt!"
  • "Anixter used to do this alot more, but have stopped."
  • "it used to be Mobotix but they dried up. don't really have a good answer."
  • "Tri-Ed used to have a boat ride or golf outing we liked."
  • "Not many these days - maybe Axis and Interlogix"
  • "I don't see much of this today so I don't have any examples."
  • "Not many these days - maybe Axis and Interlogix"

 

This is probably part of the reason why nobody (or almost nobody) coming out of college wants to enter this industry.

(1)
JH
John Honovich
•Jul 10, 2017
IPVM
In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #3

why nobody (or almost nobody) coming out of college wants to enter this industry.

The lack or perks is probably indirectly related. Perks tend to come from industries that have heavy profits and this industry has declining and relatively meager ones relative to the profits and funding that the broader tech sector receives.

(6)
(2)
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #4
•Jul 11, 2017
In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #3

I can assure you that college graduates are not considering industry perks. Most of them would just like to make a livable wage.

(2)
JH
John Honovich
•Jul 11, 2017
IPVM
In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #4

Most of them would just like to make a livable wage.

If you are talking about college graduates as a whole that may be but if you are looking at top technical and business students, they have lots of competitive offers. Agree/disagree?

(3)
RS
Robert Shih
•Jul 12, 2017
Independent

Perks? From the manufacturer? We must have traded those for lower prices or something.

(2)
(2)
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #5
•Jul 12, 2017

Perks and even basic good will accommodations, previously provided by many manufacturers, are all but gone these days. Those in our industry, enthusiastic about lower prices and subsequently lower margins, equates to our industry's version of "Trickle-Down Economics". Keep on buying and marketing Chinese $50-$150 cameras and you fuel your own demise!

The race to the bottom that a majority of Integrator/Dealers are participating in is why the surveillance industry is destroying itself, from within. Bye bye perks and profits!

(2)
JH
John Honovich
•Jul 17, 2017
IPVM

Here's a perk still going: Hanwha Techwin day at the UK Silverstone Grand Prix: