Visonic teams with distributors, centrals for PERS boot camps

BLOOMFIELD, Conn. and MELVILLE, N.Y.--Visonic Ltd., a developer and manufacturer of home security and safety systems and components, has begun teaming with a number of distributors to help dealers get into the PERS marketplace through an ongoing series of "boot camps." Featuring its Amber family of PERS solutions, introduced at ISC West 2008, Visonic is "helping educate the home security dealer on how to make this a business, and not a hobby," said Visonic president Americas Bill Lyon.

The boot camps, run in conjunction with security industry mainstays like ADI and CMS, are designed to offer real business-changing education and breathe new life into the industry in tough economic times. The boot camps also "generate CEUs through the NBFAA," Lyon said. "If you're serious about making this a business initiative, then [the boot camp] is set up as a parallel to what you're doing in home security."

ADI, a wholesale supplier of security and low voltage products, has partnered with Visonic on several PERS-oriented boot camps for dealers. ADI director of product marketing, intrusion and fire products Scott Sturgess believes PERS offers the right opportunity at the right time. "With the graying of America, it's really a great opportunity for our dealers to get into an adjacent space," Sturgess said. "PERS has a lot of characteristics of the security industry, but that being said, it's totally different. The install is quick, it's wireless, and dealers can get RMR--which all our guys love. We've increased our PERS sales significantly this year."

The Visonic boot camps are just the beginning of educational efforts that will allow the security industry to diversify and thrive in an unstable economy, according to Sturgess. "I really feel that, down the road, the security industry has the opportunity to be the largest PERS provider in the United States," Sturgess said. "One of the things that we're working with Visonic and National Training Center on is an online PERS university. If dealers can't make it to a boot camp, we're taking that boot camp model and making it available online anytime for them. That's something I'm really excited about for the future."