As the global market for home security solutions becomes increasingly competitive, one major US manufacturer has decided that the best way to boost brand awareness is to offer its products and services direct to homeowners. Whilst it is easy to see the logic behind their thinking, it is a move that will nonetheless put them in direct competition with the home alarm installation companies that form their existing client base. How this will pan out in the long run remains to be seen but the motivation behind the change in tactics by Monitronics, the 5th biggest alarm monitoring manufacturer in North America, arose from a desire to make their products more visible and more relevant in a world where ‘smart homes’ are becoming the norm.
A New Name and a New Focus
As part of the move to reposition themselves in the modern marketplace, the North American manufacturer has changed their name to MONI: a name that it is thought will enable them to compete more effectively in the high tech environment into which their products are currently being sold. Advanced home automation systems, facilitated by the continuing miniaturisation of electronic circuitry and the widespread availability of broadband Internet connectivity, are becoming increasingly common, as evidenced by the building of more and more new ‘smart homes’. In such properties, everything from the humble washing machine to sophisticated audio-visual equipment can be controlled remotely and home security systems are expected to be just as easy to configure and use remotely. Many alarm systems already have these capabilities but companies such as Monitronics (or MONI as they are now known) need to make end users aware of this fact, hence the market repositioning.
Stronger Brand Image to Benefit All
The demand for highly personalised alarm systems that will integrate seamlessly with modern smart homes is the reason why MONI now wishes to market its products directly to homeowners but it believes that its existing customers – alarm system designers and installers across the globe – will also benefit from this change in corporate policy. MONI’s directors believe that by dealing direct with consumers as well as through designers/installers, they will be able to make consumers aware that MONI products have the full backing of a well-established market leader, thereby increasing their appeal. If this tactic enables them to increase market share as well, the installers who currently specify their products should also benefit. If they fail in their objective, they will of course run the risk of alienating their existing customers by competing with them for a slice of the same market.
Reassuring Tech-Savvy Consumers
Personalised systems and rapid responses to alarm events are two factors on which today’s tech-savvy homeowners place a great deal of importance. MONI sees this market repositioning as the best way to convince end users that these factors are well catered for and that MONI’s products are the best solution to their home security concerns. If you have any home security concerns you would like to discuss with an independent expert, please feel free to call us during business hours.