The Forum: Get your learning on

YARMOUTH, Maine—The show floor at ISC West can be an intimidating place, with aisle after aisle of new technology offerings, new market segments and promises of compatibility and ease of installation. How does the average integrator, who has built his or her business around a key skill-set, manage all the advancements in technology while at the same time creating additional revenue streams by entering new market segments Evan Tree, chief products officer of WiLife business, a Logitech company, produces PC-based digital video surveillance systems for residential applications, cofounded WiLife in 2002 after recognizing a gap in video solutions for the residential market during his nearly 20 years as an integrator. Tree sat down with Security Systems News at the ISC West show in Las Vegas to talk about the importance of education for integrators in this fast-changing industry. "Education is a tough challenge for integrators," he said. "They get comfortable with the systems they know and are reluctant to move out of their comfort zones, especially when it comes to new technologies." Video can be particularly intimidating, said Tree, but as customers become more familiar with IP-based technology the demand for video will only increase and integrators need to be ready to provide solutions for customers. The Security Business Development Forum, which will be held in Baltimore on May 19 and 20, is designed to address exactly those issues by educating integrators about a wide variety of new revenue sources that can help grow their business and maximize RMR. The Forum offers seminars in both residential and commercial applications presented by peers excelling in particular market segments alongside manufacturers looking for dealer representatives and partners. Educational seminars include everything from installing video solutions in residential settings and entering the health monitoring market to how to secure federal contracts and find IT partners. The conference is sponsored by PSA Security and PSA-TEC, which is collaborating with the editors of Security Systems News on educational programming. For more information and complete educational offerings, please visit www.securitybusinessdevelopment.com. ssn