Industry Professional

Always Thinking of the Integrator

• By Ralph C. Jensen
• Jul 01, 2015

Sit down for a conversation with Brian Wiser, the president of sales in North America at Bosch Security Systems, and concern for the integrator will surface pretty quickly. Sure, there are plenty of trends to talk about, such as the Internet of Things, but the basics of how an integrator keeps going is top of the list.

Obviously, Bosch is not an integrator, nor has Wiser ever been an integrator, but he said today’s challenge for the dealer/integrator is having a breadth of knowledge of all the technology and still be able to focus on a specific vertical or solution that meets your clients’ needs.

“A successful integrator cannot be all things, to all people,” Wiser said. “A good integrator will rely on partners and manufacturers to supplement their needs. They need to stay focused and do what they do best.”

Let’s just back up a minute, because Wiser understands the needs of an integrator and provides expertise to his duties of sales, support, training, customer service and marketing at Bosch. Wiser recently moved to Bosch after a successful career for technology distributor Ingram Micro. His strengths include setting strategic direction, expanding market share and strengthening channel relationships.

“The dealer/integrator is exactly who we support every day,” Wiser said. “The key is to pay attention to what is going on around you every day. If not, you might be replaced by somebody else who offers a different and meaningful solution to a problem.”

Wiser comes to the security market after years tending to the needs of the IT vertical. There really isn’t much of a difference in terms of selling the industry; it is a matter of knowing the right skill set and how manufacturers, like Bosch, respond to that.

There are several trends that Wiser detailed that are on the edge of the industry, including the Internet of Things—it has a lot of implications to the security industry. More specifically, he said, video devices are more intelligent than ever before because they process at the edge and offer much better image quality.

“There is a demand for better image quality,” Wiser said. “Integrating is a really big deal in offering a complete solution. And, there are a lot of new opportunities for the dealer/integrator because of connected devices and mobile applications.

“There is a lot going on right now in the security industry. It is a very exciting time because of the technology and staying on top of the trends and building with the right solutions.”

Things are changing in the relationship between integrator and end user. Wiser said that the dealer/integrator needs to speak differently to their clients than they have in the past, and that manufacturers have a stake in how well the dealer/integrator represents various products and the industry in general. They are their primary customers, and they are the bread and butter, the backbone of the industry.

Well known as an open architecture-type manufacturer, Bosch is one of the original ONVIF standards supporters. Wiser said the standard is not worn out but is a progressive offering with ongoing changes. He said standards are a good thing, and it helps the integrator community understand how to go to market. At the same time, it is an effort that must evolve over time.

“As a security company, it is incumbent upon us and everyone else to offer a complete solution to the customer,” Wiser said. “Any manufacturer should be able to offer a best of breed product that interfaces with other best of breed solutions.

“Bosch has a heritage of technology innovation. We are a leader in the security industry and we will evolve with the times. This means we will understand what the end user and client believes is valuable to them.”

Wiser also said that putting the integrator’s needs first means they are able to pick the best solution. Bosch has a broad portfolio they can leverage in video, intrusion, fire, communications, access control and software, in addition to their authorized partners. All these things position the company to do very well in helping the dealer and integrator.

This article originally appeared in the July 2015 issue of Security Today.