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A global distributor adding value

What differentiates one distribution company from another and how do any of these companies add value to the industry? When Nick Grange joined XtraVision, this point was discussed at length.

Nick joined XtraVision from the industry, however, from a completely different sphere, namely the trade or installer offering products and services to the end user. The following points were raised, which help XtraVision add value and differentiate itself in the industry.

The points below were identified and implemented:

• Ensuring we have a range of products to fit all needs in the industry.

• Good relationship with our manufacturers and suppliers.

• Great product knowledge related to these products with in-house support and repair capabilities.

• Ensuring our support teams have necessary certifications to ensure we can advise our clients as well as good technical expertise related to challenging site applications and conditions.

• Enhanced marketing on all platforms to ensure our products are showcased and that the industry knows what we have to offer.

We felt from that it was not only important as a distributor to ensure we retain our current service offering, but extend our offering and enhance our relationships with the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for whom we distribute these products.

Below we delve into each point and provide insight into our company’s approach.

Range of products

We looked at our range of products, how they fit together and found that most existing products and brands fitted into our integrated philosophy. We then decided to consider other verticals such as fire. This range would need to serve both the integrators/installers doing large projects, to the over-the-counter trade installers services to the commercial and domestic markets.

We wanted to ensure our clients could access all their requirements from one supplier and did not have to shop around and waste time and effort. It was imperative that we have a great relationship with our clients so they know they can trust in our knowledge as well as ethics in terms of pricing and route to market. This was no easy feat as our OEMs are based all over the world, however, we are happy with our range of products and continue to build and tweak this range as we go along. We now offer products that cover the following requirements.

• Video management systems.

• Surveillance solutions.

• Licence plate recognition.

• Fire detection solutions.

• PA and evacuation solutions.

• Perimeter detection solutions.

• Physical Xtra-barrier solutions.

• Smart barrier solutions.

• XtraNet networking solutions.

• Access control solutions.

• Alarm intrusion solutions.

• Support services.

• Intercom and communication solutions.

OEM relations

As discussed above, we retained many of our long-term OEMs and suppliers, we wanted to ensure we improved our communication with these parties as well as ensured we had necessary non-disclosure agreements in place to pass project registration information freely between parties.

To date we have improved relations and feel we go above and beyond in terms of promoting and marketing their product resulting in improved turnover and sales. We, in turn, receive great support. This often helps when negotiating special project pricing and complicated software integrations between products for our integrator/installer clients.

Product knowledge

Our support technicians are fully trained on our product range, both directors have been involved in the industry for many years and have a strong technical background and great product knowledge. This allows our OEMs to have peace of mind that their products are not only sold in correct configuration, but are supported in terms of repairs, training and integrator/installer support.

We have found that many of our OEMs often refer clients to XtraVision, as they feel comfortable they will be supported and handled in a professional manner. Our integrator/installer/trade clients appreciate our wealth of knowledge as we have the ability to compare technologies and provide advantages and shortcomings of each technology.

Support team certifications

We ensure our support and sales personnel are fully trained and certified. Some are listed below.

• ESDA – Electronic Security Distributors Association, this allows us to network with fellow distributors and understand challenges and new requirements in the industry.

• PSIRA – Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority, this allows us to understand new requirements in the industry.

• Association of Residential Communities (ARC) – this allows us to network with members of the association to understand challenges and new requirements in the industry as well as showcase our product offering available through integrator/installation/trade companies.

• Fire – SAQCC Certified up to designer, this allows our sales and support teams to ensure product proposed comply to SANS 10139 requirements.

• Fire – FDIA (Fire Detection Installers Association), we are registered as a distributor/supplier to the installer/trade and this allows us to network with companies and installers in the industry as well as keep up-to-date with what is happening in the industry.

• Department of Labour – SAOA Electric Fencing Installer: Certified to issue Certificate of Compliance. This allows our sales and support teams to ensure product proposed comply to SANS 10222-3 requirements.

In terms of technical and product certifications, the following companies have certified XtraVision to provide support and training for integrators/installers/trade:

• Arteco.

• Adpro Xtralis.

• Hanwha Techwin (WiseNet) including Wisenet cameras, access and the video management system.

• Dahua.

• Opgal thermal camera technology and systems.

• Hochiki fire panels and associated detectors.

• FF Group licence plate recognition systems

Enhanced marketing

XtraVision has allocated a large portion of its profits to marketing in an effort to ensure our clients and the industry know who we are, what we offer as well as adding value to our OEMs in terms of exposure and visibility in the marketplace. However, we have found the best form of marketing is word of mouth, we try to ensure we offer professional, cost-effective and speedy service.

We intend to not only maintain but improve the way we work to ensure we continually provide good service which adds value to our clients.

XtraVision believes we can add value to your company, call us to set up a meeting or visit our over-the-counter shop situated at 141 Pretoria Road, Rynfield, Benoni and discuss your requirement and let us prove we can add value

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