When it comes to installing a reliable security system, you don’t want to find yourself in a meaningless fling. “The days of slapping a system in and running down the street are over,” says Patrick Kelly, the Senior Director of Strategy at Digital Watchdog.
“Understanding a customer's business and creating that partnership is ultimately our job, because this isn't a one-and-done. It’s a long term relationship.”
Patrick Kelly
ProdataKey (PDK) wants all of our dealers to be able to develop these relationships and build the greatest possible security systems for their customers–and we believe the key to achieving that is through integrations.
What Are Access Control Integrations?
A security integration involves joining together two separate systems to create a unified solution. Utilizing integrations allows our dealers to turn a PDK access control system into an expansive, all-around security system fit for the specific needs and requirements of any end-user. With ProdataKey’s Open API and a dedicated Integrations Team, it’s easier than ever for developers to create innovative access control integrations and bring together various security solutions.
How Can I Find Out Which Integration is Right For Me?
When designing an integrated access control system, the last thing you want to do is settle–the integrations you pick should be perfect for you. But how are you supposed to find your security system’s other half? Savance’s founder and CEO, Steve Bardocz, has some keen advice: “In my opinion, a basic integrator would just throw the doors in and walk away. But an educated integrator would look and say, they asked for two doors, but I noticed that I signed in on a paper visitor log–how can I provide ways they can improve on that?” By approaching a project with a proactive and attentive eye, dealers can spot notable pain points that can be addressed by specific access control integrations. To find the perfect integrated security solution, you have to be able to identify the red flags you want to avoid, and the green flags you need more of in your life.
You Know What They Say… Opposites Attract!
The true power of integrations lies in the fact that every security system has its own thing that it’s good at. If you integrate two systems that do the same task, you’re not creating a powerful partnership. You’ll develop a much stronger dynamic if you bring together systems that are the best in their fields at different tasks. Explaining this further, Steve draws a comparison between developing an integrated system and building a strong house:
“The value of leveraging integrations is that they allow the experts to come in and do what they do best.
A builder doesn't do everything himself, he brings in the plumber because they're the experts at plumbing. If an integrator brings Savance to the table, and it's like bringing the plumber in when there's anything to do with plumbing. You bring in the right people to do what they're best at, and then you can get a best of breed solution.” Being opposites means that each system’s strengths complement the other’s weaknesses. This allows a dealer to form a positive, long-lasting dynamic that helps the end-user to feel like all of their security needs are heard and satisfied.
Opening Up to New Ways of Thinking
With different security solutions also comes different security mindsets, as explained by Patrick: “Video systems have always been a reactive product–you can go back and replay an incident to see who was there and what happened. But PDK, because it maintains the lock on the door, takes a very proactive position. So bringing those two worlds together seamlessly gives you that single pane of glass solution.” Integrations give you the opportunity to bring together two products that have entirely different approaches to security. By embracing different security mindsets, you can create a brand new, balanced system as a result.
Communication is Key
At the end of the day, the most important part of maintaining a secure relationship is communication. The best integrations involve tools that communicate seamlessly, and allow users to utilize the combined powers of the integrated tools through one unified interface. Jeff Santeramo, founder of the intuitive video intercom solution MyDoorView, shares an example of what this stellar communication looks like:
“The set-up takes no more than five minutes. We just take our customer ID and the system ID and copy and paste that into our portal. At that point, the two clouds are already communicating.”
Jeff Santeramo
Digital Watchdog’s high-tech video surveillance integration exhibits this same communication, according to Patrick: “The connection point is the DW Cloud on our end, connected to PDK's interface. Everything is configured right within PDK, so you never have to leave PDK's interface. All it takes is just a couple clicks, and you've created all the rules within DW Spectrum, right inside the PDK user interface.” When integrated platforms communicate so effectively, it’s clear to see that they’re meant to be together.
When You Know, You Know
Finding the perfect integration for your install may be a tough choice, especially considering the many amazing contenders that ProdataKey has to offer. But as we’ve learned from our experts at MyDoorView, Savance, and Digital Watchdog, there are lots of important things to keep in mind that will simplify this choice. You want your integration to communicate effectively, target specific pain points in your space, and work well with all other security systems to create a well-rounded, compatible system. By keeping these things in mind while designing and installing a system, you’re destined to find the right match for you.
If you’re still not sure what you’re looking for in an integration partner, don’t worry–PDK’s got your back. Take a few minutes to complete this personality test and start your integration love story today.
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