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 

Register for an Executive Pass or Deluxe pass to gain access to all RMR courses at ESX this June.

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

According to most monitoring centers, over 70% of phone calls go unanswered. Even in today’s modern world, many alarm companies still rely on telephone calls and emails to respond during alarm activations. Therefore, it’s critical that you have top-notch systems and processes in place to handle emergency situations, and that you be able to provide the same for your customers.  

Register for an Executive or Deluxe Pass for ESX 2023, and make plans to attend this session. John Loud, founder of LOUD Security and ESA’s current chairman, will be leading this dynamic, fast-paced session, facilitating some of the industry’s top monitoring center professionals as they present their “elevator pitches” to help you and your team improve communication and customer experience. This group of industry professionals are here to help you maximize all 24/7 monitoring operations effectively and profitably. 

The session will cover:  

• How to implement the newest monitoring services to improve customer experience and reduce attrition rates, thereby generating your company more RMR.  
• The most effective ways to connect with customers during an alarm.  
• The latest monitoring apps and services available to deploy to your customers today.  
• Various ways that monitoring centers’ automation software saves time and money.  

“Come check out the significant investments and technology advances many of the remarkable monitoring centers have done recently as they showcase this in the Monitoring Shark Tank session,” says John Loud, president of LOUD Security. “You will get to see the BEST and how these investments can help you reduce your attrition with your subscribers.”  

You are guaranteed to leave this session with a deeper understanding of best practices for monitoring processes and next-gen central station procedures, as well as, how to deliver top security and life safety monitoring systems to end-users. Additionally, you will learn how to serve your customers by providing them with all and any necessary support to keep their monitoring systems in tip-top shape.  

Purchase your ESX pass now to attend the Monitoring Smart Tank Education Session at ESX 2023 in Louisville, Kentucky. Access world-class knowledge from top industry professionals and network with security leaders.  

All Executive and Deluxe pass holders have access to this and all best practice sharing sessions offered at ESX 2023. Registration prices increase May 26.