Envysion recently introduced support for ACTi IP cameras.  In particular our customers are demanding a mid to low priced camera that offers megapixel resolution.

Our customers needed a reliable, high resolution camera option at the lowest possible price.  ACTi’s megapixel cameras supply good quality images that exceed our customer’s requirements.  Our customers also like the several flavors of dome cameras which ACTi offers in megapixel resolutions.

We liked the easy integration with ACTi’s software and the near ubiquitous Power over Ethernet support.   For software integration, all we really need is the RTSP protocol for video transmission and a simple web interface that we can create scripts to auto-provision from our Hybrid NVR’s.  We also received excellent support from their development team.

Thanks ACTi!

In a prior post, I asked for suggestions on what the Unintended Consequences would be when MVaaS is introduced into an environment.  Based on the underwhelming response, one may be tempted to conclude that there aren’t any.  Just upside opportunity, right?

In an attempt to start a dialogue on this, let me share one that I’ve heard.  This is not a direct quote, but the sentiments expressed are genuine:

“I need my store managers to be in the stores.  If they have this type of tool, they may spend more time away from their stores, and they will be less effective.”

Point taken, and I’m in agreement that direct line store managers need to be on the scene to be most effective. 

However, allow me the opportunity for a rebuttal.  Even if they are on-site (as they should be), isn’t it fair to assume that they are missing important events?  Wouldn’t it be useful for them to review significant events during off hours to improve their locations go-forward performance?

And what about the others within the organization - CEO, owner, regional manager, etc?  They obviously can’t be multiple places at once.  Wouldn’t they benefit greatly from seeing how their operations are performing? 

Do you have other examples?

I’ll caveat this by stating the Today Show is not my top source for hard hitting news. However, they featured a news story this morning that illustrated the power of video surveillance in a residential setting. Would it be possible for these guys to plead not guilty?

As I was about to deliver a SaaS overview to a large partner sales force, the SVP used this quote during his introduction of Envysion’s MVaaS technology to the team. It has stuck with me ever since and as Enysion continues to evolve, the impact of this statement gets stronger and stronger.

I’ve had the opportunity to mindshare with many of our competitive representatives who have been in the business for, in some cases, decades. I love getting the backhanded question, “Envysion, hmpfff - isn’t that some kind of web thing?” I explain our approach to the market, technology, benefits, etc… and I usually get looked at like my nose is on backwards. Following one lively debate that started with “MVaaS, that won’t work”, I was actually asked if we were hiring.

Calling MVaaS disruptive is sometimes an understatement as we are clearly seeing the fear in the traditional competition’s eyes and actions. We are disruptive because we’re not just selling boxes. We’re not just selling a service. We’re not simply trying to become a part of an LP budget. Our consultative approach becomes part of a larger organizational solution that leverages managed video to mitigate risk, improve operational efficiencies and increase profitability. We aim to become a partner, not simply a vendor.

Like so many other industries before it, security and surveillance is experiencing an IP transformation. We’ve seen what happens to companies that don’t get ahead of the curve or just hunker down and hope the fad will pass. Just open up the business section – they’re dead.

In 2008, nobody escaped the traumatic effect of the corn-bubble. The ill-conceived and panic-driven notion of putting food in our gas tanks caused not a ripple, but a disastrous avalanche of food inflation unseen in nearly thirty years. I’ll guide readers to my July 2008 post for the details around this. In the end, our country saw a 6.6% jump in food inflation during 2008 causing consumers to tighten their wallets and annihilating our restaurant industry.

There is a direct correlation to the 2008 panic and fuel prices. As oil futures and retail gas prices escalated, so did that of corn, thus resulting in a corn bubble. Farmers were planting plenty of ethanol-doomed corn and not much of anything else. I say “doomed” as much of the corn sat in silos against a refining bottleneck and ultimately became rancid.

Now that the oil bubble has burst, so has the corn bubble. We can expect to see the results of this in 2009 as farm fields are freed up to again plant some of the other commodity staples. We have already observed the following commodity price declines:

Corn: -33.6%

Soybeans: -39.3%

Wheat: -68%

While we’re still seeing major food manufactures hold the line on pricing, we should see some softening on the wholesale and retail front in the near future. This means lower costs and improved profits for our struggling restaurant industry AND lower prices at the grocery store and more discretionary money in every one’s pockets.

There are many components to success in business, one of them being in the right place at the right time. Over the years I’ve seen this occur both through careful planning and execution as well as sheer luck. Regardless, if you happen to get caught up in the buzz around the must-have service, product or technology, the media can be you best friend.

