All Articles Tagged Recurring Revenue

Jason Knott | 04/30 10:33 AM, 1 Comment

According to CE Pro’s latest Readership Study, 38 percent of integrators sell and install multi-line KSU (Key Service Unit) digital telephone systems with handsets, wire, jacks, a central control unit, and other hardware. But there is a very big reason that percentage might be about to grow: recurring monthly revenue (RMR). As integrators explore multiple ways to earn RMR, they logically gravitate toward alarm systems, service contracts, remote network management, etc. But there’s a new RMR offering - cloud-based VoIP phone service - that just might be the easiest of… View this story

Michael Maniscalco | 03/27 06:00 AM, 0 Comments

Many integrators now offer remote network monitoring and management as a base tier of client care programs. By establishing these service programs, integrators are setting themselves up to “own” the network, ensuring the core of today’s integrated system is functioning properly. This service leads to better performance, increased reliability, cost savings for the customer, and increased efficiency for the integrator. Curious about what these remote network management packages actually do? In terms of systems monitoring and alerting, here are the 16 key processes and components that should be monitored. Processes… View this story

Jason Knott | 11/07 09:41 AM, 1 Comment

The custom electronics industry is continuing to transition from B2B business models where architects, builders and interior designers were the most important partnerships to a B2C model where dealers recognize consumers as the No. 1 target. Here are eight business model bases to consider. Internet: Many integrators have developed stores on their websites to sell product. These online stores boost total revenues, drive consumer awareness of their local brick-and-mortar shop, drive installation contracts, drive foot traffic to their showrooms, and even create better business relationships with their vendors by providing… View this story

Jason Knott | 09/24 11:38 AM, 2 Comments

Glass half full or glass half empty? It all depends on perspective. The same is true for how you look at your service revenue. Is it a money-maker (and I mean profit, not just revenue) or is it an expensive truck roll? Either way, installing remote managed services can make the question moot, especially when your clients are located far from your facility. No matter what the proximity, resolving A/V system issues in a timely manner can be tricky. Appleton, Wisconsin-based Suess Electronics relies on Panamax/Furman’s BlueBOLT hosted remote power… View this story

Jason Knott | 09/12 10:24 AM, 0 Comments

Central vacuum remains an oft-overlooked installation category, despite its extreme profitability. Perhaps it’s because the category isn’t “sexy,” but that might soon be changing. At CEDIA Expo 2012, Electrolux division Beam showed off its new line of four different Alliance central vacuums. The units look sleek with a blue LED light strip surrounding an electronic interface that offers “smart” feedback communication for the homeowner. Plus, central vacuum offers dealers recurring revenue - that should be sexy enough for integrators! “We now have features they can sell,” says Brian Campbell, product… View this story

CE Pro Editors | 07/20 12:49 PM, 0 Comments

In another sign the recurring monthly revenue business is a lucrative and inviting category for integrators, Rapid Response Monitoring, one of the security industry's leading third-party central stations, is eying an $11.3 million expansion for its Syracuse location. Rapid Response Monitoring currently has 325 employees and the expansion is expected to add 175 to 200 jobs, according to the Syracuse Post Standard. Rapid Response Monitoring recently won a preliminary approval for a 10-year property tax break on the expansion. According to the petition filed by the company, it plans to… View this story

Michael Maniscalco | 07/02 11:49 AM, 0 Comments

We have learned that successful integrators focus on a rollout strategy for remote network monitoring and management that consists of three phases. Each is important to understand, as they ensure you are quickly able to deploy remote services that allow you to immediately reap lucrative financial and service efficiency benefits. The stages involve operating expense reduction through standardization, targeting existing customers with creative services and finally recurring revenue. Stage 1: Reduce Service Truck Rolls The first stage is simple: A truck roll costs typical integrators between $250 and $500, depending… View this story

CE Pro Editors | 04/05 10:15 AM, 0 Comments

ihiji announces that APC by Schneider Electric has begun shipping the ihiji invision INV-APP-500 network appliance as part of a reseller agreement that was formed last year. Also, APC’s lineup of IP-enabled power conditioning products are now certified as ihiji invision Ready, providing APC dealers a combination of power and surge protection plus cloud-based remote power management. Under the new partnership, APC is offering a wide range of products that are compatible with the ihiji invision remote monitoring and support system. APC Smart-UPS, Rack PDUs, S20BLK, and the new G50NETB… View this story

Jason Knott | 03/16 09:24 AM, 0 Comments

Many integrators look at the residential security business as a long-term exit strategy for their company. But what if you need the money now? Dealer programs offer that solution. There are several successful security dealer programs in the market, including Monitronics, Diebold, Guardian Protection and the big daddy of them all, ADT. But they are not all the same. Some have strength in terms of providing leads for dealers, while others differentiate with sales and marketing assistance, solid customer care that results in longer-term clients, technical expertise or higher payouts.… View this story

CE Pro Editors | 02/14 07:33 AM, 0 Comments

ihiji has announced the addition of Access Networks to its manufacturer partner program. Access Networks is a provider of enterprise-grade plug-and-play networking solutions for the automated residence. Together, the two companies deliver a visible solution by integrating ihiji’s invision system into Access Networks’ preconfigured network solutions. This allows the integrator to more easily visualize vital data stored in network devices without needing to directly access the client network or log into each device separately. In addition, A/V and automation system event logging can now be correlated with network event logging.… View this story