Education - ESX

Named after Electronic Security Association’s (ESA’s) former president, the Sara E. Jackson Award recognizes and honors an ESA member’s work on an association committee, task force or board. ESA Chairman John Loud presented Kirk MacDowell with the award during the opening keynote luncheon at ESX 2023. We interviewed Kirk MacDowell to get a deeper look at his professional life and the steps and people that led him here.  

Beginnings in Law Enforcement

MacDowell began his career in law enforcement in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department as a full-time deputy. Wanting to further expand his horizons, he sought out the Security Industry Association, then based out of Santa Monica. There, he met George Weinstock, who became an influential mentor in his life. George’s father was Morris Weinstock, after whom the Morris F. Weinstock Award was named. MacDowell served part-time in the sheriff’s department and part-time in the Association for 29 years.

Volunteering for the Industry

Since then, he has also served the electronic security industry as past chairman at Alarm Industry Research and Education Foundation (AIREF); chairman at the Security Industry Alarm Coalition (SIAC), chairman at the Leadership Identification and Nomination Committee of ESA (LINC); former board member at the Security Industry Association (SIA); former board member at The Monitoring Association (TMA); and past president of the Los Angeles County Burglar and Fire Alarm Association (LABFAA).

MacDowell is currently the CEO at MacGuard Security Advisors Inc., which specializes in working with electronic security companies to assess business operations, review short- and long-term business initiatives, and provide blueprints for long-term success.

Best-Practice Sharing Above Accolades

Despite his extensive knowledge and experience, Kirk does not consider any professional achievement to be of too much importance. The most meaningful moments to him are when an old mentee approaches him and says, “Do you remember when you told me this or the other?” or “you mentored me and helped me get to x or y place.” 

“I’d rather mentor others and have them remember and use that. Because to me, that’s the legacy. What I personally do is going to be forgotten, but what I can portray and share and what others can do that knowledge will be long remembered.” says MacDowell.

MacDowell has served in various official and unofficial mentorship roles, including an ESA mentorship program. Over the years, he has spent a lot of his time helping others in the industry pro bono, using his years of experience for their benefit. Now, working as a consultant, he works with dealers and creators, helping them learn the skills they need in order to move forward. “I think when we serve our colleagues, our families, and our communities with a servant leadership role, we become better for it. The older I get, the more that has become clear to me.” says MacDowell

MacDowell says he was shocked when he heard his name announced at the awards ceremony. Admittedly, he was distracted on his phone during the announcement, not expecting to hear his name called. Those around him told him afterwards his expression was of pure surprise. When we asked Kirk how he felt about receiving the award, he said he was honored but isn’t naturally comfortable with receiving awards. Instead, he told the story of Sarah E. Jackson, after whom the award is named, saying it’s critical that we remember why the award even exists in the first place.

A Bit of Background on Sara E. Jackson

Sara E. Jackson co-owned Denver Burglar Alarm with her husband in 1948. When her husband passed away unexpectedly, she took on full responsibility for the company. A year or two later, she was asked to step in as president for the NBFA, ESA’s precursor. Despite still being in a grieving period, she stepped up and ran the company successfully. 

“To me,” says Kirk. “When I look at receiving the Sara E. Jackson Award– if I can do half of what she did, I’m a happy guy. It means a of a lot to me [to receive this award] because she was an amazing person. I’m very honored.”

A Thank You to Kirk MacDowell’s Mentors & Peers

Kirk MacDowell mentioned a few mentors of his own that helped him become the leader he is today. First and foremost, were Sherman Block, the LA County Sheriff he served under, and George Weinstock. They were some of the first prime examples of good leadership Kirk encountered in his professional life. Over the years, there were many others, including Bob Cowan, Joey Chetta, who owned an alarm company, and Bob Jennison, a recipient of the Weinstock Award in California. These were all men who led by example and gave willingly, precepts Kirk strives to live by. 

