POS Executive Commentary

1. Getting The Most From Your Payments Partner
   5/23/2013

   If you are in the POS business, offering a bundled solution that includes payment processing is probably not a new idea for you.  In fact, it’s probably safe to say that most, if not all, of the dealers reading this article are already realizing the value of residual income from the merchant services component of their business.  Regular, recurring monthly income provided by Payments-as-a-Service (PaaS) has influenced many VARs in their efforts to move toward becoming a Managed Services Dealer (MSD).

2. 5 Ways to Convince Retailers To Upgrade Their Analog Cameras To IP
   5/21/2013

   When you compare IP vs. analog, IP video simply offers more. More resolution, functionality, scalability, flexibility – the list goes on. With IP video, retailers and small businesses are not only protecting their property, but also optimizing business efficiencies and reducing costs. Yet many of these additional IP video benefits aren’t discovered until after the system is installed. The best surveillance integrators out there know how to position these benefits as part of the sales cycle to prove that, with IP video, there’s much more value. Here are 5 key benefits to help convince your customers to switch today

3. 3 IP Camera Selection Mistakes You'll Regret
   5/21/2013

   If you're new to the video surveillance game, you should be leaning on your vendor and distributor partners as much as possible for help. Making mistakes is unavoidable, but you can take steps to minimize the severity and frequency of those you do make. In addition to help from your partners, I recently spoke with Thomas McIntyre, National Sales Manager for the US and Canada at Merit Lilin USA who identified three common mistakes you could make when it comes to IP cameras.

4. 3 Reasons IP Cameras Are Better Than Analog
   5/20/2013

   Analog physical security solutions continue to be replaced by more advanced IP solutions.  The benefits are clear, and if security dealers arm themselves with the key features of IP solutions, they will be well on their way to migrating their customers over to these productivity-enhancing solutions, while serving as trusted advisors to their customers.

5. IP Video For Mom & Pop Retailers
   5/14/2013

   IP video used to only make sense for mid- to large-sized surveillance systems [32 cameras or more]. But today smaller systems – and budgets – can reap big benefits with IP video. This is thanks to the continued decreasing cost of IP technology coupled with different storage and migration options of today. Here are a few ways to make the most of the system.

6. 6 Common Lies About IP Video Surveillance
   5/13/2013

   One of the factors holding backing the adoption rate of IP video surveillance is a lack of understanding by IT integrators. Much has changed in the video surveillance world, so without all the facts, IT integrators will be unable to make sound decisions regarding this technology.

7. How To Convince Your Customers To Choose IP Cameras Over Analog
   5/13/2013

   As IP surveillance technology becomes more affordable, it’s also becoming a more attractive solution for smaller installations – installations that used to be the sole domain of analog product. But how do you convince your customers to upgrade their analog to IP, preferably before an incident forces their hand? There are three primary selling points for an IP system of an Analog system – higher resolution, more in-depth analytics, and the ease of new network configuration.

8. Beginner’s Guide To Selecting A VMS
   5/13/2013

   Selecting a VMS can seem to be a daunting task – every software suite has their own strengths and weaknesses, often obscured in spec sheets multiple pages long. While some of these features may seem inconsequential, there are four features that are worth the effort to track down if you want to create a long lasting surveillance solution.

9. Align Sales Compensation With Your Goals: A Compensation Plan That Works
   5/9/2013

   When it comes to how businesses pay their salespeople, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. That’s especially true for any company that is diverse. Each has its own business, margins and mix of products and services. Some pay commission based on sales, while others only pay on margin; still others blend both with incentives and special bonus plans.

10. Managers’ Guidelines For Creating Customer Satisfaction
    5/9/2013

    How do managers know how customers are being treated? When you aren’t around or within earshot, how do you really know how your staff members are responding to your customers? You don’t. You can only rely on your example of customer service to live on through your staff’s communication with customers.