Tag Archive for: ESA

ESA Presents its Weinstock Person of the Year Award to Firestone

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Steve Firestone has had a distinguished professional career. But what may define Firestone — the individual — most are the personal connections forged by the spirit of community and association for the betterment of all. Firestone’s litany of association work and volunteerism is long and illustrious. It is certainly befitting the very essence of the Morris F. Weinstock Person of the Year, an honor recognizing the lifetime achievement and service to the industry of a dedicated individual.

In a recent conversation, Firestone addressed how he found a work-life balance with volunteering; the personal rewards one gains through association work; and the importance of “staying in school.” He also recalls in detail how countless industry brethren lifted him and his family during one of their darkest moments.

Read the full interview.

Leading Law Enforcement Associations Back Model Alarm Ordinance

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Best Practices Developed by Industry and Law Enforcement

Two of the nation’s leading public safety associations have passed resolutions in support of members utilizing the Model Ordinance for Alarm Management and False Alarm Reduction developed in partnership between law enforcement and the electronic security industry through the Security Industry Alarm Coalition (SIAC).

The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) approved a resolution at its 2018 Annual Conference “encouraging the use of this 2018 Model Ordinance…and all of the best practices.”

The National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA) also passed a resolution “recognizes the need for and value of strong enforcement recommended in this Model Ordinance to achieve the desired reduction in alarm dispatches experienced by police agencies…”

The recently updated model ordinance has been the result of close collaboration between SIAC and law enforcement for the past 20 years. While the ordinance has been endorsed at the committee level, this is the first time that both IACP and NSA have endorsed the ordinance on a national level.

“By working together we have been able to significantly reduce unnecessary police dispatches while at the same time maintaining the police response to alarms,” said Stan Martin, Executive Director of the Security Industry Alarm Coalition. “Alarm systems reduce crime and protect homes, businesses, places of worship and schools. We want to make sure criminals know police are responding. It is an important component to protecting people and property and reducing crime.

“Every best practice in the model ordinance has been tried and tested for effectiveness in reducing false alarms and the resulting dispatches,” said Martin. “In addition to IACP and NSA fifteen State Chiefs of Police organizations across the U.S. use some form of this model and recommend its use to chiefs within their respective states. When all recommendations within the model are followed and strictly enforced dispatch reductions of 40-50% can be expected with 85% of the permitted systems in any given year not requiring even one law enforcement dispatch.”

Every year dozens of the nation’s 18,000 law enforcement agencies consider creating or amending an alarm ordinance. SIAC is funded by the alarm industry and has a team of experts, including retired chiefs, to assist local communities in developing and implementing the model ordinance to meet their needs. “SIAC needs support from the alarm industry to continue this important mission,” said Martin.

Support SIAC with a contribution today.

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SIAC Executive Director Stan Martin with Charles Brobeck, Retired Police Chief, Irvine (CA); SIAC Liaison

 

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Glen Mowrey, SIAC Law Enforcement Liaison (L) and Bill Berger, U.S. Marshall, Central District of Florida; Retired Police Chief, Palm Bay (FL); Past President, IACP.

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Photos from the Alarm Industry Associations’ Reception at the IACP Annual Meeting in October 2018.

 

Disruptive marketer, best-selling author Scott Stratten is keynote speaker for 2018 ESX

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The Electronic Security Expo (ESX) has announced its keynote speaker. A disruptive marketer, best-selling author and president of UnMarketing, Scott Stratten will force you to rethink everything you know about resonating with customers today. This marketing expert will address passionate electronic security professionals with a talk about today’s evolving business climate on the ESX Main Stage, Wednesday, June 20 from 11:30 a.m.- 12:45 p.m. in Nashville’s Music City Center.

“Today’s business climate is changing at an unprecedented rate,” says Stratten. “Every week, it seems there is a new strategy, social media site or technology that is a ‘must use’ or a ‘game changer’. What we lose in this endless quest for the next bright shiny business object is that at the core of business while everything has changed, nothing is different. Trust, connection, consistency and service will always trump any new app to hit the market.”

ESX 2018 keynote speaker Scott Stratten is live at Leadership Summit! Register for ESX now! www.ESXweb.com/register#passionatesecurity

Posted by Electronic Security Expo – ESX on Thursday, February 15, 2018

As retail stores fill their shelves with competitive security and IoT offerings, Stratten’s message is a timely one.

His presentation, titled “The Age of Disruption: Everything Has Changed and Nothing is Different,” is no stranger to the limelight. His unconventional approach has attracted clients including Walmart, Microsoft, IBM, Toyota, Pepsico, and Edelman.

At ESX, he will draw on information learned while writing his five best-selling business and marketing books to teach ESXers about the Millennial myth, social media, and how customers make buying decisions in a digital world.

Stratten’s presentation is one of three Main Stage events at ESX intended to educate, energize and inspire audiences to elevate their personal and professional lives. Off the Main Stage, there are four educational tracks for professionals to explore, each filled with peer-led seminars on carefully vetted industry and business topics.

This balance of Main Stage inspiration, coupled with up-close and personal seminars, provides a variety of opportunities for professionals who want to learn more at ESX. The event also features networking opportunities for attendees to engage with their colleagues and peers, and an expo designed for quality and in-depth conversations.

