2021 Sessions

Explore the incredible educational content available only at ESX 2021!

*Content subject to change.

New Markets. Innovative Products. Bright Future.

Session Type: Presentation

With a changing social and business environment, security professionals are adapting new go-to-market strategies and product offerings. Consumers need to strengthen their home systems to be more robust and resilient for working-at-home. Commercial clients need to invest in technology and take measured approaches to safeguard their employees, customers and operations in a post-pandemic world. Identifying new products and services can supercharge your customer pipeline and offer additional opportunities for traditional and non-traditional markets. To reach new markets, you will need to think creatively about your offerings and how to promote them. This session will cover:

How to evaluate your current market segment penetration and their offerings
The top areas of growth for security and IoT and how they align with your business model
How to build a marketing strategy that targets customers with unique needs

Smarter Selling

Session Type: TBD

Information is accessible everywhere, 24/7, which means buyers are more informed. Prospects have already researched your product, your company and your competition before they even talk to you. To be successful today, sales professionals need certain characteristics, attributes and attitudes that will lead to better sales performance. Research with thousands of buyers has reinforced the importance of smarter selling. No more following a script or delivering brochures. Selling smarter requires a more disciplined approach and customer journey that converts the prospect into a loyal client. In this session, you’ll uncover:

The right characteristics that salespeople need in today’s marketplace
How to recruit, train, develop and coach salespeople
Tools for owners and managers that help measure successful sales teams

Safety Response Procedures for Active Threats

Session Type: Presentation

As data on workplace violence trends increase, the risk of an active threat situation has become a question of "when," not "if.” The potential situations are numerous and complex; however, many organizations lack a basic plan on how to detect and respond. Workplace violence requires distinct responses from employers, law enforcement and the community. Security integrators can play a unique and powerful role in contributing to safer environments. Join us for an overview of how organizations are defining their security response plans, including:

Critical response timelines and expectations
The new role of technology in intelligence gathering
Proactive response plans to detect future threats

Powerful Ways to Grow RMR by Exploring New Opportunities

Session Type: Presentation

The whole world seems to run on subscription services these days – clothing, games, groceries and music. Security is following this trend, offering more recurring services than ever before. For your company, RMR drives revenue, sustainability, profitability and enterprise value. For your customers, next gen technology connects more deeply with them, offering more security, more convenience and a better customer experience. It's time to focus your approach on delivering subscription-based services beyond just traditional monitoring. In this session, our experts will discuss:

Innovative technology and services that drive new sales opportunities
The importance of choosing new offerings that are effective and user-friendly
Structuring sales efforts that increase RMR per end user
Using data from cloud-based service providers to create new marketing and sales outreach

A Path Forward: Integrating Access Control with Video Surveillance

Session Type: Presentation

Standalone access control and video cameras don’t tell the whole story effectively. Integrating these two technologies create powerful security solutions for your commercial, residential, industrial and governmental clients. As a result, the combined systems are more accountable, have increased safety, have better visibility and become a stronger deterrent. This session will include recommendations on:

How to effectively plan and design an integrated access and video solution
Real world applications and solutions that drive sales
Key considerations for customer interaction and expectations of system
Leveraging system features and analytics
The challenges of connecting disparate systems

Key Strategies to Selling Upgrades Before the Competition Does

Session Type: Panel

One of the most important steps in business is building and managing customer relationships throughout the customer lifecycle. Many dealers and integrators don’t have a viable process that offers upgrades or enhancements for their customer base. With a solid action plan for product and service upgrades, you can create a community of loyal customers that drives retention, revenues and referrals. In this session, we will discuss how to engage your current customers year-round, showing them new products and services and improving the customer experience before your competition does. Topics will include:

Timing and process for dealing with product obsolescence
Using data that drives the conversation
Best ways to promote upgrades
Getting your service staff to encourage upgrades

Intro to Video Monitoring

Session Type: Presentation

In this session, security professionals will learn the key differences between video alarm verification (VAV) and interactive video monitoring. Seasoned experts will provide insights and definitions for video monitoring, share useful case studies, and cover the opportunites and obstacles in providing effective video monitoring services for end users. Participants will leave with:

A better understanding of the video monitoring landscape
The best applications for indoor and outdoor video monitoring
The value proposition for the customer

