IP physical security solutions provider S2 Security Corp., Framingham, Mass., now provides 24/7 emergency support, which can be accessed—with its standard support program or on a case-by-case basis—once its system integrator partners and enterprise-level customers opt into the program. Its technical support engineers can then manage, diagnose and service systems remotely through a Web browser.
“The nature of the service is to be the best support there is for the technicians who are installing systems in the industry,” explained Michael H. Welles, chief operating officer, S2 Security. “The 24/7 emergency support is an extension of time and availability of the service, specifically when they run into issues related to adding a product to the network. We want to make sure that their job is easier.”
Another possible scenario includes an installer required to do a system upgrade off hours, when there is low onsite activity, but they are faced with updating a system that operates worldwide.
“While we’ve had a range of services from customer control through basic support, the 24/7 support is a logical extension based on the demands of our customers for worldwide expansion and supporting mission-critical systems,” said Welles.
The real-time view and direct access into a client’s system also allows for time- and cost-efficient support. “That’s why the support model works—because we can get on the system whether it’s through the integrator or the end-user’s PC,” he added.
And while S2 Security does offer additional services designed more for the end users, “we typically don’t like to work directly with the end user without the integrator involved because they have a special understanding of how that system is physically put together,” said Welles. “We see an opportunity to help integrators by giving them more services they can sell. There is information and analysis that we can do under the covers that, over time, will be made available in a way that we can feed back to our integrators regarding services that they can sell or potential issues that they need to go out and look at.”
Other systems S2 Security provides include consulting for programming and system conversions; and custom integration operations. Its certified integrator channel also covers training, technical support and software upgrades.