Because ESX is open exclusively to electronic security, life safety professionals, including companies that service the connected IoT space for homes and businesses, exhibitors can better target their conversations, and guests have more focused and meaningful networking opportunities.

The ESX Opening Keynote Luncheon is sponsored by Security Dealer Network and endorsed by Security Systems News.

Registration for the event is open and early-bird pricing is in effect for a limited time. Premium Passes, the event’s all-inclusive registration type, are currently priced at $199 for a limited time — to allow companies large and small to invest in the development of their leadership teams. Visit ESXweb.com to register or to learn more.

For questions about the event or registration process, email ESXRegistration@ESXweb.com.

For inquiries on sponsorships and available booth spaces, contact the ESX Business Development team.

ABOUT ESX
ESX brings together professionals who are passionate about the business of electronic security and life safety. Dealers, integrators and monitoring professionals attend ESX to connect with like-minded peers, learn from business thought leaders, and discover emerging trends and technologies. Exceptional peer-delivered education offers strategies that help security and life safety professionals run, grow, and maximize their businesses—as well as rethink the future. The exhibit hall showcases the latest products, technologies and services, while dynamic networking events offer professionals opportunities to engage and collaborate. Learn more at ESXweb.com or follow us on: Twitter | Facebook | YouTube

Washington State’s Interpretation on Alarm Monitoring Taxation Questioned

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Issue: Movement by the state of Washington to start charging sales tax on monitoring.

Recent audits by the Washington Department of Revenue (DOR) in Washington State have raised questions about an Excise Tax Authority (ETA) issued on March 7, 2014 regarding the sales tax implications for alarm monitoring companies and dealers.  At the center of the interpretation is the definition and application of a “Digital Automated Service” or DAS, which is subject to sales taxes.  DAS is defined as “…any service transferred electronically that uses one or more software applications . . .”  As explained in the ETA, an exception to a DAS is for services that require “primarily human effort.”

The ETA then proceeds to provide three examples with calculations that it used to determine if the “primarily human effort” exception applies.  In the first two examples the DOR indicated the alarm monitoring would be subject to sales taxes, yet in the third example, the DAS exception for “primarily human effort” would apply.  In reality, all three examples point to the same type of monitoring service, yet they are interpreted differently in the ETA.  Consequently, DOR audits of alarm monitoring companies have resulted in different determinations, subjecting at least one alarm monitoring company to sales taxes for all monitored accounts, and being subject to back taxes (and penalties) for up to three (3) years.

All alarm monitoring companies and dealers who operate in the State of Washington are urged to review this ETA carefully and seek the counsel of your tax advisor.  Efforts are underway with ESA and TMA members in Washington to work with the DOR and prevent inconsistent determinations from individual audits in the future. We will post updates on the TMA blog in the coming weeks.

 

 

TMA Supports Effort to Expose Deceptive Sales Practices in the Security Industry

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Deceptive sales practices that mislead consumers negatively impact our industry’s reputation. On May 9 at 11:00 AM PT, TMA and ESA will participate in a press conference hosted by the Sacramento Better Business Bureau to support efforts to alert consumers about these practices. Two local ADT customers who were recently victimized by deceptive door knocking will speak.

The press conference will be covered by local media and live-streamed by the BBB to all 113 of their U.S. locations. The publicity will help enlighten and educate consumers about ways to prevent being misled. TMA will share highlights of the news coverage on our blog when available.

CSAA’s Hauhn Joins ESA, ADT in Warning of Deceptive Alarm Sales Practices

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On May 25, CSAA Executive Director Jay Hauhn participated in a press event in Salt Lake City to raise awareness of deceptive home security sales practices. The event was co-hosted by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and ADT. Merlin Gilbeau, executive director of ESA, also spoke at the event, which featured two individuals who had been the target of sales scams relating their stories to the media. Hauhn and Gilbeau both spoke about the deep integrity of the vast number of security companies.

In 2015, consumer complaints about home security sales ranked in the top 25 of the 3500 business categories BBB tracks. CSA members can share BBB tips about buying a home security system with their potential customers; visit www.bbb.org/homesecurity.

Check out media coverage of the event at the links below.

 

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ESA’s Merlin Gilbeau, CSAA’s Jay Hauhn, and BBB CEO Jane Driggs address the media. Photo by Bob Tucker. 

Economist Alan Beaulieu Has Economic Forecasts You Won’t Want to Miss at ESX

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ESX 2015 is right around the corner and the week is guaranteed to be filled with unparalleled education and networking opportunities for security and life safety dealers and integrators. Take advantage of all the main stage events including the closing keynote luncheon on Friday, June 26 at 12 p.m. at the Baltimore Convention Center.

This year’s event will conclude on a high note with guest speaker, economist Alan Beaulieu, president of ITR Economics. Beaulieu is well versed in the security industry and his presentation will cover economic forecasts that apply directly to your business. Beaulieu’s company, ITR Economics, is the oldest privately-held, continuously-operating economic research and consulting firm in the U.S. ITR Economics forecasted major economic events, such as the 2008 recession, well in advance and possesses a long-term 94.7% accuracy rating.

Don’t miss the opportunity to hear first-hand which economic indicators owners and executives should monitor, as well as learn proven strategies for leveraging economic forecasts to make the right decisions to drive future prosperity. The chance to hear from an expert like Beaulieu doesn’t come along very often, so make plans to be there! 

For more information, please visit www.ESXweb.com.