Design and Installation Best Practices for Monitored Video Systems

Session Type: Panel

Geared for sales and installation staff, this session will provide valuable insights on how to properly design and install a monitored video solution. Different than traditional intrusion systems, properly installed monitored video systems can better detect a crime while meeting the customers’ expectations. This also requires that the monitored video system not overwhelm a monitoring center with costly nuisance or unwanted signal traffic. In this session, experts will share:

An overview of devices and their correct applications
Design considerations that include location, lighting and monitoring requirements
Installation best practices that minimizes call-backs
IT ideas that efficiently handle video signal traffic

The Great Outdoors – Best Practices for Interactive Video Monitoring

Session Type: Panel

This session focuses on taking the mystery out of interactive video monitoring. Whether you are a dealer or monitoring center, join industry experts to help you understand the best practices associated with outdoor interactive video monitoring system design. If you are considering introducing outdoor video monitoring services, you won’t want to miss this informative session about designing the right applications, and how to avoid monitoring challenges that create headaches for everyone. By understanding how to choose the correct detection methods and applicable designs, you will significantly minimize false alarms and false dispatches. You will also hear the pros and cons of using existing infrastructure and leave with a better understanding of how to meet your customers’ needs. In this session, you’ll uncover:

What an ideal application is rather than a nightmare one
How to avoid monitoring challenges associated with system design, operator procedures and customer expectations
How to balance operator time (cost) with accuracy
How to accurately deliver the video on what caused the event

Fire Alarms – New Codes, Technology and Practices

Session Type: TBD

The Code of Practice for the installation, transmission of signals and servicing of electronic fire alarm systems is a critical process that is governed under national, state and local code enforcement. As codes, technology and practices transform, it is imperative that dealers and integrators keep up with these changes, avoiding loss of profit, and more importantly, loss of life or property. In this session, you’ll hear from experts on:

New or updated codes that you need to know, and potential new ones being contemplated
Wireless technologies coming of age
Signal transmission technology updates
Best practices for keeping you out of the red

Improve Communications with 911 Centers Via Automated Secure Alarm Protocol (ASAP)

Session Type: Presentation

Are you curious how our industry is working to improve alarm signal accuracy and response times? Sixty-five municipalities in 18 states and our nation’s capital have currently adopted the ASAP (Automated Secure Alarm Protocol) to PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point) service. We’ll provide the latest updates, review the active states, the ones in process and other important implementation details, including current participation by 911 centers and monitoring centers. Active users and public safety representatives will share the advantages of using the ASAP service and how it will improve the workforce efficiency in your monitoring center. Participants will learn how ASAP service has significantly improved the transfer of data during emergencies:

Standardization of the alarm/event types
Pre-validation of all alarm panel addresses
Automated determination in the CAD system on accepting or rejecting a call
Elimination of phone calls
Removal of error associated with voice communications
Reduction in time to dispatch

Meet FirstNet – A Public Safety Nationwide Wireless Broadband Network

Session Type: Presentation

FirstNet is a dedicated public safety nationwide wireless broadband network, built and deployed through a first-of-its-kind public-private partnership between the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) and AT&T. Since the inception of FirstNet, TMA, through the Alarm Industry Communications Committee (AICC), has been working to provide an enhanced communications experience and support the public safety mission through this standards-based access network. If your company is interested in using FirstNet, you will learn how alarm companies can apply to use FirstNet services. FirstNet eligibility will be limited to those alarm companies who meet accepted industry standards for transmitting public-safety related alarms (e.g., robbery, burglary, unlawful intrusion, fire, emergency medical) to an alarm monitoring facility via a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) and relay it to a public safety agency for the purpose of initiating an emergency response. Participants will learn:

How the FirstNet network works
Qualification requirements for participation
How standards-based access will impact public safety response

Monitoring Innovation in Action

Session Type: TBD

In today's ever-changing marketplace, it is critical that monitoring centers keep up with consumer trends to remain relevant and successful. Join us for a look at the current market forces that are driving change and the latest innovations monitoring centers are implementing to enhance their services, improve the customer experience, and create new opportunities for your business. Topics covered include:

An overview of current industry disruptors
Technology upgrades you should seriously consider to stay competitive
Customer care enhancements that make a difference

