Business News
Business Spotlight: Expert Security Solutions
A local company re-brands with their customers in mind! Expert Security Solutions, formally Phone Experts Security, is evolving and it’s about a lot more than just a new look!
“Having determined what we didn’t want to look like and listening to our customers feedback, we decided to make some bold changes that set us apart from all our competitors and give us some key differentiators.” – Brad Dufresne
We recently sat down with Expert Security Solutions’ owner Brad Dufresne and spoke about the company’s renewed focus on security solutions and how it all began.
Q: When did The Phone Experts first begin to focus on security solutions and what was the catalyst for that?
A: The Phone Experts Security was born in 1995 out of a need that we saw for a local, reputable company to provide security systems for small and medium commercial businesses. At the time we were doing a lot of network cabling for computer and telephone systems and we were often asked if we could wire for security, so it seemed like a great fit for our business.
Q: Did you always plan on offering residential security solutions as well or did that come later?
A: While we never ruled out the prospect of providing residential security it wasn’t our focus; but we would regularly receive requests for security quotes from the consumer market, so we eventually started to sell and install in that segment as well. Back then our greatest obstacle to being competitive in the residential market was our ability to finance the customers over 3-year terms. Providers like ADT and VOX were able to do this, but we lacked the capital. The only way we could compete was to provide the hardware and installation at or below our cost and rely on revenue from monitoring to attain profitability.
Q: Tell us more about Expert Security Solutions- why the re-brand and why now?
A: The re-brand gives us the opportunity to tell customers we aren’t just a phone company that sells security, and it allows us to retool and redefine who we are as a security provider. We got to take a hard look at the industry and make decisions about what we didn’t like about the industry and offer customers a better product and service than what’s typically offered in both the consumer and commercial markets.
Q: How will you be offering better products and service- what does that mean to you?
A: The products and services we offer are tailored to what our customer needs are and ensuring they are protected. We are a security company that provides security products that go beyond what the average alarm company will provide at a price point that is fair to both the customer and the company. The installation will be completed by professional well-trained technicians who will exceed the customers expectations. We are constantly evaluating products to ensure that we are current and relevant with respect to changing technologies and we are constantly evaluating our customer service – we want to provide exceptional customer experiences.
Q: Tell us more about what went into re-imagining Expert Security Solutions; what did you discover about your business and your customers?
A: We started by asking ourselves questions like; Why we are in business, How do we differ from our competitors, What level of service do we provide, What image we want to convey and Who our customers are and Who we want our customers to be?
The answers we came up with provided us with a clear sense of what we want to be.
Then we created a value statement. This was created by our security team, specifically for the security division;
“We are a local company that cares about protecting what you value most, through innovative and personalized security solutions, while providing an exceptional customer experience.”
We want to create loyal clients that refer others and exceed our customers expectations while providing quality customized security.
Q: You certainly did your research! So where does all this bring Expert Security Solutions? What’s the way forward?
A: Having determined what we didn’t want to look like and listening to our customers feedback, we decided to make some bold changes that set us apart from all our competitors and give us some key differentiators.
The three pillars to our change and future success are the following:
No Contracts for Monitoring
We believe this is our key differentiator and the one that holds us the most accountable to our customers. When customers sign a long-term contract for the installation and monitoring of their security it puts them a terrible bargaining position when it comes to ongoing maintenance and even for the quality of the initial installation. By having no contract for the monitoring, it gives the customer the freedom to leave us if we aren’t providing the services they anticipated. While this a huge risk to us, I love the potential implications because it makes us constantly review our products and services to ensure that we truly are providing the best products and services at a competitive price.
Customer Loyalty Program
We review our customer accounts regularly to ensure they have opportunities to upgrade to current equipment and new technology. We have incentives for new and current customers.
Ongoing Support
Our dispatch is local and our technicians are local too. This allows us to offer services like troubleshooting and service work faster than a company that isn’t local. Our technicians can be reached 24 hours a day for technical issues or concerns.
Q: Any final thoughts on the future?
A: I believe that our vision for Expert Security Solutions as a “customer first, continuous improvement, learning organization”, will set us apart from the competition. But our success will hinge on our ability to get word of mouth advertising out to the market, so people will want to buy from us and seek out our services when required.
Check out these other great products and services from The Phone Experts/Expert Security Solutions:
Expert IT Solutions– From cloud managed antivirus to our full suite of remote and onsite support options, Expert IT Solutions keeps your business concentrated on business not your IT infrastructure. We keep your data secure by using our online back up services, available to all business service clients, and offer multiple combinations of services to fit your business needs.
Consumer Solutions – Phone Experts Consumer Solutions, provides wireless and internet services across Alberta, this includes Optik TV solutions, and rural services. Offering the latest cellphones, smartphones, prepaid devices and tablets!
Business Solutions – Go where your business takes you! Enable business growth and success with the right solutions and services from Phone Experts Business Solutions, backed by network reliability and industry expertise. We keep your business connected on the go.
The Phone Experts/Expert Security Solutions
ADDRESS:
4724 – 60th St, Red Deer, AB T4N 7C7
PHONE:
403-343-1122
EMAIL:
Red.Deer@phoneexperts.com
It’s’ spring!
With the change of season, it’s a great time to reflect on how you might want to adjust using your time and energy.
How many of us have forgotten how to REST? How many of us have forgotten how to PLAY?
I am guilty of not being aware of play or creating the rest I needed. I spent YEARS breathing way too fast, racing from task to task and event to event.
I somehow believed that my worth was attached to what was accomplished. Leaving something undone was actually painful.
Rest and play are not just important, they are critical.
Researcher Stuart Brown says that the opposite of play isn’t actually work, it’s depression. Sadly, I know this all too well too.
