星空传媒

So much for those pundits a few years ago who said the computer age would mean a paperless workplace! We all hate it, but, as far as your quotes and spec sheets are concerned, it鈥檚 crucial to get it right. Your quotes can make or break your business, but according to our Mike Lynskey (and he should know because he sees so many examples) a lot of them serve to put off your potential customer rather than bring you the business. So how should your quotes be worded and how should you present your company? On page 13 Mike takes you through some basic guidelines, and you may be surprised to hear that, contrary to the old adage to set out your stall in the best possible light right at the start, you should refrain from boasting about how good you are. Blowing your own trumpet can be counter productive, he says, and gives examples of how it鈥檚 lost customers. Of course, you鈥檙e proud of your company and want to shout about it, so you may disagree with him. If you do, we鈥檇 like to hear your opinion. Write or email to our Mailbox at the address on page 3.

The judging has been done and the finalists have been announced. Yes, the Security Excellence Awards are here again. Our prestigious event will be held on October 13 at the Hilton Hotel in Park Lane, London, and the evening promises to be an even more glittering event than last year. With the move to the Hilton, we are able to stage the awards during Securex when so many security VIPs are already in London. And this year we are well on the way to topping the 650 attendance of last year. These awards, which cover the whole of the industry 鈥� not just installation and products 鈥� have become the undisputed 鈥淥scars鈥� of security and the event is now a pivotal one in the calendar. We had so many high calibre entries this year that the judging process was made a truly difficult task. Those on the shortlist (see page 7) should be proud indeed. One category, Best Manufacturer, is still to be announced, as the winner is chosen after a vote by our 鈥渁cademy鈥� of 40 top installers and 40 consultants. To those who made the shortlist, well done. And if you鈥檙e in the running for a really great 鈥渂lack tie鈥� night out with a fun theme 鈥� especially if you鈥檙e going to Securex 鈥� why not book a place or table? (See page 39 for booking details.)

With competition so intense, many installers are eager to find other profitable areas in which to expand business. Regular readers will have seen many features along these lines in recent months ... gate automation, home automation, locksmithing, first response, covert security etc. This month we look at fencing. You might think it鈥檚 a bit too physical for your company, but then quite a few companies have gone into gate automation and found that the offputting task of sinking the automator equipment in the ground is not as difficult as they鈥檇 imagined. Our feature (on page 53) gives practical advice on how you can go into this closely related area ... after all, it鈥檚 the first line of de-fence, if you know what I mean.