“To me, it’s not about setting oneself up to be acknowledged, to win an award. It’s about taking the necessary steps to make sure that the industry is stronger, that we are better for it…It’s about trying to leave a legacy that somebody else can grab onto and say, ‘that’s who I want to be like’. I get up every morning and pray that I can be better than the day before. So, I think if we could set our sights on helping others thrive in the industry, then we’ve done our job, and we can all die happy and contented people.”

Just hours after receiving the Sara E. Jackson Award, MacDowell also received the William N. Moody Award from SIAC for his passion to advance positive alarm management and best industry practices.

“We salute Kirk MacDowell’s unwavering commitment to outstanding committee leadership. ESA’s achievements are shaped by the skill and expertise of volunteers like Kirk. We gratefully acknowledge his commitment to excellence by presenting him with the Sara E. Jackson Memorial Award.” says Merlin Guilbeau, CEO, of the Electronic Security Association – ESA

The Sara E Jackson Award is not only a recognition of past accomplishments but also a testament to Kirk MacDowell’s potential to shape a better future for the industry. By honoring those who dedicate themselves to service, it creates a ripple effect that inspires others to follow in their footsteps. Congratulations, Kirk MacDowell, on this well-deserved award.

Thank you to Telguard for sponsoring this award.

While ESX 2023 is now in the rearview mirror, security pros will have the coming months ahead to apply many of the best practices and business insights to their organizations.

The event promises quality interactions and best practice sharing among leaders in the electronic security and life safety industry. This is THE event for education and networking in the channel — and the 2023 event delivered just that.

TOP 4 REASONS ATTENDEES CAME:

To network with industry colleagues
To discover new business ideas, trends, opportunities, or strategies
To gain industry knowledge and perspective
To enhance leadership, management or business skills

The show’s impact will ripple well into 2024, when the industry’s leaders will gather again June 3-6 in Louisville, KY for ESX 2024.

87% of attendees rated these sessions VERY GOOD or EXCELLENT

TOP 10 EDUCATION SESSIONS:

Driving Higher RMR on Every Sale

Top Reasons Why You Should Be Offering Cloud-based Access Control Systems

6 Ways to Reduce Truck Rolls, Optimize Field Services and Increase Customer Satisfaction

Keeping Score – A Better Alarm Verification Method

Fear Not – How to Raise Your RMR and Labor Rates without Losing Customers

The State of Marketing and Digital Tools for the Modern Company

Leveraging Your Existing Customer Base for Sales and RMR Growth

Understanding Recurring Revenue Financing in Today’s Climate

The Business of Fire Alarms – Part 2: Understanding Codes, Standards, and New Technologies

How to Encourage Collaboration Between Sales and Installation Staff

WHAT ATTENDEES ARE SAYING ABOUT ESX

“Great week at ESX 2023. We’re excited to bring home new ideas to share with our team and customers!”

“An incredible week of learning and celebrating with friends from across our industry.”

“Our Preventia Security management team had such a great time at #ESX2023 in
Louisville, KY! It was a great experience for our leaders as they got to connect and network with other security professionals in our industry.”

“Some great discussion points and ideas that I took away on how to improve our operational response. Open and engaging dialog with valuable input from attendees as well.”

“This is the best national one stop place for our industry!”

Real World Advice to Bring Back to Your Business.

ESX 2023, the premier educational event for the electronic security and life safety industry, left its attendees buzzing with excitement and enriched with real world knowledge. It offered a comprehensive array of educational programming, boasting over 32 meticulously curated education sessions that catered to the diverse needs of integrators. These covered various topics, allowing attendees to delve deep into the areas most relevant to their business interests and professional aspirations.

The education sessions were separated into tracks including; Sales, Operations, Monitoring, and Management, which offered a well-rounded perspective on critical aspects of running a successful security and life safety business. Attendees had the opportunity to gain insights from industry leaders, thought-provoking speakers, and experienced professionals who shared their strategies and best practices.

RMR Focus

But the excellence of ESX 2023’s educational programming didn’t stop there. The event also featured specialized focuses which garnered significant attention, one being Recurring Monthly Revenue (RMR). Industry veterans shared their proven methods for increasing RMR streams and attrition reduction, empowering attendees to build stable and sustainable revenue models.

