Aftermarket - where the real solutions and sales are.

"You need what? Tell me, again, the voltage for the magnet. Do you need a power supply with that device? Was the 7100 electric strike fail-safe or fail-secure?"

In today's world of electrified builders' hardware, these questions are asked more often than some might think. If you want to be an effective and complete supplier of hardware, then you should be able to answer questions like these and supply the product as well.

The use of electronic products and products whose mechanical functions are now electrified is commonplace. Those distributors who can supply a mechanical product and who are also well-versed in the application of electrified products provide a real value-added service to their customers. Just as the computer has become a necessary tool in today's world, so, too, have electrified products become viable options for solving problems in door openings.

How do electrified products get sold?

The basics of selling electrified hardware are the same as selling mechanical hardware. A customer must be aware of his or her options in order to make the best choice. A salesperson must be aware of the product, know its application, be able to sell it at a market-acceptable price, convince the customer it is the best solution to the opening and, finally, be able to deliver the product in an acceptable time frame. This is basic selling - for mechanical products as well as electronic products.

New construction offers the chance to sell the "latest and greatest" products to all types of customers - the architect designing a building, the owner who will have to live with his or her choice of product, and the general contractor who will install the product. If the general contractor is not willing to do the extra work that might be required to install an electrified product, the product might be removed from the approved schedule. Substituted in its place will be something more familiar to the installation crew, but not necessarily in line with what the owner wants.

Changing building code requirements may dictate the need for different products. New products are often developed as solutions to problems in particular openings. If the "authority having jurisdiction" is convinced that a product provides the best solution, then a product has a much better chance of being sold.

Manufacturers' representatives and factory personnel are often charged with introducing new products to the marketplace. Products introduced at national sales meetings with great fanfare must subsequently be taken locally and sold to prospective clients. Getting accepted as an approved product will mean being listed in an upcoming specification. The contract hardware dealer will then have to be instructed on how to bid the product, make sure the necessary complementary products are included and ensure the specified products will work for the owner as well as the general contractor and as intended by the architect.

The aftermarket is another avenue for the introduction and sale of electrified products. As new construction has ebbed and flowed, the sale of mechanical and electrified products to existing buildings has become an increasingly significant opportunity. Any hardware distributor who either works directly with building maintenance personnel or supplies their customers who sell to existing buildings knows the aftermarket is ripe for the sale of electrified hardware.

The reasons for these increasing sales opportunities are varied. Buildings that are in the midst of renovation and must be upgraded to current fire code will have to purchase and install electrified hardware to obtain a certificate of occupancy. Code upgrades to include the sale of upgraded hardware are not to be ignored.

Replacement of existing hardware for tenant improvement work is another area in which aftermarket sales abound. Depending on the scope of the work, a full set of plans may be available, or, alternatively, detailing the upgrade with the building supervisor may be enough to order and install electrified products that would be integrated into a building access control system. As new tenants sign leases to move into already existing facilities, they expect "state-of-the-art" access if they are expected to pay current leasing rates.

Electrified products may be required on existing buildings to meet ADA requirements. This landmark legislation spiked the use of lever handles for trim on locks. The sale of electrified products such as power-operators/door closers, electric strikes and related access control products also increased due to this legislation. Failure to comply with this law means the building owner may be subject to costly litigation and fines. Enabling buildings to meet the needs of the impaired also means opportunities for the sale of upgraded products.

Typical products sold into the aftermarket

As you are aware, the focus of this article and the focus of many businesses today is the aftermarket. Sales opportunities abound when selling to building managers who need expertise in solving their code and accessibility problems. They need expertise in knowing how to solve a problem and what the options are. Those options include knowing what products can be used to meet the needs of the facilities manager and the building tenants. When the application is solved and product is needed, the hardware distributor can then begin to earn the business from the customer.

Many different products are sold into the aftermarket. Some are more easily sold than others, and the reasons vary. Let's take a look at some of the more common products sold.

Exit devices. Coupling an exit device with an exit alarm is a typical application on perimeter doors. These are easy to install and are generally applied to commercial facilities where security is a concern. More elaborate installations tie in building monitor and control systems. Integrating devices into a facilities management system will require the expertise of not only the hardware supplier but also the on-site electricians. Along with the exit device, a variety of switches, controllers and power supplies need to be sold as a package to operate the opening as intended.