Monitoring Best Practices: Indoor Video Alarm Verification

Session Type: TBD

As the security industry evolves, video alarm verification (VAV) for homes and businesses will become more mainstream. Although monitoring centers have been slow to offer this service, VAV is gaining traction to help mitigate false alarm dispatches and increase operational efficiencies. Take the fear out of VAV by learning how your company can optimize video monitoring processes, provide a better end user experience and minimize your company’s risk and exposure to liability. In this session, we’ll cover the three most common factors for indoor VAV – staffing, installation and processes:

Ideal applications vs. nightmare applications
How to choose the correct alarm response plan
Considerations for balancing operator time (cost) with accuracy
Police dispatch criteria and operator training best practices

Cyber Insurance: Best Practices for Selecting Providers and Justifying the Cost of Risk Management

Session Type: Presentation

Keeping up with the latest security frameworks and other related software is a challenge in every industry, but even more critical when property and life safety are at stake. Cybercriminals are everywhere and cyberattacks can be very costly if there is not a viable cybersecurity strategy in place. This session is geared for small to medium-sized companies who are at the highest risk for business disruption from cybercrimes. Learn step-by-step what you should know when setting up a cyber policy and how to justify the expense. In this session, we will share:

Best practices that keep your networks and customer data protected
Tips for selecting the insurance carrier to best fit your needs
How to budget and staff to keep your company’s systems safe from cybercriminals

When Video Monitoring Doesn't Hit the Mark

Session Type: TBD

Have you been struggling with customers who have unrealistic expectations of how video monitoring actually works? Attend this session if you want to better understand how to manage customer expectations and how to best work through situations when expectations are not met. Learn how to identify the gaps between expectations and capabilities, and how to resolve your customers’ issues so that everyone wins. In this session, experts will cover:

The top six sources that contribute to missing the mark
How to resolve customer issues related to missed expectations
The importance of having contracts that addresses video monitoring
Investigation methods to clarify root causes

Next Generation of Talent: Recruit. Retain. Repeat.

Session Type: TBD

Access to a qualified workforce has made attracting and retaining top talent a major challenge for any type of business. Employers need to implement innovative recruiting and retention strategies to ensure they are the workplace of choice and attract the best talent available. Industry experts will cover tangible and actionable strategies for you to take back to your business. In this session, you’ll learn:

Ways to attract the right employees for the monitoring center environment
How to train, develop and coach employees for performance excellence
How to retain employees that support your company’s purpose, mission and values

Purpose-Driven Monitoring: Why We Do What We Do

Session Type: TBD

In the era of DIY and MIY, it’s more important than ever to amplify the value of professionally monitored systems to the public. As security industry professionals, we help secure property and save lives for a living – it is the heart and soul of what we do and why we do it. During this session, marketing and public relations representatives from security companies will share:

Successful storytelling that illustrates why professional monitoring is so valuable
How to develop meaningful content about life-saving stories for brand promotion, social media, job recruitment and retention
Steps to engage first responder agencies to share life-saving stories from using professional monitoring

Innovate Your Customer-Facing Processes Throughout Your Organization

Session Type: Panel

A process is the way a business repeatedly delivers value for its customers. The execution of the primary processes, especially for security and monitoring companies, is the unique way it applies products/services and delivers them to customers. As customers interact via these processes, they either become fans or opt to take their business to the competition. It's a great time to review the areas of your business that touch your customers the most. Our panelists will discuss their own experiences in redesigning their customer-facing processes. In this session, we’ll examine the roadmap for change and the process that makes it a successful journey. Attendees will learn:

Why it’s important to create processes
How to discover end users’ pain points, wants and needs, ultimately defining the actual problem
Best ways to brainstorm solutions the problem and document the process
How organizational culture influences adoption among employees when implementing change
Why a process may be less efficient after a change is implemented

Rise of the Machine – When and How to Leverage Artificial Intelligence

Session Type: Presentation

Although many consumers think Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning are still science fiction terms, they drive much of the technology used in our everyday lives. As with the Jetsons, common tasks will become easier for computers to process, which means robots and IoT will become extremely useful in day-to-day life. From smart thermostats and cameras, to drones, the applications of these technologies will greatly impact the security industry. Join us as we:

Define AI, machine learning and deep learning
Identify real world applications for your customer today
Discuss the challenges and opportunities these technologies bring

Bring IIoT to Your Commercial Customer

Session Type: Presentation

While consumer focused IoT solutions flood the marketplace, commercial clients are embracing the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) on a larger scale. While buzzwords are great for marketing, what does it really mean to provide IIoT, and who are the customers? The game-changer is the opportunity to bring IIoT to commercial clients that provide meaningful and effective solutions, and create a subscription-based revenue stream. For industrial and manufacturing clients, this could mean providing proactive maintenance service before a breakdown occurs or tracking sensitive materials around a facility or across the country. In this session, we'll discuss:

How IIoT can enhance your security offerings
Examples of IIoT that help businesses operate more effectively and efficiently
Why it’s important to think beyond just the home when offering IoT

Leveraging Goliath: A Smart Move?

