You are the Sales Manager at DSOC, tell us about what your typical day looks like
My role at DSOC is very dynamic. I’m an ex-security systems engineer so my ‘go-to’ skill in sales is my technical knowledge.
I like to be involved in project conversations as early as possible in order to understand the full security solution and offer advice on better or more efficient systems and operations.
Typically, I work in the office at DSOC a couple of days a week, I work from home and I travel around the whole of the UK meeting our customers and prospects.
How important have CCTV Monitoring, ARC and RVRC been within the self storage industry?
Our recent European Innovation of The Year Award at FEDESSA 2022 came with a summary of our success and contribution.
I think the few sentences they put on the screen that night in Portugal are the best to summarise our success –
“DSOC have created a security monitoring service specifically tailored for self storage. Using AI and other monitoring technology they can identify intruders from customers. Their 24/7 monitoring has been instrumental in identifying criminals prior to and in the act of breaking into units’’.
Is there anything you have had to adapt to within the self storage industry?
We learned quite early on that the security systems are predominantly access control lead and therefore we needed close relations with the suppliers in that space
If you had to pick the greatest opportunities and challenges inside self-storage security - what would these be?
Challenges are certainly raising the standards across all forms of storage. Education via the SSA UK has been brilliant thus far and I’m confident that they’ll help the whole sector get there.
“Being proactive rather than reactive is vital. Opportunities are there for more automation and remote support than ever before. “
Most, if not all, security solutions now have an offsite management option, and we know first-hand that nearly every modern system can be remotely monitored.
How has marketing helped DSOC grow? & How fundamental is marketing for self storage operators?
Marketing via association membership, website branding, consistent messaging and online presence has been huge for us. When people within storage see ‘DSOC’, I believe they instantly associate our brand with security and monitoring.
We want to get to a place where seeing our signs or brand offers comfort to operators and deters criminals from even trying to break in.
Personally, my go-to is LinkedIn.
We are on a journey ourselves with SEO and intend to focus on this throughout 2023.
What has been DSOC’s most notable achievement to date? We’d love to hear about the positive impact you’ve made on the industry.
I’d say our FEDESSA 2022 award was the cherry on top.
Our biggest achievements have been the unquantifiable amounts of crimes we have prevented and deterred since 2020.
We have had successful arrests, we’ve stopped criminals in the act, we’ve scared them off with speaker warnings, and we have ultimately helped to protect sites, staff and assets.
The impact we have had on the sector is quite significant, I believe we have helped to raise the overall standard of security and monitoring within Self Storage in the whole of the UK.
If you were to give any new self-storage owner, 2-3 tips what would those be? (It could be marketing, security, or operations)
Security, Security, Security 😊
1. Engage with a security supplier early, well ahead of the build phase of any new stores and ahead of any acquisition takeovers.
2. Educate yourselves on the technology and terminologies within security, the SSA will be able to help with myth busters and terminology descriptions. I’m happy to help in my current position as Chair of the Security Sector Forum.
3. Ensure clarity amongst your staff with regards to your assignment instructions and operating procedures for your security systems, suppliers and ultimately, and hopefully, your remote monitoring.
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