‘Any fool can know. The point is to understand.’ – Albert Einstein.
We have access to more information that any previous generation but turning this into actionable and valuable understanding is a challenge. Education and skills are powerful tools for any organization – including those in the surveillance industry – ensuring that employees are equipped with the knowledge they need to effectively complete tasks and add value to customer interactions. The Axis Communications Academy has acted as an industry resource since its inception in 2005, and in this article we look into the philosophy and benefits of the partner training offered by Axis.
Knowledge as the foundation for success
The surveillance industry is constantly changing, as new use cases and technologies arise. Remaining at the forefront of these developments can be challenging. Customers expect every company representative to possess deep and thorough knowledge – not only of the product, but of industry-wide and sector-specific challenges. Creating a team of experts requires continuous investment and a commitment to training. The right program will improve the business in a number of areas, including:
- Enhanced customer relationships: Equipping staff with the most relevant and actionable knowledge will help to forge deeper relationships with customers and improve trust. Partners need this expertise to fortify their conversations with customers, helping them to speak intelligently about the best solutions to solve customer issues and needs. They can also educate their customers on how to get the best out of their solutions. Ultimately, a knowledgeable team will have a positive impact on customer retention, growth and advocacy.
- A more compelling proposition: A more knowledgeable and skilled workforce will not only improve relationships with existing customers, it will enable a more compelling proposition with prospects. Employees understanding broader security sector issues and able to advise on the most relevant solutions for specific needs, will result in higher levels of sales conversion.
- Strengthened employer branding: In addition to improving partner’s relationships with customers, having a robust training program improves the business’ reputation in the industry. Prioritising workforce training reflects a company’s dedication to investment in staff, which has the benefit of improving employee morale. Externally, a good training program is one of the factors that recruitment candidates will evaluate prospective employers on. Therefore, incorporating industry-leading training and focusing on upskilling workers will have a positive impact on attracting talent.
- Deeper knowledge and skills: Although partners will already have a team of qualified personnel, training will help to strengthen their practical skills and technical knowledge. This allows the business to improve its competitive edge and maximize opportunities in the market.
Training based on decades of experience
Considering the importance of good training to business success, Axis Communications formed the Academy as a way to educate partners not only on the Axis solutions and the technology behind them, but on the challenges within the video surveillance industry in general. This ensures that the content is not solely vendor-specific and fits the wider context of current trends in the market. In addition, partner employees can become certified following training, adding a professional, industry-recognised qualification to their roster.
Also founded in 2005, Axis Communications partner, Stone Security has used the Academy extensively and its co-founder and CTO Aaron Heiner Simpson, highlights its value: “Bringing in-depth knowledge to a customer interaction helps bring the conversation to another level. Our customers expect us to act as advisors and having the ability to provide intelligent solutions to their challenges is vital to our role. We can only do this if we have the right skills and expertise.
“The training available through the Axis Communications Academy allows us to help our customer base maximise the value that these solutions deliver to their business beyond the basic functionality, and ultimately improving ROI. If organizations buy video surveillance solutions and simply rely on the default settings, as many do, they’ll gain a limited number of the potential benefits – it’s a little like buying a sports car but driving it like a hatchback!
“Though there is a wealth of training available beyond that specifically related to certification, we do now require every new tech in our organization to become certified through the Academy. Having this tool in our arsenal has acted as a key differentiator for us in the market, both with prospective customers and job candidates.”
Value for businesses increases
The video surveillance landscape is only becoming more crowded and competitive. Businesses must leverage every asset they have to attract the right talent and grow their customer base. Workforce training will continue to be a key contributing factor for the success of businesses. It’s critical to invest time and resources in the right type of training, to equip staff with the skills and knowledge they need to perform in their role and add value to their interactions. In this way, businesses will ensure they are in the best position to withstand market disruptions, deepen customer relationships and ultimately achieve their goals.
As Stone Security’s Heiner Simpson concludes: “The Axis Communications Academy is exactly what we’d expect from a high-quality vendor. It demonstrates the maturity of Axis, and reflects the standards seen throughout the company’s products and solutions.”