Greater Alarm Company , Inc.

Industry:

Security Products & Services

Description

The Greater Alarm Company Inc. had operated from one small office and then another slightly larger one, in Huntington Beach, Calif., since 1981. Then last year the firm moved into a 13,000-sq.-ft. office building in Irvine, Calif., creating additional space for its 80 employees and positioning itself closer to a greater share of its clients.

"Most people want to do a showplace, but the biggest barrier is having the right type of building. This building was built in the 1970s, when people had a lot of money to spend. It has open truss ceilings and four fireplaces. It had a gymnasium and racquetball court, which we had to change into an inventory room," says James De Marco, executive vice president of The Greater Alarm Co.

"When we set up the building before moving in, we incorporated every system we offer our clients - access control, closed-circuit television, audio/video, home theater, security systems, and addressable fire alarm systems," says Michael Peters, vice president of sales.

From the spacious lobby in front to the employee entrances in back, Greater Alarm outfitted the entire building with working equipment that the firm sells and installs. A small corner of the reception area contains a working graphical fire alarm zone annunciator, a manual fire alarm (pull) station, and a siren/strobe.

"Even though our building wasn't required by code to have [a fire alarm system], we put in the various fire alarm components to demonstrate - for people who do need these systems - how they work and how aesthetically pleasing, or unpleasing, they are," says Peters.

Bringing prospective clients, such as this general contractor, into Greater Alarm's office leads to the prospect's confidence in the security company, his ability to see that the firm can fill a variety of needs, and a greater number of referrals, says Greater Alarm's vice president of sales, Michael Peters.

The equipment used to secure employee entrances has an additional purpose: it helps Greater Alarm's eight salespeople show how an access control or closed-circuit television (CCTV) system looks and works. Doors are secured with proximity readers and electromagnetic locks. Inside each doorway is a CCTV monitor that displays camera images from outdoor cameras.

By using a new, attractive office as a showplace for its systems, this dealer has achieved a 20 percent better chance of closing a sale.

Even before coming through the front doors, visitors can view one of the company's offerings: speakers disguised as rocks, placed amongst the landscaping. These are part of Greater Alarm's repertoire of audio/video products. At one of several places in the building, prospects can have a live demonstration of the firm's home electronics network. This system integrates a home's existing TVs, VCRs, telephones, and stereo systems into a single distribution network. To show off this system, each department at Greater Alarm has a wall-mounted keypad with which employees can select the radio station or compact disc of their choice. An added benefit: Prospects can see and touch the equipment rather than simply read a page in a brochure.

A small room off the lobby is dedicated exclusively to showcasing Greater Alarm's home theater system, housed in custom-built cabinets. It features a 52-in., rear-projection TV and home theater system. Peters describes this room as the most beneficial in terms of its ability to help his staff sell. The room is currently furniture-less, but soon will have some couches to "create a homey environment," he says.

"Instead of Circuit City, where you have an overwhelming number of black boxes on the wall, we wanted people to experience [the system] as if it was in their own home, to be able to hear it and feel it," De Marco says.

Products & Services

electronic security, integrated systems