We asked Security and Surveillance Integrators to tell us about their current projects and the trends they are seeing in the market today. Here are some tips from the feedback they shared:

Time is money, and you don’t always get much of it. The typical time frame for a project from start to completion is only about 4-8 weeks. So it’s important to work with vendors and distributors that are responsive and have product available when needed. Working closely with your partners can help ensure you can meet tight deadlines for your projects.

Make sure you service your existing customers. Although new security projects can always be found, around 69% of those surveyed said their installations consist of upgrading, combining or expanding current systems. Often this can be done quickly and cost-effectively with the use of media converters, Ethernet extenders, and injectors for far less cost than installing new fiber. A fast, easy and cost-effective upgrade can strengthen your relationship with current customers.

Although everyone is budget conscious, security is an area where users are willing to make an investment for better quality. One of the most common reasons to upgrade security and surveillance systems is to capitalize on the benefits of IP cameras because they allow remote monitoring and management capability as well as better image quality. Surprisingly, the least common reason for upgrading is due to frequent failures with old equipment. In the case of security, it seems “it pays to fix it even if it isn’t broken!” Survey respondents also told us their customers are installing new security and surveillance systems to monitor property in an attempt to prevent vandalism or, if incidents do happen, to provide sufficient evidence for police and insurance investigations. Spending a little more on security and surveillance systems can end up costing less in the long run.

Re-using existing cabling can greatly reduce costs. Although the most common response to a security and surveillance system upgrade request is to install new cabling, integrators recognize that nearly 80% of the time they can reduce the total cost of an upgrade for their customers and themselves by using Ethernet extenders for alternate cable types such as coax or 2-wire  and re-using existing installed cabling.

Power can be hard to get. The greatest challenge integrators say they face is not the quality of the cabling or the installed devices, but the accessibility of power. Installations often require power where no power is currently available and it would be extremely costly to run new power. For these situations, Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) products can provide an easy, quick and cost-effective solution.

Many common challenges can be easily overcome with the right solutions from the right security and surveillance solution partner. To view more information about how Transition Networks’ PoE products, Ethernet extenders, switches or media converters can address these challenges, you can explore our website or contact one of our network experts directly.