By: Kelly Bond, Davis Mergers & Acquisitions
Featuring: Jake Voll, Founder & President, SS&S
Running a business can be deeply rewarding, but it comes with its own set of challenges and stressors, often resulting in sleepless nights—particularly for business owners in the security industry who operate around the clock and around the country. Juggling responsibilities like managing finances, keeping employees engaged and productive and ensuring customer satisfaction can create intense pressure and anxiety. In the months ahead, I’ll continue spotlighting different business owners as they discuss challenges that keep them awake at night and the strategies they’re using to overcome them.
This month I have had the pleasure of speaking with Jake Voll, President of SS&SI Dealer Network, a Florida-based company which distributes security and low-voltage products. Jake was also a recent honoree for Security Industry Association’s (SIA) “25 on the RISE”
Kelly: What’s one thing you find that keeps you up at night?
Jake: False alarms keep me up at night. Traditionally, an alarm is reported to the central station and the central station reports that condition to their subscriber and PSAP, when necessary. But a reported alarm event could be a single zone–an opened door or a triggered motion detector with very little information. False alarms and the resulting unnecessary dispatches are rampant, and the prevalence of them has translated into “slow response” and “no response” in many areas of the country. People pay alarm companies to send the good guys in a hurry when they need them most. I worry that many alarm companies have been slow to adopt new technology that could reduce false alarms and help prioritize dispatch in real emergencies. Most of our dealer partners are traditional alarm companies who have enjoyed a relatively static state of alarm monitoring and police response for decades.
Kelly: How have you worked to overcome it?
Jake: I’m proud to be a voting member of the Security Industry Standards Council (SISC), which is the balanced consensus body that votes on proposed standards that are being considered from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and The Monitoring Association (TMA). It was an honor to be part of the approval process for TMA-AVS-01 because it will improve the integrity of alarm events and the priority in which they should be responded to.
In a nutshell, AVS-01 creates a scoring system for alarms. At the risk of understating that, it’s important to understand that this new standardized method of creating an alarm scoring, or classification metric, for unauthorized human activity detected by alarm systems will better assist law enforcement with resource allocation and “Call for Service” prioritization.
Now the mission is to help our dealers to understand the standard and the long-term impact of scoring alarms. And through collaboration with our partner manufacturers, platform providers, and wholesale monitoring centers, my team and I are working to educate dealers on the latest technology that will help them achieve the highest score possible on actual alarm events while quickly filtering out false alarms.
Kelly: You utilize a variety of Social Media channels to not only build your brand, but also to bring together other folks into the conversation of working toward the greater good of the industry. How do you feel that these platforms can help other business owners rest easier at night?
Jake: Business owners often feel isolated as they navigate the challenges of running a business. That includes the owners of alarm companies. By cultivating online communities like our “Burglar Alarms Online” Facebook group, we’ve been able to engage alarm industry professionals in meaningful conversations. And many alarm company owners use our groups to crowdsource solutions to the problems they’re struggling with. I think everyone sleeps better knowing they’re not alone with their problems and that there are folks out there who are willing to help.
Kelly: What advice do you offer other business owners?
Jake: My advice may be a bit of a cliche…whatever you do, do it well. It’s important to stay up to date on the latest technology and to also be involved in the important conversations within our industry. As business owners, we have a responsibility to our customers, our employees, and all those who rely on us to be successful. That requires a commitment to best practices, an eagerness to learn, and a willingness to embrace change.
Like Jake, business owners face countless challenges that can cause sleepless nights. The key to finding solutions lies in recognizing these stressors and taking action. By collaborating closely with his team to establish and achieve goals both within the company and in the marketplace, Jake is successfully managing growth opportunities and alleviating potential stressors.
Thanks, Jake, for sharing with us!
Stay tuned for next month’s article
About Kelly:
Kelly Bond brings over twenty-five years of industry experience to her clients. Recently inducted into the Security Sales and Integration Hall of Fame in 2024 at ISC West, she currently serves as Partner with Davis Mergers and Acquisitions Group, representing buyers and sellers of Alarm and Integration companies.
About Jake:
Jake is the Founder and President of SS&Si Dealer Network, an independent distribution company that offers competitive pricing, private labeling, fast shipping, marketing support, vendor programs, and funding options. He also serves as the Associate Director for the Integrators Association of Florida (IAF) as well as the on the Marketing and Communications Committee for The Monitoring Association(TMA). He completed his Bachelors of Arts from Rollins College.