Fire Focus

Another compelling addition to the lineup was the sessions centered around entering the Fire business vertical. With the electronic security industry witnessing an increasing demand for integrated fire safety solutions, these sessions proved invaluable for businesses looking to diversify and tap into this market segment.

ESX 2023’s exceptional educational programming left a lasting impact on attendees, equipping them with the knowledge and tools to thrive in an ever-changing industry landscape. As the event came to a close, participants departed with a renewed sense of enthusiasm, armed with actionable strategies.

The Sales track was sponsored by Prima, the Operations track was sponsored by TCX – The Connection Exchange, the Management track was sponsored by Napco, the Monitoring track was sponsored by RSPNDR.

The highly anticipated event of the year for the security industry finally happened! The Electronic Security Expo opened and brought together security professionals from all over the country. ESX attracts the biggest, best, and most progressive installing and monitoring companies in the nation to meet with exhibiting electronic security equipment vendors and industry providers.

Each year, ESX is proof that it is possible to offer a show floor large enough to spotlight an incredibly wide range of security products and services, yet manageable enough to tour at a leisurely pace and drill deeply into any category. No end users. No chaotic crowds. This is a tailored educational event designed to help you grow your business. Here are some highlights of the many thing’s security pros were able to experience at this year’s ESX.

Day 1 – Monday

ESA Meetings

The Electronic Security Association, the owner of the event, jumpstarted the events at ESX with several meetings including the ESA Associate Member Meeting, ESA Annual Meeting, ESA Education Committee Meeting and Executive Management Professionals (EMP) Meeting to discuss industry trends and more. Thanks to everyone who attended the ESA Annual Meeting and supported our award winners for excellence in the industry, the installation of our newest Board members.

Executive Leadership Workshops

After the meetings attendees jumped into ESX’s Executive Leadership Workshops. These workshops were an opportunity for connecting with, learning from and growing with other C-Suite operators and owners of electronic security and life safety companies. The program offered insights to freshen up your leadership approach and motivate your team in an intensive afternoon of workshops led by experts. These leadership workshops were also led by a John Maxwell sales expert.

Opening Celebration

ESX finished Day 1 of the event right! There is no better way to take in Louisville than with live music, local beer and spirits, and a mix of local flavors as we celebrated the launch of ESX 2023! The Opening Celebration was a perfect opportunity to mix and mingle with other attendees and catch up with old industry friends in a more casual, laidback environment. This time around, the Opening Celebration had a LIVE Karaoke band to get security pros to sing the night away.

Day 2 – Tuesday

OpenXChange Breakfast

Moderated by George DeMarco, the OpenXChange Breakfast is where we talked about the newest-of-the new; technologies, services, and go-to market strategies and the changing competitive landscape that will influence the direction of our industry. Our expert panelists this year included Elizabeth Parks from Parks Associates, Bart Proctor of Pye-Barker and Tyler Tribe of Becklar. This lively panel, from various segments of the industry, focused on what’s likely to happen and how it’s going to impact your business in the near term and long run, including technologies that you should pay attention to, like ChatGPT.

Education Sessions

The education sessions continued on Tuesday. They focused on women in security, marketing, emergency response systems, reducing truck rolls and more.

Expo Open

ESX’s expo floor provides access to multiple exhibitors in varying industries such as Fire Detection, Access Control, Smart Home Building, Video Surveillance IT/Networking and so much more! Tuesday also offered 5 incredible educational sessions on sales, management, operations, monitoring and more from speakers with years of real-world experience, as well as free technical training to exhibitors and sponsors. Throughout the day, attendees were able to walk around the expo floor, observing the latest technology from exhibitors in the industry.

Keynote Luncheon

There also was the keynote luncheon on the main stage featuring Keynote Speaker Jon Acuff. Jon Acuff’s inspirational session was titled Soundtracks: How the Best Teams Overcome Overthinking to Navigate Change, Increase Productivity and Win Consistently. The Sara E. Jackson award was also presented after the Keynote to Kirk MacDowell of MacGuard Security Advisors.