Session Type: Panel

What’s worse than one Goliath in the room? Having two of course. Google and Amazon have entered our homes, our cars and our work in a huge way, especially in recent years. For dealers and integrators, they feel more like competitors than partners. Do you treat them strictly as competitors and hope none of your customers notice? Maybe there is another solution – work with them, not against them! In what's sure to be a spirited discussion, join us for this session as we evaluate opportunities to leverage the proliferation of smart devices and bring greater shared value for your customers. You’ll uncover:

Should you consider offering their products to your clients?
Does it destroy RMR and promote MIY?
How to best compliment their products with your offerings

Industry Trends and How to Apply Them for Business Strategy

Session Type: TBD

The future is not always rosy. Competition is fierce. Industry trends are affected by several factors such as technology, economics, politics and social behavior. Navigating the future is critical for industry professionals to help them better assess the challenges and opportunities and apply them to their business strategies and operational playbooks. In this session, you will:

Understand the current state of the industry and trends that will affect your business
Uncover potential challenges and threats
Identify what you must do to stay relevant and on top of your game
The importance of evaluating the bigger picture when planning for the future

Augmenting Growth with Subcontractors

Session Type: Panel

Whether your business is expanding, you're working on a project that requires specialized services or your installation crews are stretched thin from a full backlog, most dealers and integrators may need to consider subcontractor services. While a good contractor can add to your revenue growth and take the pressure off your installation staff, there are plenty of risks to consider before you hire a subcontractor. Our panel will discuss key considerations and experiences around:

The right and wrong reasons to hire a subcontractor
How to build a long-term relationship (and when to sever ties)
Legal considerations to protect you and your customers

How to Mitigate Cyberattacks Against Your Company

Session Type: Presentation

Getting a thrill from a horror movie or walking through a haunted house is nothing in comparison to hearing about companies under siege from cyberattacks. As they say, the best defense is a good offense. To protect yourself and your company's network from cyberattack, it’s helpful to understand basic hacking methodology and tactics. Learn about the five stages of hacking, participate in hands-on demos and walk away with a new perspective, and some tools for smart cybersecurity. Join us for a discussion that will:

Cover the major trends in today's cybersecurity landscape
Understand your most vulnerable areas that needs to be secured
Identify best practices for securing your organization through technology and employee training

The Legal Pitfalls of Cybersecurity for IoT Devices

Session Type: Presentation

With the growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) and mobile apps, consumers are concerned about privacy and security issues, especially with the amount of data being collected and potentially being repurposed for nefarious reasons. More light is shining on organizations that are suppose to be safeguarding consumers from the threat of cyber crimes. Although cybersecurity may be a worldwide concern, the laws and regulations that govern it vary widely. How are you supposed to keep track? Let us help! In this session, we'll review:

The current US federal and state laws affecting cybersecurity
The key risks being addressed through legislation
What is on the horizon that may affect you

Engaging your Customer Base: Top 5 Ways to Keep Your Customers Loyal

Session Type: Presentation

You already know that keeping your customers happy is job one. Have you considered some of the other ways your strongest customer relationships can contribute to your bottom line? Word of mouth marketing is a powerful tool in the age of social media and internet ratings. In this session, you’ll learn powerful tools that encourage your customers to sing your praises such as:

Promotional strategies that engage your best customers and reward them for promotion
Ways to avoid negative reviews
How to proactively collect feedback to improve your services
What relationship red flags you can't ignore
How to personalize your customer communications

Customer Attrition: Track It. Measure It. Improve It.