Over the past few months, Envysion has seen an abundance of validation from leading industry and mainstream publications who are trumpeting SaaS and other disruptive managed service technologies as one of the best ways to cut costs and do more with less in today’s economic climate. To no surprise, there appears to be a correlation to funnel growth in both direct and indirect sales efforts. Following are samples from these leading publications:

“The movement to web-accessed, centrally hosted back-office software and services has gained momentum…”
 – Nation’s Restaurant News

“…the hot technology for 2009 will be anything that can save money… businesses are saving by using web-based software instead of programs installed on their computer systems.”
 – Wall Street Journal

“Disruptive technologies are expected to emerge within the video surveillance market… e.g., Managed Video as a Service”
 – Severin Sorensen, Past Chairman Physical Security Council, ASIS

“Managed services the talk of TechSec”
 – Security Systems News

MVaaS named Top 3 Emerging Technologies in Video Surveillance
 – ipVideomarket.info

Early in 2008, our company was in the process of re-casting our marketing efforts.  New logo, new tag-line, updated website, etc.

While discussing our tag-line, I recall mentioning to a colleague that every company I could think of had a tag-line, except Starbucks.  In fact, I also noted that they rarely, if ever, advertise.  I certainly don’t recall ever seeing a Starbucks commercial, in print, on the radio, or elsewhere.  Yet still, look at the business that they have built.

Reflecting back on my comments, I would add that they also rarely engage in special promotions and/or discounting.  Sure they have an occasional event, but they have been limited.  Even during these events, I recall hearing of them word of mouth or through free news coverage.  Still, no commercials.

So I was surprised to read about the company’s announcement that they are going to offer “value pairings”.  To me this makes sense.  Move more product, target value conscience new customers, turn the perishable food inventory.  This makes sense to me.  But remember, I’m a finance guy.  As a Starbucks customer, I wonder if this move slightly tarnishes the brand - one that has been built on premium priced beverages.

When I hear talk about the virtues of “Software Only” video systems, I kinda think, huh?  Since when is a camera made of software?  I think what is really being talked about are the virtues of a multi-vendor solution as opposed to a single vendor solution.

Multivendor network video systems are a great direction and the wave of the future because they deliver more value to the customer.  They give customers more options to put together solutions which better fit their needs and better prices

Today’s IP video solutions which promote “software only” are really saying, buy your choice of cameras (mix and match for your needs) and your choice of recording hardware (PC’s made by Dell, HP, etc..), and buy your software from us.  That’s a huge leap forward from the analog video surveillance market which has really only had competition on the camera front and locked in customers to buying recording hardware from the same suppliers as the software.

What seems to be taking some time however is the increased cost of the IP cameras is worth the benefits of a multivendor recording solution. It would be great if there were some open standards DVR’s out there, but alas, they don’t seem to exist.  If and when this happens, I can see a lot of value being created for customers as very cost effective DVR’s can be sold as part of a multivendor solution.  Imagine being able to buy whatever DVR suits your needs and cost requirements and being able to link that DVR with the advanced software platforms out there today, such as Milestone, OnSSI and of course, Envysion Video.

Having worked in telecom and enterprise networks for 15 years I strongly believe multivendor networks are often the right thing for the customer.  There are so many things a network needs to deliver that to deliver the “best of breed”, multiple vendors often have to be used.  Of course, there’s the healthy pricing competition that comes along with having more than one vendor bid a solution, and continue to bid upgrades and growth of that system going forward.  As a customer and builder of network solutions, it’s no fun to be locked into a single vendor’s solution.  Price is a huge concern here when the vendor knows how much it will cost the customer to switch vendors.

One of the early adopters of MVaaS technology has been the restaurant industry.  As such, the economic strength of the segment is of particular importance to vendors in the space. 

On Friday the National Restaurant Association released its forecast for 2009.  It is encouraging.  While concerns about the overall economy continue, the NRA forecasts only a slight decrease in sales versus 2008 (1%, when adjusted for inflation).

Not surprisingly, certain segments of the industry are expected to out-perform others.  For example, quick-service restaurants are expected to post gains well ahead of the full-service and eating-and drinking segments. 

The bottom line is that the industry is expected to display resiliency in the coming year.  This is good news to those of us who serve them.

I found a thought-provoking post on Brad Feld’s Feld Thoughts last week (sorry, not able to link at this time).  The post references another by Ted Rheingold, titled 10 Tips for Building a Profitable Business.

Brad highlights #4 as his favorite.  This is a timely point to reflect on this question.

A person I once worked with used to say that we are all in sales (meaning everyone in the company, no matter what your job description).  Her point was that everyone has a stake in the company’s success, and so we all have a responsibility to help drive revenue.  This doesn’t mean that we all need to start making cold calls to prospective buyers.  It does imply, however, that our efforts should be directed towards serving current customers or finding new ones.  If you can’t determine how your efforts contribute, talk it through with your manager.  If there is no connection, perhaps the company would be better served if you stopped doing it.