Resideo CONNECT 2023 Empowers Dealers Through Networking, Best Practices
Put on annually by Resideo Technologies, Resideo CONNECT brings together 600-plus best-of-breed dealers and integrators.
Photo by Dan Ferrisi.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Resideo CONNECT 2023, a thought-leadership and networking event that the company stages each year, brought together hundreds of Resideo Premier Partner Program members from Nov. 2 to 5.
The conference, held this year at the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, Ariz., attracts not only security dealers but also HVAC contractors. This reflects the breadth of the solutions portfolio from Resideo Technologies, Inc.
Attending on behalf of Security Sales & Integration, I spoke to Resideo personnel about the packed event program, the enduring value of a network like the Resideo Premier Partner Program and new technologies launched during the conference.
Plus, while onsite, I had the opportunity to conduct a roundtable discussion with recognized leaders in the physical and electronic security spaces. Security Sales & Integration will present that dealer roundtable in the weeks ahead!
Charitable Initiative Kicks off Resideo CONNECT
According to Quentin Gunther, who leads the Resideo Premier Partner Program and who has attended Resideo CONNECT events for decades, show organizers like to kick off the conference with a charitable initiative.
Resideo undertook this year’s community-service project in close partnership with Mission 500, the well-respected nonprofit organization that works diligently with security industry stakeholders to serve the needs of children and communities in crisis.
Event attendees collaborated to build and package 500 kits for at-risk children in the Phoenix area, as well as for their caregivers. The kits contained items that many of us took for granted in our youth — namely, soap, toothpaste, coloring books and more.
In addition, the dealers and integrators recorded short, uplifting video messages to complement the kits. Those kits, as well as the recorded messages of positivity, love and support, all went to Phoenix Children’s, a charitable organization serving local youth. Resideo and Mission 500 also generously donated $5,000 in cash to support the cause.
According to the Resideo CONNECT leadership team, a community-service project is the perfect way to kick off the conference because it gets attendees’ hearts and minds in the right place. “It’s just part of their DNA, being in this industry,” Gunther observes. “They want to give back. They want to be not just the security guy but also the true partner in the community.”
Resideo CONNECT attendees bundled kits, as well as recorded messages of positivity, love and support, that went to Phoenix Children’s, a charitable organization serving local youth. (Photo by Dan Ferrisi)
Resideo CONNECT Focuses on Partnership
Indeed, Resideo Premier Partner Program participants are committed not only to being partners in the community but also partners to each other. Gunther reflects on an earlier time in his career — before he worked for Resideo — when he attended Resideo CONNECT as a dealer.
“This is an event that is near and dear to my heart,” he remarks. “It helped make our business in Baton Rouge, La., all those many years ago.” Gunther emphasizes that the event is “…all about networking and sharing best practices. The educational aspect is really huge.”
In fact, between Nov. 3 and 4, organizers staged 28 breakout sessions to empower attendees to run their businesses better.
But if you ask Gunther, the mind-sharing among attendees is arguably the single most impactful benefit of attending Resideo CONNECT. He explains that, these days, dealers and integrators must deal with lots of new and different competitors in a space where, previously, our industry might have enjoyed some element of exclusivity.
And that, Gunther says, is precisely why “there’s never been a better time, in the history of our industry, to belong to a network.”
He adds that, when attendees come to Resideo CONNECT, they’re not thinking narrowly about their own competitive interest so much as thinking about how a rising tide can lift all boats.
According to Gunther, it’s quite common to hear dealers asking among themselves, “What’s working for you in Florida? What’s working for you in Washington?” Then, those dealers, installers and integrators go home and put those ideas into practice.
Sharing Ideas
Speaking of freely sharing ideas, SSI was especially pleased to have the opportunity to host a dealer roundtable during Resideo CONNECT. This candid, 35-minute, on-the-record discussion allowed some of the most successful, most well-adapted Resideo Premier Partner Program members to expound on the issues of the day and share their insights.
We invited Michael Alfano, president and CEO of greensite; Michael Gibson, president of Mulhaupt’s Inc.; Doug Yarger, principal of SouthCross Security, Inc.; and Jesse Foglio, president of First Response Security to participate.
