“Some Manufacturers are a Nightmare to Contact” – Installer Q&A

Speaking to IFSEC Global, Ric Martin, technical manager at Sensory Secure in Macclesfield, Cheshire, also implored inexperienced installers to “step outside of their comfort zone to try new things.”

IFSEC Global: Hello Ric. What does your role entail?

Ric Martin: I specialise in the sales, design and management of high-end residential and marine systems in the UK and worldwide.

IG: How long have you been in this industry and what did you do before?

RM: I have been in the security industry for around 12 years now and before that I worked for a weapons and ammunitions supplier, which was pretty interesting.

IG: Why did you become an installer?

RM: I’ve always had a passion for technology so wanted a career in a field that allowed me to work with gadgets and technology. It was only a chance meeting of my now wife and a friend of a friend that led me into the security industry. I was all fired up to go back to uni and study civil engineering but I saw an opportunity, took it and never looked back.

IG: What, if any, are your career plans in the coming years?

RM: I’m lucky in that I have a fairly clear career plan and that is to keep pushing myself into new and exciting markets and technology.

Being the technical manager at Sensory allows me to progress with that as I have a great team to work with and a fantastic network of contacts that help get me where I’m going. Fifteen years from now I’m hoping to be involved in security systems on oil pipelines, international banks and cities as well as the largest vessels in the ocean.

IG: If you could give one tip to an inexperienced installer what would it be?

RM: Don’t be scared to ask for help and step outside of your comfort zone to try new things.

There are a lot of good people out there who are happy to help and if they are anything like me, enjoy helping. Only the other day I had a message via Linkedin about protecting a 4km trestle and I got back to them straight away with a few ideas. This kind of help and support enables people to try new things, which in my eyes is the best way to learn and progress in the industry.

IG: How has the role of an installer changed over the years?

RM: In my opinion the biggest change over the years has been the migration over to more IP-based systems. An installer not only needs to understand the fundamentals of the security industry but also have a good working knowledge of networking and communication protocol.

IG: What is the most exciting area of the industry right now in your opinion?

RM: The thing that is getting me excited at the moment is the high level of integration now possible in the IP age. Whether it’s within a manufacturer’s range or custom software that you have written, you can really get creative nowadays and create fantastic systems with huge performance, fantastic reliability and which are simple to use for the end user.

IG: What is the most frustrating thing about the security industry right now and why?

RM: One thing that frustrates me the most is the level of support you sometimes get from manufacturers. Not mentioning any names but two major manufacturers we use are a nightmare to get hold of due to their call-back or email systems.

Only the other day I had an issue on site, but I had no signal inside, so I had to keep coming outside to check for signal and hope they’d ring back – only to find an answer machine message telling me to call back. I call back and low and behold: they’re busy and someone will call me back!

Another time recently, I logged a call with a different manufacturer, then waited three days for a response. Good job I was only enquiring about swan-neck compatibility.

IG: What could the installation sector do better as an industry in your opinion?

RM: Working in the high-end residential and marine markets I’ve learnt the aesthetics of the equipment is always important. A product needs to blend in, which has leaded us to some interesting custom finishes with interior designers.

With this in mind it would be nice if manufacturers could spend more time and money providing a more elegant solution for some of their product lines. I realise this probably isn’t the requirement for the mass market but someone is missing a trick for the custom market.

IG: Have you ever considered diversifying into fire installation? 

RM: Fire has always been at the back of my mind and I would love to get into it, but something always gets in the way and it goes on the back burner again. So you never know, maybe one day.

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