Lynne Allen (nee Reed), Aiphone UK’s Area Sales Manager for the Midlands and North West of England, will be a familiar face to many who receive our Newsletters. Lynne has worked within the electronic security industry since 2001 and has previously worked for BC Technology.
Twelve months on from joining Aiphone UK Ltd, we asked Lynne for her views on the company.
Q: Lynne, what do you think has been the major factor which has helped you achieve sales growth in your area?
A: There is no doubt that the decision to open a local office in the UK has made it much easier to persuade installers, systems integrators and distributors that Aiphone is committed to the UK market and to deliver the highest levels of pre and post sales support.
Equally important, on a day-to-day basis, by having our warehouse, administration and technical support teams based locally under one roof, Aiphone is able to be far more flexible and responsive to urgent pricing and delivery requests, as well as providing technical support.
Q: Other than the products, is there anything that Aiphone does that helps it stand out from the crowd?
A: Offering a 3 year warranty is significant, as it demonstrates the confidence we have in the reliability of our intercom and video door entry products. As such, we are able to give installers peace of mind and the confidence to recommend Aiphone solutions to their clients.
Q: Are there any Aiphone products proving to be particularly popular with installers?
A: I have recently seen an increase in the sale of GT systems. This is not perhaps surprising as I have been involved in quoting for a large number of student accommodation projects. The GT series is ideal for these types of projects as it is a highly flexible solution that can be easily expanded.
With more distributors coming on board, I have also seen an increase in the sale of JO video door entry kits. These are highly affordable, aesthetically attractive and come with a 7” monitor with touch controls. JO kits are very easy to install as they only require two wires and so we are seeing our distributors recommending them to installers who may not have much experience of installing door entry systems.
All Aiphone products are selling well but if I was to pick out one other solution, it would be the JP video door entry system. This is a relatively new to the Aiphone range. It is attracting interest because of its ability to provide Pan, Tilt and Zoom (PTZ) camera control and has a ‘picture memory’ feature which enables images to be recorded onto an SD/SDHC card.
Q: Other than student accommodation projects which you have previously mentioned, are there any other particular types of projects that you find yourself dealing with on a daily basis?
A: It constantly varies and it is one of the reasons that I find my job so interesting. Aiphone is able to offer customers with a solution for virtually any intercom or video door entry application, regardless of size or complexity. This is because our product range includes simple one to one door entry kits through to complex microprocessor-based IP commercial systems, as well as sophisticated video entry security systems for luxury apartment buildings.
Q: Describe a typical day in the life of Lynne Allen.
A: There is no such thing as every day is always different, although throughout a working week I can be expected to spend most of my time ‘on the road’ making field visits in support of installers, systems integrators and distributors. In addition to helping with site surveys, product demonstrations and training, I provide guidance on the best Aiphone products for specific projects.
