US Integrator Trends 2010 Examined

A recent report from Security Sales [link no longer available] provides statistics on integrator [link no longer available] perspectives and positioning.

Key datapoints from the study include:

• Respondents view employees having the greatest potential to increase profits (1st in question - 42%) but see challenges in accomplishing that (1st in question - maintaining employee moral concerns at 32%). Employees are also viewed as the greatest drain on the companies bottom line (29% of respondents) and only the 4th highest greatest boost (good employees/peformance 14%). These results appear especially pessimistic on the roles and value of employees.
• Training is viewed as the most important means to increase profitability and the main challenge in increasing non-recurring revenue from new technology.
• Video dominates integrator demands for non-recurring revenue generating new technology. The top 3 positions are all video: General Video Surveillance/CCTV 25%, Megapixel IP Video 17%, Standard IP Video Surveillance 16%). Megapixel leaped over standard IP in the rankings this year. Analytics did not even make the list.
• Integrators view Government and health care as the best markets to generate non-recurring revenue. Given the state of the economy, these markets offer relative safety and stability.
• Integrator self-reported margins were 35%, up from a reported figure of 24% in 2009. This is a strong rise but one we are skeptical, primarily because of the dramatic size of the leap in such a short period.