What happens to us when we don’t rest and play? Creativity suffers. Relationships suffer. Effectiveness suffers. Clarity and purpose suffer. Decision making ability suffers. Our overall capacity for resilience suffers.
Can you relate?
There is one simple metaphor that helps me choose when REST and PLAY are important: an elastic band.
When we work so hard, give and parent, the elastic band is stretched with each new effort. Some elastics have far more “give” and can stretch great distances, much like each persons ability to work.
Be careful to not let pride and ego take over here…. elastics have a breaking point. So do we.
It’s impossible to know when an elastic has reached it’s breaking point. There are clues, but sometimes they surprise us.
What clues are in your life? Are you paying attention to the clues? Have you already learned this lesson, but need to learn it again?
Better than stretching an elastic to breaking point, is a the use of an elastic to stretch and release. Work and rest. Play.
Referring back to the body of research by Dr. Stuart Brown, play is time spent without purpose; time spent when we can lose track of time and self consciousness.
For me, that usually involves being in nature or in water…. and that is where I find hope, rest, creativity and a tonne of joy.
Where do you feel like you lose track of time and self consciousness?
That’s your zone.
Find it and make sure you refuel.
The purpose of an elastic is to stretch. For that it must contract.
Work can be immensely satisfying. For that we must find rest.
We cannot give something that we don’t have.
What do you find restful? Where do you lose track of time?
What resources do you have to employ a period of rest?
Are your holidays restful and playful for you or are they a different form of work?
Do you have any practices in place that allow you to shut off your phone?
Give yourself what you need if you’re feeling stretched and ask yourself what is important. Get curious. Then breathe deep and make some choices.
There may be hard choices at first. As you get better at playing and resting, you’ll become better at it.
You’ll thank yourself.
With more than 25 years serving communities throughout Saskatchewan and Alberta, Alana Peters has a heart for people who take responsibility for people and processes; leaders. Her commitment is to equip leaders with skills and mindsets to improve their capacity and resilience with relevant and individualized coaching and training.
Alana is a teacher, Certified Executive Coach, Certified Daring Way Facilitator and Certified Dare to Lead Facilitator. She’s committed to making a difference in organizations and with individuals who want to make a difference!
Click logo to visit website
Todayville Top 5 is a sponsored segment produced by Jock Mackenzie (learn more about Jock below). In this feature we learn (you guessed it) 5 things about some really cool aspects of Red Deer that make this city, our home.
If our very first segment, Jock features a staple in Red Deer’s dining scene since it opened in … well let’s leave that up to Jock. Welcome to the Todayville Top 5 with Jock Mackenzie.
Todayville Top 5 Featuring Earls Restaurant
1 Heritage
Earls in Red Deer was the seventh-ever Earls in existence. Bill and Rhonda Olafson purchased the franchise and opened the current restaurant in 1984. Chef at the time, Andrew Lam, is still involved. Over the years, additions to the west and north have been added as has the covered, heated patio. The patio is unparalleled by other outdoor dining facilities for comfort and its Hawaii-like greenery. Today there are over 70 Earls restaurants across Canada and the United States. The founder, Leroy Earl “Bus” Fuller, brought A & W to Canada and is also the founder of the Fuller’s and Corkscrew restaurant chains.
2 Community Support
Giving back to the community is a cornerstone of the Earls Red Deer philosophy. Those in need come first: rebuilding the youth camp at Camp Alexo, the Youth and Volunteer Centre, support for the Women’s Shelter at their annual gala, title sponsorship for the last six years at Rotary’s Black Tie Bingo, a 5-year ongoing plan to support the new Child Advocacy Centre, wine and wine service at the preview dinner for the Festival of Trees since the Festival’s inception . . . and many more.
3 People
With over 80 people on staff, Earls has provided employment for high school and college students over its 35 year history. The Earls philosophy, the practical skill set, and menu knowledge make up the intensive training each support staff and server undergo. Consistency is a hallmark. Numerous staff members have made life careers at Earls–and that’s one reason why you can count on a great meal every time.
4 Menu
Fresh ingredients are key! The kitchen deals with “just in time” orders so that produce and proteins (delivered three times per week) come fresh to each table. The menu is becoming more and more inclusive–it meets an ever-increasing variety of dietary needs: numerous gluten free and plant-based options are available.
5 Interesting tidbits
Beer? Earls brews its own Rhino beers (pale ale, lager and a seasonal beer) in Surrey, BC at Central City Brewery. There are also local products from Troubled Monk, Blindman and Snake Lake as well as a wide variety of domestic beer.
Four Earls “Test Kitchen” chefs travel the world looking for new ingredients and dishes. A “Test Kitchen” in Vancouver will roll out a new dish and tailor it to an appropriate market in the 70 locations across North America–the furthest away is Miami.
Want to know more? Click to go to https://earls.ca/locations/red-deer
Todayville Top 5 features the freelance writings of Jock Mackenzie.
Jock is an original Red Deerian! Educated at Lindsay Thurber and Red Deer College (with a stint at the U of A), he became an educator himself, spending 31 years with the Red Deer Public school system.
It’s safe to say Jock knows Red Deer about as well as anyone (OK.. maybe not Michael Dawe). As a confirmed life-long learner, Jock never tires of getting to know his surroundings even better. That’s where the Todayville Top 5 comes in. In each feature, Jock shares a few ingredients that go into the mix that makes this delicacy called Red Deer the place we want to call home. As a well organized person who knows you’re busy, he’s choosing just 5 juicy tidbits to share each time.
If you’d like to be featured by Jock Mackenzie on the Todayville Top 5, just contact us at info@todayville.com.
may, 2019
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