Integrators and installers are on the front line of creating most security systems. They are also usually the first point of contact if there is a problem with the system. In general practice, many end users deal with integrators and seldom if ever speak to the manufacturer. Should it be that way? We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: Why does a manufacturer need a direct relationship with an end user?
Manufacturers need direct relationships with end users to build enduring and lasting partnerships that create a mutually beneficial model for growth. For the manufacturer, the relationship enables them to better understand their customers' needs and preferences, which is essential for developing genuinely useful and unique solutions. By engaging with customers directly, manufacturers gain valuable feedback that can inform product design, distribution, pricing, implementation, marketing strategies, and future development plans. Direct customer relationships can also be rich sources of innovation, helping designers identify unmet needs. For customers, a direct relationship allows them to feel more connected, enabling a sense of trust and loyalty. Practically speaking, customers who have developed a relationship with a manufacturer are likely to have access to exclusive products or services. They may have opportunities to advise the manufacturer on solution design. Customers can also benefit from more personalised and responsive customer service.
The relationships manufacturers build with end users are invaluable. While distributors and installers are essential in the sales process, it is the end users that are the ones using a product firsthand. This firsthand experience provides valuable insights that can be used to make product improvements and deliver the value that end customers are truly looking for. End users are also never afraid to hold back when it comes to sharing their opinion, which fact-savvy manufacturers can use to their advantage when looking to build their brands. The security industry is also, at its core, an industry built upon human connection. There is perhaps no better way to exemplify this than with strong end-user relations. Manufacturers that understand this stand benefit from the strong brand loyalty created from feelings of mutual trust and genuine care. It is these feelings and loyalty that cannot be bought or created otherwise.
That is an interesting question and one that would only be asked in the security industry. In almost every other industry, manufacturers have direct relationships with the end-users because they are the customer. Manufacturers need to have a deep understanding of the customer’s operations and challenges in order to improve products and market to those customers. Manufacturers who rely on a channel to get that information rather than going directly to the source often miss things.
When a manufacturer has a direct relationship with an end user, feedback on the effectiveness and scalability of a product is unfiltered and informed by realistic use cases and genuine day-to-day experience. When this direct relationship is in place, manufacturers better understand the use cases and challenges the end user faces and are able to adapt product features to more accurately reflect the needs of the customer. Product requests are not marred by multiple layers of telephone across the channel. When manufacturers engage directly with end users, they are incentivized to provide timely, effective customer service and feel accountable to the customers they engage with on a routine basis. There is no finger-pointing to the integrator or similar service provider. In my experience, working directly with end users has made me more thoughtful, attentive, and strategic in how we engage with customers. I know the decisions we make on the manufacturer side have an immediate and serious impact on our customers. I feel this way because I work hand-in-hand with them on a weekly basis.
There are good reasons for a manufacturer to have a direct relationship with end users. For example, it’s invaluable when it comes to validating that the product developments/tweaks actually deliver a solution in an easy-to-use and intuitive manner. This relationship ensures test product developments give the necessary feedback to improve the product/service and ensures it is relevant, eases process inefficiencies, and delivers efficient solutions. Without this relationship, it is much harder for a manufacturer to fully understand the perception and challenges from the end user’s actual point of view. If we aren’t talking directly to the people that use our technology, it is all too easy to rely on hearsay from intermediaries and to make assumptions that can be costly and ultimately ineffective.