TMA Annual Meeting Keynote to Address Impact of AI on Businesses

Q&A With Keynote Kevin Surace 

QUESTION #1: In your keynote, “Harnessing AI: Unlocking New Possibilities for You and Your Business,” you’ll discuss how AI is reshaping industries. Without giving too much away, what are some of the most exciting practical applications of AI that businesses should be aware of right now?

From marketing to sales to customer support…AI changes everything. Create a year’s worth of interesting blog posts in a day. Train sales people with AI as the trainer. LLM backed chatbots can handle 90% or queries without human intervention. And much more.

QUESTION #2: You emphasize that it’s important for industry leaders to embrace AI as a tool for innovation and growth. What mindset shifts or strategies do you believe are crucial for leaders to successfully integrate AI into their organizations?

Trust is important and doesn’t come quickly. Productivity gain improvement is the gold standard to measure AI results.

QUESTION #3: As AI continues to evolve, how can organizations prepare their teams for these changes?

Educate and train. Try many technologies. Most won’t help you but the ones that do can be game changers.

 

SecurityCEU.com Launches New Webinar Series

SecurityCEU.com has created a new series of webinar events for security dealers/integrators.

Upcoming webinars include:

  • Feb. 16th – Holdup and Panic Alarm Systems – Methodologies and Best Practices
  • February 21st – How to Retain Top Talent & Improve The Bottom Line of Your Alarm Business
  • April 13th – Household Combination Listed Burglar and Fire Alarm Control Units

Go online to view the full list of upcoming events on the new SecurityCEU.com Webinar Channel. All the webinar events are live there. Click on the event of interest to learn more and to register.

TMATraining.org Introduces New Online Education Offerings – Adding More Than 75 Hours of CEU courses

The Monitoring Association (TMA) is excited to share that it has greatly expanded its online library of education and training courses offered on its Learning Management System (LMS) at TMATraining.org. More than 75 hours of course work have been added as a result of a formal collaboration with SecurityCEU.com. Topics vary widely and include customer service; sales; access control; IP video; IP networking; perimeter security detection; troubleshooting; writing effective incident reports; wireless technologies; cyber and cloud security; effective communication; alarm science; project management; and more. Additionally, TMA will now offer the National Training Program (NTP)’s Field Service Technician (FST) program in cooperation with the California Alarm Association (CAA) and Syncomm Management Group, Inc.

TMA members will also receive a 20% discount on the purchase of the course library subscription through April 30th. Use code TMA4591 at checkout. (Note: you must use your company email address to receive the discount.)

Register to attend TMA Signature Webinar Series: How to Navigate the New TMA Learning Center (TMATraining.org) to get all of the details. It’s set for May 5th at 1:30PM ET. Register at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8942622060564516623

“Education has long been a hallmark of TMA,” stated TMA President Morgan Hertel. “As the trade association for the professional monitoring industry, our members look to TMA for professional development courses that deliver high-quality content that focus on their distinct business needs and licensing requirements. We are successful when our members achieve success. With the addition of these valuable courses, TMA is in a much stronger position to equip its members with the knowledge and abilities to grow and excel in today’s competitive marketplace. It’s an exciting time.”

These new additions join TMA’s existing thirteen (13) online operator training modules on topics ranging from leadership, customer service, and call handling to cybersecurity, false alarm management, and standards that make up the Monitoring Center Operator Online Level 1 and Level 2 courses.

“We are delighted to bring our rich content, approved at the national and state level for license compliance to TMA. CMOOR has worked with TMA for almost 18 years in one capacity or another. This was a natural progression of our already strong relationship, where the members and TMA as an organization will benefit,” remarked Connie Moorhead, president, The CMOOR Group, the owner and operator of SecurityCEU.com.

“We are proud to partner with The Monitoring Association to present foundational training to their members in advancement of their core mission,” said Jerry Lenander of the National Training Program.  “The Field Service Technician curriculum is a comprehensive offering that reflects the changing technology in the industry.”

