Business
3G Upgrades: Good Process can Ease the Pain
Security dealers have worked very, very hard for their base of loyal subscribers. Every year, it takes work to KEEP those subscribers. This year, it’s going to take more work than usual. Major wireless companies like AT&T and Verizon are sunsetting their 3G networks, as you know. What a pain in the butt! Ignoring this…
Read MoreAlarm and Security Service Software: Why SSaaS beats SaaS
One of the big buzzwords right now is “SaaS”: Software as a Service. Today I’m coining a new term (drum roll please…): “SSaaS.” Let me elaborate on both of these and explain why SSaaS is superior. Cloud-Based or Local? The old business model for software, of course, was to buy it, install it on the local network, then maintain and upgrade it over time. MANY companies in…
Read MoreMaking Sense of Your Numbers – Part 3
In Parts one and two, we outlined a simple model that helps to easily understand how you’re doing, and to set minimum sales & margin levels based on your goals. This final post will cover owner compensation, followed by a look at how a “zero overhead” view of your financials can reveal your true margins.…
Read MoreMaking Sense of Your Numbers: Part 2
The main point of Part 1 is that most security dealers would benefit by separating their ‘steady Eddy’ recurring revenue / profit (RP) from their more messy and volatile Service & Installation revenue / profit (SIP). These two simple buckets will drive your company’s success or failure, because they drive your operating profit. Knowing your…
Read MoreElectronic Billing & Payment: “Nice to Have” No Longer
“Must Have”: Electronic Billing & Payments According to a 2020 study by National Automated Clearing House Association —the trade organization for the ACH payments industry—respondents cited COVID-19 as a “trigger event for moving customers to a more digital experience.” In other words, having paper-free and touch-free billing and electronic billing options is now a must…
Read MoreMaking Sense of Your Numbers: Part 1
I’m a recovering numbers guy. In my banking and venture investing days over 20 years ago, I could build spreadsheet projections that were elegant, logical, perfect—and always wrong. Excel can lull you into feeling like a master of the universe. Spreadsheets with assumed growth rates spit out wonderful numbers that make you feel that “this…
Read MoreSoftware For Alarm Companies: Little Differences Matter!
A question for our security dealer friends–do you agree with this statement? “Your security company is just like any other contractor business.” Nearly all our customers would shout: “NO WAY! Our business is unique!” Cornerstone has served this industry for over 21 years, and we completely agree. In fact, our business probably wouldn’t exist if…
Read MoreVacation? Stay-cation? No-cation?
We hope you enjoyed July 4th, especially in a year when most fireworks, parades, and celebrations were canceled. For most people, July and August are vacation season. This year, most of us will need to settle for some version of a stay-cation. Wikipedia defines a stay-cation as “a period in which an individual or family…
Read MoreAlarmPayments.com Success Stories
“The Alarmpayments.com portal makes us look much more professional to our subscribers,” says Paul Allen, owner of Protective Security Services.
Read MoreQuickBooks vs. Alarm Company Software: What’s Best for You?
If your security company mainly uses QuickBooks to manage your subscriber accounts and jobs, you’ve probably asked this question: “Would we be better off with more industry-specialized software?” The answer depends on your company’s situation, and how much friction you are encountering while trying to use QuickBooks to manage things. It’s possible, maybe likely, that…
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