Vector Security rolls out web-enabled product to dealer base

PITTSBURG--With their rallying cry, "it's more than just an alarm," Vector Security announced in late June the roll out of its myvectorsecurity.com product to its authorized dealers nationwide and the piloting of the product among its Washington-area builders. Myvectorsecurity.com, which was officially launched at Vector's 44 branch locations in September 2005 (see "Vector Security unveils" in October 2005 issue of Security Systems News), is a wireless web-enabled interactive alarm management service for residential and commercial customers. The product notifies the customer--via cell phone, email or PDA--when specific non-emergency events occur, such as a child arriving home from school, or a liquor cabinet or pool gate being opened. Similarly, commercial customers can remotely monitor any number of events at their businesses. John Madden, vice president of Vector's authorized dealer program, said all 40 dealers now offer the product, which, he said, "will allow us to differentiate ourselves not only with the unique back-up [capability that the product provides], it will provide dealers with more installtion revenue and financial incentives." Madden said the preponderance of free or low-cost alarm system programs in the dealer sales channels tends to "artificially limit dealer prices," and that this product will "open up dealer profit margins and enhance their revenues." A partnership with McLean, Va.-based Alarm.com, enables Vector to use a privately labeled version of their technology. While the two companies have worked together for years, Mary Knebel, vice president of business development for Alarm.com, noted that Vector put the technology through an extensive "due diligence." Dan Bubniak, vice president of builder services for Vector, said increasing theft on construction jobs sites makes this product a natural fit for builders, who can arm or disarm the product remotely. Using this product "at a time when the builder has power in the house, but does not have a means to communicate with the central station--this is a great solution at that critical time before settlement on the house." In addition, the components installed for myvectorsecurity are reusable by the homeowner, enabling the builder to recover costs associated with the installation of the equipment. Bubniak is piloting myvectorsecurity,com with NVHomes in Northern Virginia. Thomas Helisek, Vector's vice president of information services, noted that the product has now been integrated with the Vector security web site. "While we originally thought of myvectorsecurity as a standalone web site, we've adopted a different point of view, thinking of it as more of a service," he said.