Session Type: Presentation

One of the most important metrics to focus on is customer attrition. Many dealers and integrators don’t consistently analyze lost business. Rigorous attrition analysis provides important lessons that can help improve your organization’s delivery of the customer experience. In this session, we’ll discuss:

How attrition affects your company beyond your P&L
Why it’s important to uncover the reasons customers attrite to determine the true health of your business operations
What the warning signs are that a client may be ready to depart

Attracting Employees that Fit Your Culture

Session Type: Presentation

Attracting the right employees for your company is challenging in today’s business climate. Competition is fierce for workers, and, in the foreseeable future, will remain that way. Understanding your company’s culture helps attract the right candidates that will align better with your purpose, your vision, your values and your team. We’ll discuss the importance of creating the right company culture that matches your organization's mission, vision and values, and how focusing just on financial incentives doesn't always bring you the best results. In this session, you’ll learn:

How your organization can stand out to potential candidates
The importance of defining and evangelizing what you stand for as an organization
What a successful selection and interviewing process looks like
Ideas of where to recruit potential candidates

Sales Compensation: How to Really Motivate Salespeople

Session Type: Panel

There are many challenges with retaining quality sales talent in the security industry. Thoughtful incentive compensation programs drive the right sales behavior to occur, reward professionals for their efforts and enable your organization to produce the right results. In this session, we will discuss the best practices in creating a win/win compensation program that motivate sales professionals and allows dealers to compete in a highly competitive talent retention and acquisition environment. Attendees will learn:

How to align incentive programs with your business model and sales strategy
Understanding the various types of incentive programs that drive sales
Why it’s important to have a sales program process and measure its effectiveness of program’s effectiveness

Employee Performance Reviews that Work – Set. Measure. Grow.

Session Type: Presentation

Employee performance reviews are something that are required, dreaded or both, especially by the manager giving the review. Rather than being used as a weapon, they should be used as a tool to coach, encourage and motivate your employees. This requires a commitment from the management team to help employees grow professionally, and ultimately improve company culture. In this session, you’ll learn:

How to use the performance review process to build on the employee’s strengths
Coaching is a daily process
Why honest feedback is appreciated by employees

Reducing Truck Rolls Through Planning and Technology

Session Type: TBD

With more residential and commercial systems becoming more sophisticated, dealers and integrators are required to deliver a wider range of services to consumers. Every time you put a service vehicle on the road, your organization is burning more than just fuel. There's hourly wages, wear and tear on the vehicle, wrong equipment or tools, insurance and missed revenue opportunities elsewhere, including arriving late on customer sites that causes a negative experience. According to The Technology Service Industry Association, truck rolls can cost companies anywhere from $150 – $500 per event or more. And what if rolling a truck doesn't solve the issue? Before you spend another day on the road, join us for this session where you'll uncover:

How to improve your installation practices and processes to prevent repeated service calls
Best practices for a high first-time fix rate and routing service calls
Ways to use data, software and remote service capabilities to avoid rolling a truck

Becoming a Better People Manager

Session Type: TBD

You've probably heard the expression "People don't leave jobs; they leave managers." While people will certainly leave a job because of a bad boss, getting people to stay is more complicated, but managers still have a role. As the gateway to your company's culture, strategy and professional development, managers can help to identify and support top talent, spot problems before they escalate and create an engaging and meaningful work environment. In this session, we'll cover:

How managers can shape job expectations and coach their employees' strengths
How to avoid being the dreaded "micro-manager"
The characteristics, attributes and qualities managers and supervisors need today

Financial Statement Literacy: A Yard Stick that Measures your Success

Session Type: TBD

Reviewing your financial information on a consistent basis for your organization is critical. There's a difference, though, between reviewing financial statements for errors or inconsistencies and using the information to knowledgably drive improvements. Are you fluent in your organization's financial reports or do they seem like a foreign language? Whatever your level of financial literacy, join us to help improve your financial acumen, including:

The basics of financial statements and how to read them
Best practices to track the financial health of a security company
Why your leadership team and managers need financial information

Managing for Success: Installation Department

Session Type: TBD

Delivering top-notch installations that match end users’ expectations is job one. It’s an opportunity to make good on your brand promise and generate referrals. The key is to understand your role as an installation manager or supervisor and how you balance the expectations of serving your customer base and meeting the financial goals of the organization, using the following criteria: on quality, on time and on budget. In this session, you’ll learn:

Best practices used in scheduling and allocating labor
Hard and soft skills needed by installation staff
The KPIs used for measuring installation performance
The importance of effective feedback to the sales department