SSI serves security installing contractors providing systems and services; surveillance, access control, biometrics, fire alarm and home control/automation. Coverage in commercial and residential product applications, designs, techniques, operations.
Issue link: https://securitysales.epubxp.com/i/141570
It's one thing to ofer the latest and sexiest products and systems; it's another to develop and maintain the marketing, sales, installation, service, and customer care necessary to be successful and proftable in doing so. Tat has not been lost on ATI, which places perhaps even more emphasis on those sides of the business than whiz-bang technology. "Part of our visionary mission a few years ago was fnding new solutions for our company," says ATI President Rob Simopoulos. "Advance Technology has always been a traditional integrator selling systems with service agreements on the back end. We recognized an industry shift and we needed to develop a core of solutions around RMR that provide our customers extreme value." Te company's portfolio now includes hosted/managed access control and video surveillance, managed intrusion alarms, hosted/managed video guarding, and managed audio-visual solutions. And much of its tech support has been transitioned to remote diagnostics and service. Te results speak for themselves. ATI is celebrating three straight years of growth after posting the highest revenue of its 18-year history. Additionally in 2012, the company invested $25,000 in a new Web site, engaged in social media and hosted a technology expo. ATI also prides itself on giving back to the community. No wonder the frm was named the 2013 SSI Installer of the Year (Small to Midsize Company, 200 or Fewer Employees). Canada. After the business' sale in 2009, he crossed borders into the United States to lead ATI. Today, Simopoulos guides a business specializing in commercial industrial systems for security (including video surveillance, access control, ID badging, intrusion detection, fre/life safety, mass notifcation and monitoring services), audio/video, communications, patient safety, parking solutions and intelligent building technology. In addition to the markets mentioned, ATI also serves the government, architecture and design, property management, transportation and biotech sectors. A REMOTE REVOLUTION As part of recognizing the shift away from installations and products toward solutions and support, ATI has evolved its business model into one centered around hosted and managed services. Te company has partnered with PSA Security Founded in 1994 in Scarborough, Maine, with just two employees — CEO Jesse Abbott and GROWING AT A 70% CLIP one technician — ATI has grown to more than $9 million in revenue and a staff of 40. Above, Founded in 1994 in Scarborough, several of the company's current team of technicians pose in front of the frm's service vehicles. Maine, with just two employees — Abbott and one technician — ATI has grown to more than $9 Network and Integrator Support to help develop and implemillion in revenue and a staf of 40. After establishing itself ment some of its new oferings. by cultivating systems integration business within its home The integrator has staffed a team of in-house engineers state, the company began to strategically expand. Its North- at its main offices to support, service and manage cusern New England territories now include New Hampshire, tomers' systems remotely via software. In most cases, Vermont, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. To support its ATI's predominantly IP-based installed systems enable Boston-area operations, ATI has opened an ofce in Wake- the engineers to address and solve problems without havfeld, Mass. ing to ever roll a truck to the site. "Te company is on a strong growth curve boasting 70%+ Te frm has found that in excess of 80% of the problem growth in the past three years," says Simopoulos. "Our team calls it receives can be remedied remotely, often within just works in a number of core markets but the ones we are having 15 minutes. Customers are saving money and also getting strong success in right now are higher education, health care, their systems repaired quicker than ever before. critical infrastructure and f nancial." "We are navigating the business away from a traditional Te Canadian-born Simopoulos entered the security in- systems integrator to an RMR-focused organization," says dustry at 18 and earned a degree in Security System Imple- Simopoulos. "We are selling cloud-based and managed solumentation & Design from Toronto's Sheridan College. As a tions, including cloud-based video and access control, video founder of Sonitrol of South Central Ontario, his team de- guarding, managed access and video, and proactive remote signed and installed RMR-based security solutions that led services. We perform system health checks on customers' to quick growth and expanding national accounts across systems to ensure we know if there is a problem before our JULY 2013 / SECURITYSALES.COM / 53