On the Scene at GSX: Aiphone has simple security message
Aiphone has a simple message at GSX 2022: The company delivers a superior security experience.
This comes from its years of experience in delivering superior customer service and tech support, says Brad Kamcheff, marketing manager with Aiphone, as well as superior products.
Aiphone will showcase several new products on the show floor that Kamcheff says advance the company’s message:
The IX-DVM mullion-mount IP video door station is part of the company’s IX Series of intercom systems. It allows for mounting on a narrow door frame mullion.
“It has touch-free call in,” Kamcheff says. “It has a low-light camera built into it, and it's really easy to set up and install.” Best of all: It’s available. “It isn’t affected at all by any of the chip shortages, so we have them ready and in stock.”
Newly available is a product aimed firmly at making things easier for security pros — The IX Series Simple Starter Set. It’s a self-contained starter kit aimed at making it easy for customers to move to an IP-based intercom system. The kit includes a master station, a video door station and a PoE switch.
“One of the things that we’ve heard about from our customer base is there there’s some hesitation in people to go from the analog systems into IP-based systems,” Kamcheff says. “With the IP, it seems like people either embrace it or they’re just really standoffish.”
The way around that, he adds, is to take the guesswork out of the installation. The system is preprogrammed, so it’s ready to install and use out of the box.
“It’s almost the equivalent of an analog piece: You get the kit, hook up your RJ45 cables, plug it in and it works,” Kamcheff says. “We’ll be showcasing that quite a bit, hopefully to get some of the smaller installers and those people who wouldn’t normally want to delve into the world of IP to take a chance on it. It’s really not so bad.”
Tower of Power
One new product that won’t be at GSX but definitely will part of Aiphone’s message during the trade show is the company’s new one-piece aluminum emergency station tower, which comes in two variations.
The lightweight towers are powder-coated blue and marked with either large “EMERGENCY” or “ASSISTANCE” reflective lettering down the side, depending on the model. The towers will house an IX Series emergency station and a large blue beacon that strobes during emergency calls. The towers are aimed at campus settings, including educational, healthcare and government institutions.
The new aluminum towers also address requirements for customers of different stripes.
“It’s lot more economically friendly” than are other similar towers made of steel, Kamcheff says. “It’s less expensive to build, so it’s less expensive for our dealers and our end users. But it’s also light, so it’s a lot less expensive to ship.” And, because it’s all one piece, there’s only one part number. “So, it’s really simple to order.”
Aiphone’s message of service also is directed to older customers who aren’t necessarily looking to upgrade their system. Tenants who have a legacy intercom system installed in their multitenant building soon will get a new convenient feature: mobile app operation.
That feature will come from a retrofit unit expected to be unveiled during the show. After the unit is installed, tenants will be able to operate their intercom and answer the door through their smartphone.
“It allows [building managers] to add apps to where you wouldn’t normally be able to add apps in the past,” Kamcheff says.
To see all of Aiphone’s security solutions at GSX, go to Booth No. 2361 at the Georgia World Congress in Atlanta.
Will Christensen is senior editor of Locksmith Ledger International.
