March-Vivotek integration gains traction

ATLANTA—Five months after March Networks completed its merger with Vivotek, the company is shifting its focus from integration to growth, with early customer response and cross-selling activity exceeding expectations. 

Net Payne, chief sales and marketing officer of March Networks, said the combined company has made significant progress aligning sales teams, operational systems and product strategies while preparing for the next phase of integration. 

Sales and operations come together 

One of the company's biggest accomplishments has been combining its sales organizations. Payne said March Networks and Vivotek personnel now operate through a single Salesforce CRM platform, share common compensation plans and work within a unified sales structure. 

“We have an integrated sales organization,” Payne said. “They are all aligned, regardless of which product they sell from either March or Vivotek.” 

March Networks also has spent much of the past five months integrating logistics, supply chain and order management processes, making it easier for customers and channel partners to purchase products from either portfolio through a single organization. 

While much of the work has focused on systems and processes, Payne noted that blending two company cultures remains an important part of the effort. 

“We've got to keep it simple and fast or we'll ultimately annoy the customers that we're trying to win their hearts over,” Payne said. 

Broad portfolio drives demand 

March Networks customers now have access to Vivotek's broader camera lineup and Vortex bridge-to-cloud platform, while traditional Vivotek customers can leverage March Networks' enterprise-class video management software and recording solutions. 

“The most surprising thing to me has been the interest from our respective customers in purchasing the other company's products,” Payne said. “There has been a hidden need for either company to have a broader portfolio.” 

Payne said some of the strongest early opportunities have come from national integrators seeking alternatives to established camera providers and from enterprise customers looking for expanded video management capabilities. 

Cloud and analytics strategy 

At GSX, March Networks highlighted several integrations involving its Vortex cloud video platform and Searchlight Cloud business intelligence solution. 

Payne said the company has standardized around Vortex as its primary camera-to-cloud platform. 

“We are all adopting the Vortex solution,” Payne said. “We are migrating to Vortex as the go-forward camera-to-cloud platform.” 

The company also announced that Searchlight AI capabilities will be included with Searchlight Cloud at no additional license cost. 

Payne said those investments reflect a broader shift in the security industry as organizations increasingly use video systems for business intelligence and operational insights. 

“It is very unusual for there to be a security-only project,” Payne said. “The ultimate decision-making criteria is very heavily weighted to operational metrics, not just loss prevention or security.” 

Looking ahead 

Payne said the company expects most of the foundational integration work to be completed by the end of the year, positioning March Networks and Vivotek to begin 2027 operating as a fully aligned organization. 

As integration efforts wind down, he said the focus will increasingly turn toward growth and expanding adoption of the combined portfolio across enterprise, commercial and cloud-based video markets. 

“I look very forward to the start of 2027,” Payne said. “We are effectively starting to approach the market as a single entity with aligned systems, aligned reporting, an aligned approach to customers and an aligned supply chain.” 

Related: March Networks sharpens cloud strategy with Vivotek 

Photo courtesy of March Networks