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| Day Automation, a TAC partner integrates security with building controls |
Day Automation Systems, headquartered in Victor, N.Y., experienced an 85 percent increase in product sales in 2008 from the previous year. Day Automation is the volume-leading partner for TAC, the building management, energy services and security solutions business of Schneider Electric. Day Automation attributes its strong showing to its dedication to expanding from building controls into the security market. With four office locations, Day Automation represents TAC for heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) control, security and door access control, and digital video surveillance systems in Central and Eastern New York State.
Day Automation, a TAC partner since 1978, began selling security the mid-90s, believing that it had the potential to be a major growth engine for its business. Success did not come easy or happen overnight; rather, it took a major commitment from management along with dedicated resources.
"We've recommended integrating security into building management systems for years, and I think the marketplace is becoming receptive to the advantages of this approach," said Eric Orban, president of Day Automation. "Integrated systems provide a tremendous amount of value, and our customers see the difference that Day Automation brings to the table. Our focus on quality is demonstrated by the fact that most of our business is generated by word of mouth from end-user customers to consulting engineers. As a result, we've been able to expand our security business through existing HVAC customers."
In 2003, after observing other control integrators adding security to their portfolios and analyzing the security market, the Day Automation management team committed to making security a major part of its business and began to grow the offering. The company added resources to focus solely on security and to build out the expertise in-house by investing in the right people and putting a dedicated sales force in place.
Day Automation, a TAC partner, attributes its strong showing to its dedication to expanding from building controls into the security market. |
"At that time, the marketplace saw us only as an HVAC systems integrator," observed Orban. "We anticipated that there would be a perception that we lacked security expertise and experience, so we made it our mission to attract and retain knowledgeable and dedicated people on staff. It's critical to be viewed in the marketplace as competent and capable - and this starts with building your knowledge base one person at time."
This meant hiring a dedicated security sales professional from the industry as well as hiring students out of college and providing them with extensive on-the-job training and mentoring. Once the expertise and a sales force were in place, the next step for the partner was to carefully analyze the marketplace to determine the type of customers that would most benefit from its solutions. Then the Day Automation sales team began tapping into its existing customer base, which consisted mainly of HVAC customers.
"Our strategy today is that when we lead with BAS, we follow up introducing security. And when we lead with security, we introduce our BAS solutions," explained Orban. "We always make sure to bring all of our expertise to the table in order to maximize on the total opportunity."
