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| Widespread use of smartphones and the loT have fuelled explosive demand for connectivity, convenience and control |
Smartphones and loT connectivity demand
Across the security landscape, this widespread change and adoption of devices and systems riding on the network is causing massive change across the board, from installing companies to central station monitoring firms.
Jim McMullen, president and chief operating officer, COPS Monitoring, Williamstown, N.J., says widespread use of smartphones and the loT have fuelled explosive demand for connectivity, convenience and control, and the Underwriters Laboratories Listed, Factory Mutual Approved central station provider is delivering the critical services associated with these trends.
“Smart hardware for items like lighting, thermostat, locking, and video cameras and useful apps to manage these components are the types of services customers want. Fortunately, many of today’s modern security systems have proven to be a viable platform for a more comprehensive connected home solution. Dealers that understand and embrace these new services can leverage the growing demand by integrating home automation and lifestyle services with security. In many cases, it equates to additional recurring monthly revenue (RMR) and a ‘stickier’ customer.”
Geo-diverse hometown central stations
COPS Monitoring operates six strategically located geo-diverse hometown central stations. Five central stations, in New Jersey, Florida, Arizona, Tennessee and Texas, are hot-redundant and load sharing. If local conditions affect one of its locations, it continues to deliver fast and professional service by over-staffing other load-sharing centers. The company’s sixth central station in Maryland will be integrated into its current services in 2015.
"Smart hardware for items like lighting, thermostat, locking, and video cameras and useful apps to manage these components are the types of services customers want, " says Jim McMullen, President & COO COPS Monitoring |
McMullen says that from the company’s beginning more than 37 years ago, COPS Monitoring’s success has been dependent upon one thing: helping independent alarm dealers succeed.
“Today, we are the largest independently-owned third party monitoring company in the industry, yet our regional approach allows us to maintain a more personable ‘hometown’ level of service,” he says. “With one of the most of experienced management teams in the industry and an in-house staff of programmers, COPS Monitoring not only has clear vision and leadership, but we also have the resources and ability to give our dealers an advantage by quickly adopting the best new technologies as they become available.”
New services and corresponding RMR
COPS Monitoring is fine-focused on helping security companies easily add a wide range of new services and corresponding RMR.
“We support essentially all of the modern panels from major manufacturers that give dealers the ability to offer their customers a variety of home control, lifestyle services and security apps,” McMullen says. “In addition to the ability to control their alarm system and other connected devices, consumers can also receive notification about alarm events. We also created our own useful app for dealers to package to end-users as a white-label solution. Unfortunately, today’s security system apps don’t give customers the most important information about what happened during an alarm event - such as who was called, whether a passcode was given, or if the authorities were dispatched. That’s why professional central station monitoring services are so critical, and we wanted the results of our actions to be at the end-users’ fingertips,” he says.
User-friendly interface for customer satisfaction
This solution has been a differentiator for the COPS dealers: the smartphone, tablet and PC access called MPower is branded with the dealer’s logo. The interface is also colour-coordinated for a custom look and feel for each dealer. “The additional peace of mind of knowing what happened during an alarm event is why our dealers consider MPower an integral part of protecting RMR. Its user-friendly interface improves customer satisfaction and ultimately helps to reduce attrition. What’s more is that MPower can be offered as a standalone service because it works with any panel and transmission format, whether a connected home system is installed or not,” McMullen says.
“Our industry is changing at a pace faster than ever before, which means dealers need a central station that can stay ahead of the technology curve and have the ability to quickly support the best emerging technology so they can provide the products and services their customers demand.”
