AlliedBarton begins Strategic Partnership program

CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa.—AlliedBarton, a guard-provider with more than 50,000 employees, has begun a Strategic Partnership program that will evaluate product and software manufacturers and software providers with an eye toward choosing the best of breed and presenting them as such to its customer base.

“We're staying true to our core business,” said David Feeney, IT director for the program, “but we want to add some value in the area of technology to our clients. So, we're going through a stringent evaluation of industry leaders ... and we'll be aligning ourselves with those industry leaders we've identified.”

Instead of getting into installation or software and product development, AlliedBarton is looking to work with those types of companies to tailor their products and services specifically to AlliedBarton's customers' needs. In return, AlliedBarton will train those customers on the products and offer thorough support.

“If it's our opinion that they're the best, we'll take that and tailor it to the guard services environment,” Feeney said, “to make that industry-leading solution better for our clients than it would be if they went directly to our manufacturer partners.”

Further, Feeney said, this should deliver savings to customers as well. “Through our buying power, we can negotiate pretty significant discounts,” he said. And while price does factor into AlliedBarton's opinion of “industry-leading,” “we look to identify the best solution out there, and then talk about prices, and so far we've met with success doing that.”

Also playing a role in the evaluation is the make-up of the company being evaluated. “Our evaluation process is incredibly thorough,” Feeney said. “It's not simply a matter of software or hardware function. Everything from support services to training and consulting are considered, including the stability of the company. But you never know. People probably thought Lehman Brothers was pretty stable.”