Kenning verticalizes ADT commercial

DALLAS—The “verticalization” of ADT's new commercial business unit is nearing completion, John Kenning, president of ADT North America Commercial, announced at ASIS on Oct. 12. .He also announced the creation of a new 7,145-square-foot Integrated Solutions Center.

ADT has always done a lot of commercial work, but it was not until last May that the company split into two business units, one dedicated to residential security and one to commercial security. Kenning was named president of ADT Commercial at that time.

“We've verticalized the sales organization and created seven vertical markets: higher education, K-12 education, finance and banking, petro-chemical, government, health care and transportation,” he said.

Each of the verticals now has a director; and ADT's products and services have been bundled for applications in specific vertical markets.

As part of this effort to focus on the needs of customers in specific markets, ADT is building an “Integrated Solutions Center” at its Aurora, Colo. monitoring center. It will serve as ADT's solutions showcase and as an executive briefing center. Systems integrators and sales people will be able to bring end users there to “see how the [ADT] solution will work for them,” Kenning said.

Because banking and retail are its two biggest vertical markets, the center will include two permanent solutions displays: a simulated banking setting, and a simulated retail setting with products that are specific to those verticals.

A separate room will house revolving displays specific to other verticals. That room will be able to be set up with products appropriate for a petro-chemical facility or school district. It will have a large video screen to show solutions that are in place currently in those verticals. The room can be fine-tuned to the needs and interests of whoever is coming in.

Kenning expects to be on hand for many customer demonstrations at the new center, he said. However, if he or other ADT executives are not able to make the meeting, they will be able to visit with any prospective customers via a videoconference in the new center's conference room.

ADT's Integrated Solutions Center is expected to be open for business by mid January.