Innovation Awards

The Innovation Awards recognize outstanding products and services that drive the electronic security and life safety industry forward. Our panel of ESX judges — integrator leaders from across the nation — presented the ESX Innovation Awards to products and services that offer significant growth opportunities to dealers, integrators and monitoring centers.

SIAC Awards Reception

The SIAC Awards Reception is where the Youth Scholarship award was announced. Individuals were honored throughout this networking reception, as we identified the industry’s leaders working to resolve alarm management issues. We awarded the PDQ Awards, along with SIACs William N. Moody Award.

Pub Crawl

After a day on the expo floor attendees visited the local Kentucky nightlife at the ESX Pub Crawl! Security pros shared experiences, caught up with friends and made new ones in a casual atmosphere. ESX is unique in that it offers opportunities where work meets play and industry friendships are formed.

Day 3 – Wednesday

Education Sessions

The education sessions continued through Wednesday. They focused on driving higher RMR, fire alarms, recruitment and retention, talent acquisition, sales, tracking KPI’s and more.

Expo Day 2 Activities

Attendees were able to connect with lunch on the expo floor while continuing to make connections with peers in the industry. This was a fantastic opportunity to showcase each product and service. Wednesday also held historical artifacts on the expo floor where attendees could get a unique bourbon trail tasting.

General Session

There also was the General Session on the main stage featuring Keynote Speaker Kenyon Salo. Just steps away from the expo floor, this highly energetic and engaging presentation, security pros learned how to create phenomenal experiences, share powerful stories, and help others along the way. Elevate your life, both personally and professionally.

75th Diamond Jubilee and Weinstock Celebration

The Electronic Security Association (ESA) celebrated its 75th year with a Diamond Jubilee at the Frazier History Museum with a 1920’s themed celebration. The Morris F Weinstock Celebration commemorates the accomplishments of a security professional whose lifetime achievements have made a significant impact on the industry and was presented to Jamie Vos of Security Solutions Northwest. Both events held Wednesday evening wrapped up the third day of ESX.

Last Day – Thursday

Education Sessions

With classes like How to Encourage Collaboration Between Sales and Installation Staff, and The Top Applications and Monitoring Services for Video Surveillance, Thursday was filled with education-packed sessions that have been designed to help electronic security pros move their business forward towards efficiency and productivity.

Closing Luncheon

Opening the last day of the Expo is the Closing Luncheon where former US. Army Black Hawk Pilot, Elizabeth McCormick, shared the professional development secrets for success with her stories of overcoming overwhelming obstacles, while inspiring you to soar to success! Come here for inspiration, motivation and networking with like-minded electronic security and life safety peers. This plated luncheon included programming that will inspire members of your organization to accomplish their goals and lead others to climb to higher levels of success.

Bourbon Experience

This bourbon experience was at the close of the 2023 show. Directly after the Closing Luncheon, buses picked up Bourbon Experience attendees and headed over to two distilleries. The first stop was the Evan Williams Distillery and the second was the Stitzel-Weller Distillery. Both are on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail and buses then returned attendees to their ESX Host Hotels.

See You Next Year!

So far ESX 2023 is one for the books! Make sure to save the date for ESX 2024 hosted in Louisville, Kentucky June 3-6! It is bound to be another incredible experience at the Electronic Security Expo.

Check out this years ESX’s Highlights here:

The Electronic Security Expo announces session speakers for ESX 2023 in Louisville, Kentucky. The ESX advisory board has spent months carefully selecting speakers from across the industry for ESX sessions, drawing from a variety of fields and expertise to bring attendees the best educational opportunities. The sessions will provide in-depth education across a variety of electronic security and fire life safety-related topics including industry innovations and evolution, RMR growth, technology advancements, professional training opportunities, and more.

Below is our line-up of MVP speakers. Spanning across leadership, marketing, sales, and technical roles, they all have something unique to bring to the table.