Together, the gathered dealers examined macroeconomic conditions (e.g., consumer spending, interest rates, inflation) and assessed the likelihood of a coming recession. They also analyzed the supply chain and shared their view of whether lead times have returned to normal for most components and finished goods.
In addition, they advanced their opinion on the top technology trends influencing the physical and electronic security markets, particularly emphasizing AI as a catalyst for change and the need to embrace recurring monthly revenue. Plus, they offered their topline assessment of what kind of year 2023 was for security professionals. Finally, the panelists offered their boldest predictions and hottest hot takes for the year ahead.
Our editorial team looks forward to sharing more from the roundtable discussion soon.
Resideo leveraged the opportunity of CONNECT 2023 to debut its First Alert VX3 outdoor camera, boasting AI-infused analytics. (Photo by Dan Ferrisi)
Resideo CONNECT Product Launch
A clear Resideo CONNECT 2023 highlight was the Partner & Innovation Showcase, held on Nov. 2. Resideo brought together key partners and sponsors, including ADI, Kwikset and Brilliant, and highlighted technology advancements and the positive customer outcomes they are delivering.
Resideo leveraged the opportunity to debut its First Alert VX3 outdoor camera. According to Dwight Dumpert, senior director, product management – video solutions, Resideo, the camera is perfectly suited to both residential applications and SMB use. He demoed many of the features, emphasizing that the VX3 distinguishes itself with its AI-driven alerts, as well as its high-resolution, highly detailed video.
Gunther further reflects on the VX3 outdoor camera, reinforcing that the inbuilt analytics are the prime differentiator.
“We heard loud and clear [from our dealers] that we need the analytics because our customers want to know what’s happening,” he reports. “And they want to know the right things that are happening.”
By that, he means that Resideo recognizes an unmistakable reality: These days, all of us are plagued by excessive notifications on our phones.
Speaking of the VX3, Gunther declares, “Here is a device that you can really fine tune as a homeowner to get the notifications that are important to you.” That could mean the camera alerting the homeowner that it has detected a person, an animal, a package delivery, a vehicle or something else.
In short, with the First Alert VX3 outdoor camera, Resideo helps homeowners and business owners cut through the noise to find the signal and meet their needs.
Bestowing Awards at Resideo CONNECT
During Resideo CONNECT 2023, the company sought to honor security and HVAC professionals who made a difference in their communities.
Accordingly, Resideo presented two very special awards. Gunther, along with other Resideo leaders, such as Scott Harkins, Phil Theodore and Dana Huth, presented the 2023 Medal of Honor Award to Orlando Emergency Signal for its impact on the Resideo dealer community and the security industry. Marvin Smith accepted the accolade.
In addition, Security Central received the 2023 Making a Difference Award. The Security Central team was recognized for raising and giving more than $1 million to people in need around the globe.
Resideo also honored its professional partners with awards in marketing, product installation, indoor air quality (IAQ) and sales excellence. For information about who won in categories like 2023 Marketing Excellence, 2023 Residential Installation of the Year and 2023 Light Commercial Installation of the Year, click over to Resideo’s own write-up of the event.
In Conclusion
Resideo CONNECT might not be new — the beloved event has a decades-long history — but its value proposition for dealers, installers and integrators has never been clearer. This year’s iteration brought together 600-plus best-of-breed dealers from the physical and electronic security spaces, as well as the HVAC community.
And all of them came ready to learn from each other, support one another and grow their businesses. By all accounts, the event was a smashing success, with attendees already excited for next year.
For more information about the Resideo Premier Partner Program, go to Resideo.com/us/en/pro/Security-dealer. And don’t miss Resideo CONNECT 2024 next year, which will be held Nov. 7 to 10 at the JW Marriott Tampa Water Street in Tampa, Fla..
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About the Author
Dan Ferrisi, Group Editor, Commercial and Security
Dan Ferrisi has been a B2B editorial professional since November 2004, covering the audio, video, lighting and music industries since the beginning of his career. Getting his start with Sound & Communications, he ascended from assistant editor, to associate editor, to eventually lead editor. He served as editor-in-chief of Commercial Integrator from November 2021 through August 2023 before being promoted to group editor, commercial and security, gaining oversight responsibility of the Security Sales & Integration brand, as well.
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