Dear Readers:
Ending the year on a happy note starts you off fresh for a new year. First, a very healthy and prosperous holiday season to all.
The facelift given to Security Dealer this month is a perfect example of how updating your image makes you feel good. A shout out to Art Director Colleen Kelly--awesome job.
Uncovering a new business opportunity can also start your year off right. Here's one to consider: very few job sites today are protected by security systems. One way to try get in good with contractors and begin a relationship is to first contact them about security at their existing job sites. Industry findings estimate the annual loss on construction job sites is more than a $1 billion due to lack of security. It is the #1 concern among professional contractors and other construction end users.
The financial impact of job site theft and vandalism affects the bottom line of both commercial and residential contractors. The National Association of Home Builders recently reported that residential job site losses account for an annual 1%-2% increase in the cost of building a new home.
In a study by tool maker DEWALT of more than 200 end users on job sites across the country and from an independent research company, which polled more than 1,500 construction end users and buyers, job site security and the resulting loss of productivity is the #1 concern. The studies also identified the following key statistics, further illustrating today's job site security problem:
- 97% of construction industry professionals surveyed ? end users, buyers, project managers, etc. ? are concerned about job site security;
- Tool theft, material theft, and truck/van protection are the top three types of job site losses;
- More than 50% of those surveyed have had equipment stolen in the past 12 months;
- More than 75% of job site theft occurs at night and on weekends;
- 77% of job sites have experienced theft up to five times each year over the past three years.
According to the American Insurance Services Group, "Security on construction sites should be a major concern for all contractors. The total losses due to theft and vandalism on sites have been increasing dramatically over the past decade."
DEWALT's research findings found that less than 15% of job sites have identified an effective alarm system or other solution. The fact that job site security is a major concern, but so few contractors are addressing that concern, presents a genuine opportunity for dealers waiting to jump start 2005.