“ESX Speakers are chosen based on their experience successfully implementing an innovative process to help their companies provide better service and experiences to their customers. These professionals will share their ‘lessons learned’ with the ESX audience to help them replicate this success within their own companies.” says, Michelle Yungblut, Chief Knowledge Officer for ESA

The ESX Expo is a place where quality conversations can be had and offers more than quick product demos. Security pros can expect installation tips, merchandising, pricing, and networking activities. Since it is open to electronic security pros only, you won’t see end users here. Only Deluxe and Executive passes get access to the education and speakers listed above. Register your team today!

The ESX Management Education Track is sponsored by Napco Security, the Monitoring Track is sponsored by RSPNDR Inc., the Operations Track is sponsored by The Connection Xchange (TCX), and the Sales Track is sponsored by Prima by Napco.

The Electronic Security Association – (ESA) thanks its Premier Event Sponsor for their support in this year’s Electronic Security Expo – (ESX). This conference and tradeshow for security integration, life safety, and monitoring companies has earned a stellar reputation as the must-attend event for the industry’s most innovative and influential leaders. Beyond the tradeshow floor is an unparalleled opportunity to position organizations as a leading force in the marketplace.

“As a leading provider of security monitoring services, we understand the crucial importance of staying ahead of technological advancements in the industry. As a premier sponsor of the Electronic Security Expo – ESX, we are proud to showcase our unwavering commitment to the industry while presenting our latest solutions to our valued dealer network. We are excited to collaborate with other industry leaders and experts at this dynamic event and continue to drive excellence in electronic security monitoring,” says Woodie Andrawos, President of National Monitoring Center (NMC).

ESA’s top sponsorship levels afford the best spotlight possible. When this focused group comes together to share their ideas and solutions, the industry takes a bold leap forward in setting the pace for its future. We are incredibly thankful to have dedicated sponsors who allow for this incredible event to happen and continue to bring a nationwide industry together.

Sponsorship options for ESX 2024 will commence during ESX 2023 space selection, June 6-7, 2023, and the 2024 event will be held in Louisville once again. To learn more, security manufacturers and service providers are encouraged to schedule a call with ESA’s VP of Business Development, Jessica DaCosta or ESA’s Business Development Executive Kaleigh Barraso.

The Electronic Security Expo announces its 2023 OpenXchange Breakfast speakers, taking the Main Stage for open dialogue on future industry trends you should pay attention to. Electronic security and life safety professionals can expect to hear about the latest technologies, services, and go-to-market strategies changing the industry’s competitive landscape.

Join us at the Open Xchange Breakfast to answer questions such as:

How do you define success for your company?
What are the top potential threats your company faces in both the near-term and long-term? (financial, operational, organizational, or regarding cybersecurity)
What is ChatGPT, how does it work, and what are some possible concerns or ethical considerations when using it?
What are the main challenges you face in running a successful RMR or subscription-based business, and what new models should we be considering?
Where should you be concentrating your human capital?

In a discussion led by George De Marco, ESX Chairman and Manager Partner of DECO Ventures, our industry’s visionary leaders will help you re-think the future of the industry and the direction of your company. With experience from across various fields in the security and life safety industry, including consulting, Fire and security services, and software development, our Open Xchange Breakfast speakers will help you develop more efficient strategies to succeed in the industry’s competitive landscape and take advantage of new tools and technologies to help your business grow.

“As the security industry evolves, security professionals must adapt to the new competitive landscape and embrace the latest technologies. Whether it’s artificial intelligence, the internet of things, or new go-to-market strategies, they have the potential to transform how we approach real-world security applications and protect people, places, and things. Those who fail to stay ahead of the curve risk falling behind, while those who embrace change can reap the rewards of a more successful approach.” Says George De Marco, ESX Chairman

Our Open Xchange Breakfast speakers include:

Elizabeth Parks

President & CMO, Parks Associates
Elizabeth is president of Parks Associates, a woman- and family-owned market research and consulting firm. She oversees research topics and coverage areas for the company and directs the integrated strategic communications plan for Parks Associates, including self-advertising, public relations, and marketing. Elizabeth is committed to providing clients with the best consumer and industry research and analysis on the SMB and consumer technology markets to inform strategic market decisions.

