With the Ring Partner Program, both custom integrators and their clients win big.
In his 20+ year career as a smart home technology integrator, Joe Whitaker, president of Thoughtful Integrations, based in St. Louis, MO, has seen a fair amount of challenging projects. And like many custom integrators, he and his team have found solutions to meet needs and surpass expectations. One particular project he encountered recently required ingenuity, resource allocation and deep understanding of the product and client needs. Most importantly, however, the seamless integrator-manufacturer relationship made all the difference.
Solving Problems; Generating Revenue
As a former Global Board of Directors member Governance Committee Member for CEDIA and current Chairman Networking JTA at CEDIA Certification Commission, Whitaker takes full advantage of the programs the organization provides, including the Propel Program, an affinity program that provides members with access to emerging trends, innovative technology, and special offers from manufacturers. When the program began in November 2020, manufacturer brands included security and surveillance manufacturer, Ring. Whitaker promptly joined the Propel program and simultaneously signed on to be a Ring Pro installer through their Ring Partner Program.
Through the Ring Partner Program, Whitaker responded to a request for a retailer’s multiple-location commercial project, involving security and surveillance systems, both at storefronts and warehouses. The scope of the project posed challenges, as locations spanned the country, but the ability to solve the client’s problems with an easy-to-use system, while also forming lasting relationships, outweighed these obstacles.
The client had previously worked with another security company, but soon became frustrated with monthly fees and “unfriendly” user interfaces. Looking for a simpler solution, they turned to Ring.
Whitaker has found great success with the Ring Partner Program, reporting that 90 percent of leads convert to sales (He’s received 8 leads from the program so far, and 7 of them has turned into solid sales leads). This is attributed to the client’s established commitment to purchase; they simply need a trusted installer. “I’ve never seen a conversion rate like this,” Whitaker explains. “But on top of that, there is also an extra 40 percent conversion rate (3 out of the 8 sales leads) for customers adding other technologies, such as network, audio/video, digital stage, etc . The customer is looking for an integrator they’re comfortable with to do the installation. It’s your job to close it, and enhance and explain the expectations correctly.”
What’s more, Whitaker notes, once you create the relationship with the client, they have you top of mind for future projects and services.
Most Consumer-Friendly Experience
By far, the biggest problem-solver Whitaker has noticed with Ring is its simple-to-use features. Whitaker recalls the many support calls he’s received from customers who experience problems reviewing surveillance recordings from other manufacturers. Many times, the user needs to take several steps, possibly on a laptop or computer, to access these recordings.
With Ring, users simply access the app and select the desired camera. As users scroll through footage, they can select portions of video to view. The app details if an action has taken place, such as “motion detected,” “person detected,” as well as timestamps. You can select and “grab” portions of videos easily. Whitaker describes it as the “most consumer-friendly experience I’ve ever seen.”
Integrator Support
Ring provides a thorough training once an integrator joins the Partner Program. They provide education about each of their products. According to Whitaker, this provides the integrator the extensive product knowledge needed to educate clients as to which product is best for specific installations based on the type of camera (hardwired vs battery or solar), particular angles that need to be recorded, the locations the client wishes to keep an eye on, and more.
“For situations like this, both in commercial and residential, we are leading with Ring as the primary solution,” Whitaker says. “Ring allows the full features of surveillance and security expected by clients, but allows us to provide these solutions within tight budgets, such as those of retail commercial clients.”
