For today’s security manufacturers, winning installer loyalty is about more than supplying the right products. Training, practical business support and added-value benefits are becoming increasingly important parts of the relationship.
The relationship between professional security installers and manufacturers rarely ends when a product leaves the warehouse. The support surrounding the technology, from training and technical assistance to marketing resources and connected services, can be just as important as the equipment itself.
In a competitive market, manufacturers are looking at new ways to build stronger, longer-term relationships with their installer networks. Loyalty programmes are one way of doing this, rewarding installers not simply for what they buy, but for how they engage with a brand.
One of the latest examples comes from HKC Security, which has launched SecureRewards, a new loyalty programme for professional installers across the UK and Ireland.
Real rewards
SecureRewards has been designed around the idea that installer engagement extends well beyond purchasing equipment. Members can earn points through a range of everyday activities, including purchasing and registering HKC intruder alarm systems, activating SecureComm connections, attending training courses and submitting case studies.
The points can then be redeemed through a dedicated platform for a selection of rewards, including business support benefits, exclusive merchandise and lifestyle gift vouchers.
For installers, that creates an additional incentive to engage with the manufacturer across different aspects of their work. For the manufacturer, it provides a way of recognising and encouraging the activities that help build a stronger relationship between the two sides.
Damian Lloyd, Marketing Lead at HKC, says the aim was to create something that goes beyond a conventional points-based scheme: “We wanted to create a programme that goes beyond transactions and genuinely rewards engagement with HKC, whether that’s through product installations, SecureComm activations, training participation or ongoing collaboration with the brand.”
The value of training
Training is another key part of the programme, with SecureRewards members gaining access to exclusive training opportunities delivered by HKC as well as earning points for attending courses.
As security technology becomes increasingly connected, training is taking on a broader role. Installers need to understand not only the hardware they are installing, but also configuration, connectivity, apps and the wider services that sit around a modern security system.
For manufacturers, supporting that knowledge can help installers get more from their technology. For installers, meanwhile, training can contribute to installation efficiency, technical confidence and the ability to offer customers a wider range of solutions.
Therefore including training within a loyalty programme creates a potential benefit on both sides. Installers are rewarded for developing their skills, while manufacturers strengthen product knowledge within their professional network.
Supporting an installer’s business
The broader question for manufacturers is how they can provide value beyond the equipment itself. HKC says SecureRewards forms part of a wider approach to supporting installers, alongside resources such as dual-branded brochures, marketing collateral and other materials intended to help businesses promote their services and generate new opportunities.
That is an increasingly relevant consideration for installers, as running a security business involves much more than completing an installation. Access to professional marketing resources can help smaller and independent businesses compete for work and present a consistent image to potential customers.
Damian adds: “SecureRewards has been developed to recognise the continued support and loyalty of our installer network while giving them access to meaningful rewards that support both their business and day-to-day work.”
A relationship that works both ways
The growth of connected security is changing the relationship between manufacturers and installers. An intruder alarm installation can now involve cloud connectivity, remote management, apps and ongoing services alongside the physical equipment. As a result, the manufacturer’s role increasingly extends beyond supplying hardware.
That creates more opportunities for manufacturers to support installers throughout the life of a project, and more reasons for installers to engage with the brands they work with.
Loyalty programmes such as SecureRewards are consequently becoming part of a broader proposition. Rather than simply rewarding purchases, they can encourage training, promote the use of connected services, generate case studies and provide installers with resources that can support their businesses.
The challenge is making those benefits genuinely useful though, and a loyalty programme will only build loyalty if the rewards and support have real relevance to the people using them. By combining points with training, business support, exclusive offers and marketing resources, SecureRewards is intended to take a broader approach.
Strengthening the relationship
For manufacturers, the message is increasingly clear, that product quality remains integral, but it is only one part of the relationship. As competition increases and security technology becomes more sophisticated, installers have more reason to consider the overall value of working with a particular manufacturer.
This includes the training available, the quality of technical support, the resources provided and the opportunities for ongoing engagement. For installers, that could mean that the relationship with a manufacturer becomes as important as the individual products being specified.
SecureRewards is HKC’s response to this, giving installers tangible recognition for the different ways they engage with the brand, while adding another layer to its existing installer support programme. Installers can register using their existing SmartLink credentials, including their installer ID number and main company email address.
For more information on HKC Security and signing up to SecureRewards, please visit: Here
