Firm invests in technology, people

ESTACADA, Ore. - Looking for modest, sustainable growth over the next few years, Central Station Monitoring invested in a number of technology upgrades and created a new position to help promote its services to prospective dealers. The company recently introduced video verification services, in response to local governments requiring emergency confirmation before dispatch, and upgraded its servers, giving the central station the capacity to monitor upwards of 150,000 accounts. In addition, CSM promoted Dimitri Begeor, former operations manager, to director of dealer development. In his new role, Begeor will focus exclusively on new dealer sign-up. With an initial focus on the Pacific-Northwest region, he is charged with traveling to trade shows, among other activities, in order to promote the company. To date, the company has signed a majority of its accounts through dealer referrals. The conservative target for new account sign-up by the end of the year is 3,000. “We’re not setting huge goals,” Begeor said. “It’s a tough market.” CSM was founded in 1982, as Mastertech Security Services, a full-service intrusion alarm and fire alarm dealer. In 1996, its central station received UL-listing and three years later the company moved to strictly third-party monitoring. Since that time, 10,000 accounts have been added, bringing the total amount of accounts handled by the firm to 12,000, with an even split between residential and commercial accounts. Robbin Cleveland, who was promoted late last year to general manager from central station manager, said although adding video verification certainly positions the company to attract new business, the new technology will not be the backbone of its new account sign-up campaign. “Right now we have a lot of dealers interested in it,” Cleveland said. “It’s fairly new technology and cost prohibitive for some people.” In addition to Begeor attending trade conferences, the company has also picked up marketing efforts by mailing pamphlets, cold calling dealers and advertising in trading publications to help bolster its push for new business.