Electric strikes. Use of an electric strike to control admittance to a building or an area within a building is common. Remotely controlling the opening provides a more convenient means of controlling the traffic flow through a facility. Increasing the security level of a building usually increases the amount of work required. Using an electric strike with remote control access makes for greater convenience in the control of secure areas. Installation of electric strikes is not difficult, as these are low-voltage products and fit into common frame preparations.

Locks. The use of electrified locks and magnetic locks has become increasingly common. These are generally used when buildings employ a greater degree of security and are often integrated into "full-blown" access control systems. Depending on the need for security, many lock manufacturers offer electrified versions of their Grade I cylindrical locks as well as mortise locks. Common applications for these products are stairtower doors, office doors, classrooms and cashier stations as well as pharmaceutical and storage areas in medical facilities. Energized by a power supply with power transferred by an electrified pivot or hinge, electrified locks provide the additional level of security required.

Though these are sophisticated in design and effective in application, electrified locks can be installed in standard mechanical mortise lock preparations. Mechanical cylinder override is an option if specified by the building owner.

As you can surmise, there arc a variety of products containing some intelligence/logic, or the products can be merely electrified to perform a mechanical operation. Some products are stand-alone and do not require integration into a building's electrical system, as in a battery-operated exit alarm. Others are more sophisticated in design and require advanced planning for use in an access control system. It is the job of the hardware supplier to help determine what products are best for an installation. The same questions must always be asked to arrive at the right product solution: What do you want to accomplish? What building codes apply? How much do you want to spend? When do you need the product?

How do I sell in the aftermarket?

The answer to this basic question must be answered before you embark on what could be a new venture. Are your current customers asking you to provide electronic service and expertise? If so, the opportunity may be more imminent than you think.

Before venturing into the field of electronic hardware, the hardware supplier must first determine the sales and profit potential versus the investment cost. Do you want to be a systems supplier who must not only supply products but also help design the system? If the answer is yes, then a significant investment must be made in either hiring the right people or retraining existing employees, or both. The answer to this strategic question will determine your resource requirements.

Most hardware distributors are quite knowledgeable in mechanical hardware and its application. The majority of distributors selling electronic or electrified products are not systems specialists. Rather, they supply components to a system and offer advice on how to handle a few openings. Just as they can schedule an opening for mechanical hardware on typical sets, distributors today need to understand the needs of the opening and how to integrate electronic/electrified products into these typical sets/openings. Using electronic hardware does require more thought and understanding of how the components of an opening are intended to work. But with the training available today on national and local levels, gaining the expertise needed is a real possibility.

Specifications for new construction contain a great deal of electronic or electrified hardware. It is the norm today to have a power supply near an opening that energizes a number of components. New construction specifications require a degree of electrical hardware knowledge to successfully bid and supply hardware.

The aftermarket requires that same level of knowledge plus a greater degree of creativity. Circumstances dictate what products can be supplied and how they are to be integrated. Knowing the design of a building, the products available and the requirements of the building owner are key to being successful in supplying products to the aftermarket.

Toward 2000

We all have heard of the problems created by the initial design of computer software and the impending "Year 2000" issue. Programmers had not considered the implications of designating the year in two digits instead of four. This problem has created a whole new industry niche for computer programmers who are clever enough to have developed solutions to this problem.

The same applies to the hardware industry. Electronic and electrified products are readily available. When doing a retrofit, building owners want to have the latest products available to meet their needs. It is the job of the hardware supplier to evaluate what best meets the needs of the opening and put together what is in the best interest of the customer/building owner. Those distributors who are versed in electronic and electrified products have the opportunity to differentiate their services from their competition. This knowledge will help hardware distributors gain a sales advantage and provide real value to their customers.

Do you want to sell electronic products to your customers? The buildings you service - your customers - are the aftermarket. You should be selling to them that which is best available to meet their needs. Electronic/electrified hardware, while probably expensive, may provide the best solution to the opening. If you don't offer electrified hardware to your customer, someone else will. That is why selling to the aftermarket - to your customers - is not an option but something you must do. The electronic age is evident all around us. Why should hardware be any different?