Bart Proctor

CEO and Managing Partner, Pye-Barker Fire & Safety
Bart Proctor is the CEO and managing partner of Pye-Barker Fire & Safety, the largest privately held fire, life safety and security services provider in the U.S. With Proctor at the helm, Pye-Barker has grown to span more than 150 locations across 34 states and is considered one of the fastest growing companies in the country.

Pye-Barker’s security division now makes up almost half of the company’s total revenue and is its fastest growing segment. It includes some of the largest and most respected names in protection including Mountain Alarm, Briscoe Protective, B Safe Security, Complete Security Systems, ComTronix, Mitec, ISG, Matson Alarm, Shiver Security Systems, AC Daughtry Security Systems, The Hartline Company and many others.

Tyler Tribe

Chief Technology and Product Officer, Becklar
Tyler is a seasoned technology executive with almost three decades of experience in creating software solutions. He is passionate about helping organizations develop world-class customer and employee experiences, building strong teams, and collaborating on vision and strategy for global corporations and small and medium-sized businesses. Before joining Becklar, he spent twenty years at IBM leading global technology and product teams.

These industry experts will provide unique insights on emerging trends that will help you navigate the changing competitive landscape, provide ideas on how best to grow your company, and pinpoint opportunities and challenges that will affect your company and the industry. During this session, you will also be encouraged to ask questions on business and industry matters that are important to you.

This lively panel focuses on what is likely to happen and how it will impact your business in the near-term and long-term. It will cover technologies from various segments of the industry and beyond, such as ChatGPT.

To attend the OpenXchange Breakfast, register for an ESX 2023 Deluxe Pass.

ESX 2023’s Xchange Breakfast is sponsored by Becklar. Becklar creates industry-leading connected safety solutions for enterprises and individuals, delivering a world-class comprehensive suite of lifesaving and life-enhancing technologies. Becklar leverages its platform of innovative technology and award-winning services to create customizable and comprehensive solutions to meet the connected safety needs of their enterprise and individual customers across diverse industries, including emergency response solutions, workforce safety, personal health & safety, and event response monitoring.

The OpenXChange’s media sponsorship is provided by SecurityInfoWatch and Security Business Magazine.

The industry’s leading technical training outlet — training nearly 6,000 technicians and electronic security and life safety professionals each year, will offer complimentary training at the 2023 Electronic Security Expo, June 5-8 in Louisville, KY.

ESA’s National Training School will bring its “Life Safety Systems – Inspection and Testing” course to ESX on Tuesday, June 6. Veteran instructor Larry Mann will bring 40+ years of experience to the interactive course.

“ESA’s Nartional Training School is excited to be part of ESX again this year, in bringing technical training to the ESX audience. Testing & inspection of fire alarm systems is a perfect topic to bring to ESX as not only is this a code required procedure for fire alarm systems, but it is also a lucrative offering for companies to offer their customers.” Michelle Yungblut, Chief Knowledge Officer at the Electronic Security Assocation

All systems fail at some point, including properly installed fire alarm systems. Therefore, it’s vital to maintain a regular cycle of inspection and testing to ensure that all parts are working correctly during their operational life. Ensure your systems are working efficiently by training your technicians in the most-up-to-date methods.

With an extensive background in fire alarm design and layout and fire alarm project management, Larry will teach attendees the correct steps to inspect and test different kinds of fire alarm systems and their relevant components in compliance with codes and standards.

This ESX workshop will cover:

Regulations

Inspections

Systems Testing

Control Units

Initiating Devices

Supervisory Devices

Interfaced Systems

Notification Appliances

Mass Notification Systems

Household Fire Alarm Systems

Anyone in the fire alarm business knows these services are a requirement to keep up safety measures and good customer relations. However, not everyone knows that it can also be a great business channel for electronic security providers. Offering top-notch services and consistent relevant communication can help

All registered attendees are welcome to attend this session, including Executive, Deluxe, Expo Plus and Expo Only pass holders. Register and plan your hotel stay today as deadlines are approaching.

