More than ever life safety system installers need to differentiate themselves from competition if they are to be successful. Not only do they need to be able to present the technical advantages of their systems, they also need to have a total solution.

Regardless of the size, or complexity of the systems, the buildings function matters; large and small, stand alone and campuses, warehouse’s, hotels, office buildings and schools. When it comes to presenting service options they are most often calling on individuals that had little or no part in selecting the system for the facility they’re now responsible for. Just as buildings serve different functions, the backgrounds and needs of building owners and operators are also varied. Needless to say the level of life safety awareness is far greater in a nursing home than an empty warehouse. During my training sessions I focused on how to design and present service agreements that are market segment specific. Based on my research service levels vary widely by market segment even in situations where there are well defined legal requirements.

End users, building operators, and property managers are all looking for the same thing. They’re looking for a service provider that will partner with them to ensure their systems are operating as needed around the clock. They also know that when a problem occurs they can count on their service provider to respond quickly. They don’t want their facilities occupants or processes to be inconvenienced or disrupted. They also don’t want to be surprised by unplanned expenses. Service providers need to present service solutions that are specific to each facilities needs and a well conceived value proposition.