View TMA’s complete library of educational offerings at TMATraining.org.

Join the quarterly OPS discussion, June 30th

Learn something new! TMA Education will host its next quarterly OPS discussion group via Zoom on Wed., June 30th beginning at 1:00PM/ET.

Mark your calendar and plan to take part in this open exchange with your counterparts and subject matter experts. The topic of the day will be about mobile monitoring using GPS technology.

No pre-registration is required. Join at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89785094641?pwd=MlhzTGNjdU52SUp0TzdaakNlWEJsZz09

Giving back to your professional community

As we begin a new year, it’s a great time to reflect on how we can give back to our professional community. The past year demonstrated what can happen when we come together and share our resources with one another. Knowledge and experience are two of the most valuable assets that professionals possess. Giving back is often as easy as connecting with peers and sharing your knowledge and experience. This can take many forms, including, writing and speaking. As we begin to prepare for our 2021 Mid-year Meeting, we’re reaching out to TMA members in search of speakers.

Our 2021 Mid-year Meeting will be presented virtually, April 20-22, 2021. If you or someone you know is interested in sharing your experience and expertise with your colleagues in the professional monitoring industry, we would like to hear from you!

The three-day event will offer monitoring center professionals a series of educational sessions on best practices and trends in leadership, operations, and technology.

Start off the year with your commitment to give back and make a valuable contribution to the profession’s field of knowledge.

The deadline to submit your proposal is COB, Friday, January 22, 2021. Go to https://lnkd.in/eaF8huS

Questions? Contact education@tma.us.

Our gift to you this holiday – Save 20% on operator training!

As this year comes to a close, all of us at TMA wanted to say, “Thank You!” We are so grateful for your membership and participation in the professional monitoring community. It’s been a year of unforeseen obstacles for all of us—personally and professionally.
To show our appreciation, we are offering a 20% discount on all operator training offered through our training portal at TMATraining.org.
While we couldn’t solve every challenge 2020 threw our collective way, we’ve worked hard to support you virtually through our Town Halls, Annual Meeting, and OPS-TECH events curated to make your job easier.
Next year, we’re focused on making access to collaboration even easier, by continuing with our virtual education platform, expanding our training resources, and enhancing your ability to apply industry best-practices.
Here are just a few items we’re excited about delivering in 2021:
  • MYM, April 20-22
  • Online Operator Candidate Assessment Tool
  • Proprietary Member Users Forum
  • Upgrades to TMATraining.org
  • Annual Meeting, October 9-13, Ritz Carlton Kapalua, Maui
  • OPS-TECH, Charlotte, NC – Hosted by CPI Security (Dates TBD)
We’re committed to delivering content you’ll love in 2021. Make sure to keep an eye on TMA.us for registration information and other updates.
TMA’s Operator Online Courses
To learn more about TMA’s Operator Online Training programs, visit the TMA website (Links below). When you are ready to purchase, contact our helpdesk (8 AM- 8 PM) by calling (502) 254-1506 or emailing support@TMATraining.org. (Note: Special pricing only available for a maximum of 10 course purchases.) 
Just remember…this special offer expires December 31st at midnight!

NEW Operator Online Level 2 NOW AVAILABLE!

It’s here and ready for your team!

TMA is pleased to announce the release of its newly updated Monitoring Center Operator Online Level 2. The fully re-written course is designed to provide your team with a common language for success.

The new course builds upon TMA’s popular Monitoring Center Operator Online Level 1 training program by offering six, advanced modules that support skills and standards of professionalism needed to be an effective contributor in the monitoring center. The course is highly relatable and challenges operators to expand their knowledge through a focus on critical-thinking exercises associated with team-building, conflict resolution and more impactful customer care. Through an introduction to leadership, operators will experience a new skillset that reinforces accountability through better communication, cyber vigilance and personal responsibility.