About Larry Mann

After 43 active years in the Alarm and Security Industry, including 25 years with Central Station Inc, he has retired, now providing ESA National Training School technical training for access control, CCTV and fire alarm professionals and security dealers. Larry serves the industry through membership on NFPA’s 72 Fire Alarm and Signaling Code and Underwriters Laboratories, Inc., Standard Technical Panel 2572 Mass Notification and Emergency Communications, and NICET’s Ambassador program.

Bring your team to ESX 2023 to access top RMR training led by the industry’s leading professionals. Learn to scale your RMR by leveraging your existing customer base and applying proven commercial sales strategies, uncovering the latest products and services to help you increase RMR.

RMR is in many ways a structural component of the security and life safety industry. It is critical to understand how to build solid platforms to drive long-term relationships, quality referrals, solid growth, and opportunities to overlay additional complimentary RMR services.

“Driving higher RMR delivers higher value and provides more solutions to you in your business. In the ever-competitive market, it is more important than ever to understand the basket of new products, technologies, and tips to help in this drive. Together with your active participation, we can have a great discussion about how to bring these topics together for your success.” says Jennifer Doctor, Senior Director of Product Management at Johnson Controls, and ESX RMR Session Speaker.

Here is some information about this year’s RMR sessions:

Driving Higher RMR on Every Sale

Revenues are not all created equal. While having strong margins from installation revenues are vital to the overall health of a security company, RMR proves a more sustainable business practice and superchargers its enterprise value.

Imagine making continual sales every single month without having to search for new customers every single time. This is the power of recurring revenues, and this is the RMR education that you and your team have been looking for. To create more RMR on every sale, however, requires a thoughtful approach that measures and holds your staff accountable for selling RMR on every sale.

This RMR education session is specifically designed to help you establish best practices to promote RMR for sales and technical staff, as well as how to develop an overall culture of RMR and determine the right goals to set and measure. The ESA team is excited to see you at this session.

Leveraging Your Existing Customer Base for Sales and RMR Growth

The single best way to drive more sales and RMR is to leverage your current customer relationships. It seems easy to execute, but if you don’t have a strong sales process that cultivates and engages your existing customer base, it may not generate the desired result. This session has been specifically designed to help electronic security professionals gain the knowledge and strategies necessary to leverage this lucrative opportunity. The session will cover the importance of developing a purpose-driven communications strategy for keeping your customer engagement high, as well as ideas for existing customer compensation programs and sales promotion for people you’ve already done business with. You, your team, and your organization’s stakeholders can benefit from adding or increasing your recurring revenue streams, so don’t miss out.

Fear Not – How to Raise Your RMR and Labor Rates without Losing Customers

Induced by the pandemic and inflation, the cost of running a business is rising as security professionals struggle with supply chain issues and labor shortages. Today, margins are crucial for companies to monitor, as economists debate whether inflation is transitory or more persistent. Hence, it is imperative to assess whether your RMR fees and labor rates are keeping up with the rising costs of doing business.

In this session, you will learn that price increases are part of a successful business operation and what data you need to assess the true costs of running that business. You will also learn to recognize the right time for raising rates without incurring customer backlash and how to communicate price increases within your organization and customer base.

“Rate increases can create a great deal of anxiety for dealers. However, with the proper planning, implementation, and a prepared response to potential customer questions, you can alleviate the stress and streamline the process. These are some of the topics I hope to explore more in my education session at ESX.” says Paul Verruto, Sales Manager at Wayne Alarm, and ESX RMR Session Speaker

Commercial Sales Strategies that Drive Higher RMR

Led by a commercial sales veteran who understands the commercial electronic security industry and its specific needs and opportunities, this session will help you establish your brand to encourage prospects and customers to try new products and services. You will learn a collaborative sales approach that initiates a conversation with each end user to uncover their needs and desires. By developing a program that promotes upselling and cross selling, higher RMR will follow.

