IDIS looks to differentiate its video solution in the North American market
If you haven’t heard much about IDIS in the Americas, you’re probably not alone. But for those security professionals and end users in Europe and the Middle East, this vibrant Korean video surveillance vendor is among the go-to technology solutions. Now with their unveiling at the ISC West event this week in Las Vegas, National Sales Director Keith Drummond is eager to extoll the virtues of his new company.
The former Executive Vice President of Sales for BRS Labs, CEO of Iron Sky and CEO of Lensec, Drummond knows more than a little about the migration of IP video surveillance and the fickle nature of the end user customers. As he drives IDIS into this new and already crowded surveillance market place, his experience in business building and customer service figure to serve him well. Drummond appreciated the company’s sales model, which is to go strictly through distribution and provide high levels of support for systems integrators.
“This looked like a good fit and I was excited to join the company. I was already on board with the sale model, and when I saw what their value proposition was regarding the plight of today’s integrator, I knew this was a solid plan,” Drummond said.
Having been a systems integrator himself and having them as clients, he realized the unique challenges they are facing as margins become tighter and technology continues to spiral forward at a dizzying pace.
“Integrators are getting more and more squeezed – especially when it comes to their margins. We have massive advancements in technology and customers who are more sophisticated in their knowledge of products and solutions. Integrators are also more demanding about the technology they want,” he said. “But there is a lot more pressure from both the manufacturer and the end user that has cut into margins for that systems integrator. The systems are getting more complicated to install, so the integrators have to spend more labor hours to deploy these advanced system. That is a problem.”
IDIS took its next-generation DirectIP surveillance solutions to IFSEC in 2013 to plant their flag in the European market and then did the same in the Middle East when it rolled out the product at the INTERSEC show in Dubai. The product they introduced was designed to meet the needs of an increasingly demanding security landscape through flexible and cost-effective technology coupled with reliable performance, quality and functionality—all in a single-sourced HD format. The IDIS surveillance solution is billed as a true one-stop-shop affordable solution, comprising a range of IP cameras, network video recorders (NVR), and monitors, which now includes 4K UHD and H.265 capability. The plug-and-play concept is aimed at both the integrator and the end user.
“So now it is very exciting as we turn our attention to launching our solutions in the North American market, and the strategic plan there was for this to be the apex of our global expansion because of the scope and potential of this market,” said IDIS Public Relations consultant Benjamin Bryant. “We are confident that we have taken the lessons learned overseas and created a strong plan for business here – with the U.S. and North America being our primary focus now. IDIS has been doing business in the North American market since January of this year, opening offices and establishing channels, but the official launch into this market will come at ISC West where you will see this entire global organization with its eyes turned towards North America ready to become a major player in this market.”
But for Drummond, it is all about how the IDIS solution serves the beleaguered systems integrator. He expects the cost efficiencies, the ease of installation and the one-stop accountability, not to mention the ability to bypass the cumbersome job of IP address configuration, to be a hit.
“The model established here at IDIS is let’s work with the integrator and help them meet these installation, implementation and servicing challenges with a plug-and-play, end-to-end solution – terms that are often over used and misused,” said Drummond. “Now that sounded a bit cliché when I first heard it, until I saw the DirectIP solution they are bringing to the market. It is literally IP without the PC. The solution gives the integrator the ability plug this technology in – the cameras, the switches, all into the NVR – and basically let this system configure itself.
“The integrator doesn’t have to configure individual IP addresses for each camera. That eliminates a huge burden for the technician. It is an arduous task configuring all those addresses and getting them to talk to each other. This solution blew me away,” he continued. “When I talked to integrators in the field about this, I was told that their margins would immediately increase and their ability to deliver services would go up as well. Combining this technology solution with the sales approach of going direct to the integrator – telling them we feel your pain and here’s the solution for it – convinced me this was a very solid value proposition for integrators.”
Both Drummond and his colleagues realize that while the value proposition may certainly sound attractive to harried integrators and end users looking for accountability, however, differentiating themselves from an extremely crowded market must be accomplish sooner than later.
“Our branding hinges on several key points, with simplicity being one of the overriding aspects of the system. When you talk about real plug-and-play where you won’t have to program your camera, along with getting components from a single source supplier, this is a huge branding factor,” added Bryant. “The other issue is the flexibility of the product. The components are designed to work so well together, but will also fit right in with any legacy system. No matter how you want to move to digital or HD; if you want to go analog and move slowly into IP; if you want to pull out a system and replace it; or if you have one site or multiple sites, this solution allows you to meet almost any need.”
The company will be introducing DirectIP to the American marketplace at ISC West (booth #11053) from April 15-17 at the Sands Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada.