LEARN MORE

The six NEW modules presented in a narrated format include:

Module 1: Leadership Skills in the Monitoring Center

Module 2: Strategies for Advanced Call Handling in the Monitoring Center

Module 3: Conflict Resolution Using Effective Team Communications

Module 4: Industry Standards: The Fundamental Building Blocks of Professional Monitoring

Module 5: Telecommunications and Enhanced Technology; and

Module 6: Cybersecurity in the Monitoring Center

The exam passing requirement will match the Level 1 course with an 85% passing rate.  The full Level 2 course will continue to count towards all training requirements for TMA’s Five Diamond program.

In gratitude…

Industry participation in course development is a hallmark of the TMA education program. Numerous subject-matter experts have vetted the content for this course re-write.

TMA is grateful for the many, valuable contributions of the following member companies that brought this new course to completion:

  • Acadian Monitoring
  • ADT
  • American Alarm & Communications, Inc.
  • Bay Alarm
  • Cen-Signal
  • Calipsa, Limited
  • COPS Monitoring
  • CPI Security Services
  • Davantis
  • DMP
  • FM Approvals
  • Guardian Alarm Systems
  • Guardian Protection (PA)
  • Hauhn & Associates
  • Intertek
  • LRD Consulting
  • L.T. Fiore, Inc.
  • Laurie Mitchell
  • OneTel
  • Radius Security
  • Rapid Response Monitoring Services
  • Safe Systems
  • Security Partners
  • Security Sales and Integration magazine
  • SightLogix
  • Stanley Security Solutions
  • The Protection Bureau
  • TRG Associates
  • UL, LLC
  • Vivint, Inc.
  • Vector Security

LEARN MORE

TMA Releases Seven, Individual Operator Training Modules

TMA is pleased to announce that seven modules from its popular Operator Online Level 1 training program are now available for individual sale. 

The newly released single modules reflect the most current technology capabilities and customer service practices in today’s most effective monitoring centers. 

  • Module 1 – Introduction to the Monitoring Industry
  • Module 2 – Technology
  • Module 3 – Effective Communication
  • Module 4 – The Monitoring Process
  • Module 5 – False Alarm Prevention
  • Module 6 – Industry Readiness and Monitoring Center Security
  • Module 7 – Monitoring Center Operator Code of Excellence

Cost per module: $45 (Nonmember) | $30 (Bulk Member 1-4) | $27 (Bulk Member 5-9) | $24 (Bulk Member 10+)

Visit TMAtraining.org 

TMA to Host Cybersecurity Webinar Series

TMA is pleased to announce a four-part Cybersecurity webinar series, taught by Ryan Fritts, Vice President of Product and Information Security, Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for ADT. The course is designed for Monitoring Center IT staff interested in the latest developments in threat management. Participants will learn how to mitigate external attacks and insider threats.

  • Thursday, Nov 7 – Webinar #1: Cybersecurity Baselines (Compliance, baseline security requirements)
  • Thursday, Nov 21 – Webinar #2: Vulnerabilities & Risk Management
  • Monday, Dec 2 – Webinar #3: Social Engineering (The Human Threat Element)
  • Monday, Dec 9 – Webinar #4: Data Breaches (Forensic and legal perspectives around cyber and crisis communication)

PRICING:

  • Non-members: $399 (4 sessions, exam, certificate); $110 each (a la carte)
  • TMA Members: $279 (4 sessions, exam, certificate); $79 each (a la carte)

Learn more about this TMA Signature Webinar Series presentation.

Alabama Approves TMA Online Operator Level 1 for CEU

TMA is pleased to announce it has received approval from the Alabama Alarm Association to offer 1.2 credits for its Online Operator Level 1 course.

Applicants must submit copies of training certificates issued by TMA, along with their AESBL renewal applications in order to received continuing education credit for licensure.

Learn more about TMA’s Online Operator Level 1 course.