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July 2016 www.SecurityInfoWatch.com / Security Dealer & Integrator 33 ese integrators may be the first to embrace future technologies, but will expect more from their partners than ever before. Professional communities in other industries have already expe- rienced this shi and it is common to partner with subject matter experts outside their core industries — IT is a prime example. Creating New Opportunities With a multitude of changes affecting the industry right now, integrators must be prepared to adapt and change accordingly. By partnering with multiple technology providers, integrators can suc- cessfully plan for future changes and identify how they can monetize new opportunities for their business. In today's environment, integrators should embrace the open platform and not focus on a single service or product brand. ey should pick and choose the best hardware and soware partners and work to bring those components together to meet the needs of their customers. Integrators can also work closely with soware and hardware providers to become a regular part of their customer's life as a service partner. By doing so, they are able to establish a predictable stream of income for their business, instead of relying on large installations. Ultimately, both integrators and technology companies must listen to the needs of their end-user customers to shape future offerings. ey must also guard against the rapid obsoles- cence by providing the benefits of open solutions that can be easily upgraded and modified as new technologies and advacements are released. Moving Away from Exclusivity As the security industry has embraced a more open approach, a significant shi has occurred in the way integrators partner with technology manufacturers. Integrators are no longer exclusively partnering with a small set of manufacturers — instead they are picking and choosing partners based on which provide the best individual components. e fact that most systems and devices are being deployed on IP net- works has facilitated a new level of interface and integration, which has opened many more options for solv- ing a customer's needs. is is oen referred to as a community approach, or an ecosystem of business. By partnering with many providers instead of a few, integrators are able to truly customize solutions in a way that enables customers to implement additional functionality that maintains their existing investments. Before IP connectivity and network standards were implemented, it was difficult to partner with small, specialized technology companies that were oen proprietary with limited connectivity. Today, integrators have a wide selection of partners, technologies and devices to choose from, as well as a longer-term approach that allows for the implementation of new features and capabilities as they become available. Partnerships with a wide and diverse com- munity of partners are a win-win for customers and inte- grators alike. Open solutions and part- nerships create long-term value for customers and revenue streams for integrators. An integrator's ability to deliver innovation to the mar- ketplace and address customer demands is key to maintaining investments for the long term. It is imperative for integrators to put customers and partnerships first by embracing and implementing open solutions. is is the only way end-users can get the cus- tomized solutions that can be scaled up to protect their original investment. While putting partnerships first is nothing new to security industry pro- fessionals — building a community of partnerships is. Adapting a commu- nity approach is the best way to secure long-term business opportunities and ensure integrators will be able to meet their customer's requirements into the distant future. ■ » Fritz Werder is the Vice President and General Manager of Legrand's On-Q and Nuvo lines in North America. Request more info about the company at www.securityinfowatch.com/12021736.