April 13, 2011

Vector Security Takes Top Honors for Industry’s Best Website at 2011 SAMMY Awards


Vector Security was honored at the 2011 SAMMY Awards held Tuesday, April 5th in Las Vegas, NV, by capturing top honors for the industry's best website. The 2011 SAMMYs -- which in total received over 125 entries by the electronic security industry's top companies in a variety of advertising and marketing categories -- honors the best sales and marketing achievements produced by the industry. The event is hosted by Security Sales & Integration magazine, and this year marked the 15th consecutive year SSN hosted this competition.

According to Mike Grady, Vector Security's Executive Vice President, and David Merrick, Vector's Vice President of Marketing, the award reflects Vector's commitment to improve the company's position in a number of Internet-based marketing and public relations venues. "While we've had a company website since 1999, this latest revision of our site was a quantum leap from where we've been in the past," says Grady. Merrick adds that the website and other Internet-based marketing initiatives are part of the company's broader goal to capture more attention. "Since releasing our new site in the 4th quarter of 2010,
we've seen a marked increase in viewers who come to our website; but that's not the only Internet-based marketing initiative we're pursuing," adds Merrick. "We're combining that with improved social media presence, to include Facebook, Linked In, Twitter and a Vector Security You Tube channel. Additionally, we are developing aligned Facebook pages for Vector Security branch offices in larger geographic markets, and plan to soon add Wikipedia pages."

Vector's web improvement plans for the balance of 2011 include taking steps to further improve SEO performance numbers in over 80 geographic markets in which the company does business, adding RSS feeds and perhaps blogging capacity, and reformatting the website for optimal viewing on handheld devices. "As more and more people value the ability to access and navigate through websites from smart phones and web-enabled handheld devices, marketers will need to reformat their sites to allow that to happen. Otherwise they will diminish their ability to impact those who prefer using the fast-growing handheld information access devices."

The listing of website improvements Vector Security submitted to the 2011 SAMMY judges included the following:

Best Website Design: Vector Security website 2010 redesign

During 2010, Vector Security made significant improvements to our existing corporate website. First introduced in late 1999, Vector Security's initial website was replaced in August of 2006 and then replaced once more in August 2010. The design on our newest website version includes the following features:

Website Design Features
􀂃 A robust search engine optimization platform was developed for higher ranking performance
􀂃 The development includes an online reputation management platform for monitoring purposes
􀂃 The site utilizes Google Analytics at all levels
􀂃 Unique "Printable" pages and "Email a Friend" modules populate all pages

Goal 1: Additions to Web Content: One of the major goals of this update was to increase the level and quality of our web content, especially as it relates to providing consultative information and advice to both prospective residential and commercial buyers.

Goal 2: Increase Customer Communications Capabilities: The new website design also allows our customers to communicate requests and contact us for a variety of services, including scheduling service calls, system inspections, system moves, applying for insurance premium discounts, submitting referrals, requesting appointments, data changes or ACH billing needs.

Goal 3: Introduce Career Opportunities: Our third goal was to better use our website to attract new people to Vector Security and Vector Security Patrol. In order to do so, we offer prospective employees the ability to view job opportunities, submit applications and resumes, and download job descriptions. The career section also presents the individual career histories of nine VSI employees, who reflect highly successful long-term careers in sales, customer service, central station, installation, service and uniformed guard services.

New Informational Resources
a. Vector in the Community -- About Us Section of Website
This area of the website hosts information about the many types of community activities Vector Security participates in and supports. The goal of the information is to highlight our corporate contributions to worthy charitable causes within our branch office locations.

b. What our Industry Says -- Media Section of Website
This section highlights the opinions of specific industry advocacy groups and industry publications, relating to Vector Security. The content is designed to help position Vector Security as a responsible, highly praised industry leader by a series of non-partial third party groups.

c. Threats that Affect You -- Home Page -- Lower Left Section
In most cases, the reason why residential and commercial prospective alarm users invest in protection is in response to a direct or indirect experience with crime. Our "Threats That Affect You" section presents a series of modern-day security and safety threats and considerations of which people should be aware.

d. Real Customer Experiences -- Home Page -- Lower Left Section
When it comes to considering purchasing a home or business security system, the opinions of existing users can weigh heavily in a prospective customer's decision to choose one vendor over another. Our "Real Customer Experiences" section introduces the experiences of various Vector Security customers in key "moment of truth" scenarios such as alarm dispatching and quick response, communications with our central station, 2-way audio monitoring and a host of other experiences which test the veracity of our services.

e. Saving Lives & Saving Money -- Home Page -- Lower Left Section
This section introduces readers to the ways in which our services can save lives and money. Conversely speaking, the information also presents facts relative to the cost of crime in dollar figures and in lives.

f. How We Reduce False Alarms -- Home Page -- Lower Left Section
Since 2003, Vector Security has remained one of the strongest supporters of false alarm reduction policies and procedures both in word and in deed. As the recipient of the first industry PDQ award, a number of FARA and APCO awards and the 2008 SDM -- CSAA Central Station of the Year, Vector Security is uniquely positioned as a leader in false alarm reduction. We're proud to educate our prospective customers as to the importance of reducing false alarms and dispatches, and to assure them that we are working tirelessly to continue our efforts.

g. What’s Your Security Risk? -- Home Page -- Lower Left Section
This provides both residential and commercial prospective alarm purchasers with criteria under which they can better analyze their unique security needs.