It’s imperative for businesses to understand and keep up with the current commercial sales climate in order to continue growing. If you’re interested in improving your sales team and gaining more commercial clients, this session is for you.

The Business of Fire Alarms – Part 3: Recurring Revenue Rain Maker

Significant recurring revenue streams are generated from monitoring, inspections, and maintenance service contracts. With newer codes, updated technology, and cellular signal transmission, RMR gains even more traction as these new opportunities are adopted.

This session will cover the importance of designing and selling comprehensive post-installation programs; what people, processes, and procedures are necessary to service and maintain fire alarm installations; best practices in service delivery in the field and from the office; and the potential partnerships you should consider along the way to increase your RMR opportunity.

“I am excited to share my insights of how to build a world class managed service program that will increase your RMR substantially. We will be discussing how to build a managed service playbook that includes, a menu of services, contracts, compensation and culture.” says John Nemerofsky, COO at SAGE Integration, and ESX RMR Session Speaker

ESX has recently announced Carolyn Hutsen, a certified coach and trainer with the John Maxwell Leadership Team, as a speaker for the ESX 2023 Executive Leadership Workshops. With over 30 years of experience as a business owner, school district communications director, ministry leader, and non-profit senior manager, Carolyn comes to bring ESX attendees top-notch training in the John Maxwell Method, which she first encountered 15 years ago. When she discovered the program, she was excited to see it already aligned with her personal philosophies, and she naturally pursued the opportunity.

The Art of Influence:

During this session, Carolyn emphasizes the importance of the Art of Influence and how an individual’s degree of influence affects their daily leadership experiences and interactions. Carolyn will share how to elevate leadership levels, growing and modeling personal and professional leadership.

The Power of Asking the Right Questions:

In this session, Carolyn will help attendees learn how to improve connections and, therefore, their teams, as well as develop more efficient ideas to help them manage, grow, and head up their businesses. The goal of this session is to increase productivity for attendees and strengthen their leadership culture and productivity.

Carolyn’s sessions center around the idea that in business, everything rises and falls on leadership, and the essence of leadership is influence. They cover the 3 key strategies on the art of influence, as well as provide training in how to influence your team by asking the right questions and asking the right questions to find the right answers. The right answers are the key to finding the best solutions to solving your company or team’s business challenges. Through the training, you will also be able to identify what your leadership level of influence is and how to improve it.

Additionally, Carolyn will discuss common misconceptions about leadership and influence, outlining 5 myths about leadership and how to destroy them by replacing old thinking with new thinking.

“I am passionate about empowering individuals and teams to embrace their strengths and reach for the stars in the area of personal growth and leadership development. When you desire to explore a new career path or advance your current path, I will provide the tools, coaching strategies, and strong leadership model necessary to help you increase revenue, navigate change, and build strong and dynamic teams.” says Carolyn Hutsen

Newer Posts

Older Posts

Beginnings in Law Enforcement

Volunteering for the Industry

Best-Practice Sharing Above Accolades

A Bit of Background on Sara E. Jackson

A Thank You to Kirk MacDowell’s Mentors & Peers

While ESX 2023 is now in the rearview mirror, security pros will have the coming months ahead to apply many of the best practices and business insights to their organizations.

TOP 4 REASONS ATTENDEES CAME:

The show’s impact will ripple well into 2024, when the industry’s leaders will gather again June 3-6 in Louisville, KY for ESX 2024.

87% of attendees rated these sessions VERY GOOD or EXCELLENT

TOP 10 EDUCATION SESSIONS:

WHAT ATTENDEES ARE SAYING ABOUT ESX

Real World Advice to Bring Back to Your Business.

RMR Focus

Fire Focus

Day 1 – Monday

ESA Meetings

Day 2 – Tuesday

Day 3 – Wednesday

Last Day – Thursday

Check out this years ESX’s Highlights here:

Elizabeth Parks

Bart Proctor

Tyler Tribe

About Larry Mann

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