At least, that’s been the case, to a certain extent, in the security industry. But at this year’s IFSEC I’ve seen a few manufacturers attempting to appeal to end users more as ‘consumers’ than as, well, ‘users’.
It’s an important distinction. I think it’s often forgotten, in a lot of professional, industry environments, that the people we are dealing with are just like us – and react to products at work in the same way as we would in, say, a retail environment. Or when we’re considering buying something for our home.
So it was interesting this morning to see Dallmeier’s launch of both its VMC-1 ‘Eagle’ control centre and its Picodome camera. Both look like ‘consumer’ goods. The Eagle, in particular, is a very sleek piece of kit that wouldn’t look out of place in a 21st century space age bachelor pad. But its software appears to be powerful and up to the minute.
Both it and the Picodome feature customisable exteriors. Design, and aesthetics, have been very important considerations in the products’ development.
In a similar way, the forthcoming iConnect system from ESP/Electronics Line 3000 Ltd utilizes interchangeable exteriors on its panel, able to be totally customized to a consumer’s specifications. It also offers personal touches on its web browser-based interface – in a way that feels very familiar to anyone who uses the web in their personal or professional lives.
The ability to change the look and feel of its ‘front’ and ‘back’ ends also offers the potential for partnerships with external organizations, such as football clubs etc. It’s another potential revenue stream for installers.
I guess the lesson is that the market is now at a point where simply being a high quality security product is not really enough to distinguish it from its competitors. We need to embrace marketing, and think about things from a consumer viewpoint, at all levels of the industry.