Alejandro Rodríguez, regional sales director for Mexico and Central America of the Avigilon company, is our guest as professional of the month in this edition of SECURITY SALES.
By Santiago Jaramillo Hincapié
Alejandro Rodríguez was born on January 22, 1971, in Autlán de Navarro, Jalisco, Mexico, a city very famous for its Carnival and bullfighting. He spent his childhood there with his family and pursued his basic education until high school, when he decided he wanted to become an engineer. At that time he had to leave his family and move to Guadalajara to study Electromechanical Engineering. It was 1989.
"When I was close to graduating, personal computers took off and I was immediately drawn to everything related to information technology," says Rodríguez, who began working for the Department of Academic Computing at the University of Guadalajara. "I remember I had my first email address around 1993, even though I didn't have a lot of people to write to because it wasn't common to have email at the time," he says.
Our Professional of the Month graduated in 1994, with the best average of the class, President of the Generation and Recognition of Academic Excellence.
His first formal job was as a computer network administrator, providing network maintenance, computer equipment and training to end users, nothing related to his training as an Electrical Mechanical Engineer. Three years after finishing school, Alejandro decided he wanted to work on something related to his career, so he quit his job as an IT administrator and became a smart building sales and security executive at the company Sistemas Digitales de Guadalajara.
"Air conditioning control and energy efficiency are quite interesting fields, but what captivated me the most were the video surveillance and access control systems. It was 1998, the best technology available at that time were analog cameras, recording in VCRs through multiplexers and nothing was connected to a computer network, "he says.
Alejandro, who has been in the security industry for more than 14 years, currently works for the Avigilon company and serves as Regional Sales Director for Mexico and Central America, remembers with emotion when the first network cameras were presented. "At that time it was more of a curiosity, a photo every four seconds or something, but it was wonderful to watch video on a computer over the network. They were the first signs of two markets coming together: IT and physical security, Rodriguez said.
As for his connection to the security industry, Alejandro Rodríguez relates that it happened around 1999, when he left the intelligent buildings part of digital systems and joined Richardson Electronics, a distributor of electronic security equipment that had a presence in Mexico for some years.
"It was during that time that I got to know the industry in more detail. Two years later I received an invitation from Mario Ramírez, Guillermo Palma and Brent Douglass to join Crockett International, a company representing brands for the Latin American market, as Technical Support. In those days we were only four people for the entire Mexican territory."
Alejandro worked ten years for Crockett International, and had the opportunity to learn more about IP products that included video encoders and recording software. He remembers quite a few good projects he did in those days, his early experience with IT systems and computer networks proved very useful and helped him to understand in depth the perspective of IT administrators when working on projects implementing electronic security systems.
"I had the opportunity to grow within Crockett International, from Technical Support to Technical Manager, then Sales for the West and later as Sales Manager for all of Mexico. At that time I lived the unique experience of witnessing the transition of our industry, from videocassette and multiplexers to DVRs (Digital Video Recorders), then the early stages of standard resolution IP video systems, later Megapixel IP systems and currently Super High Definition video solutions, "emphasizes Alejandro Rodríguez, who comments that the frequent complaints of customers regarding the lack of recorded evidence of good quality, a situation that seems a distant memory with Avigilon technology available today.
In 2012, Alejandro started in a new role as CEO of Avances Tecnológicos, a distributor highly specialized in wireless data transport and infrastructure solutions.
"I am currently collaborating as Regional Sales Director at Avigilon, a company born in 2004 as a provider of complete video solutions in High Definition. It's a young player in the market but our value proposition is really powerful. We pride ourselves on providing the best High Definition technology in the industry, easy to use and with an excellent cost/benefit ratio. Our 24/7 technical support is also a fundamental part of our success", underlines our Professional of the Month.
SECURITY SALES: What challenges do you face in technology, as a manager and in the relationship with your subordinates and collaborators?
ALEJANDRO RODRIGUEZ: Collaboration, good communication and flexibility are key to success in our ever-changing market. We need to be able to collaborate wherever we are, at any time and adapt to the needs and priorities of our clients. Our "office" is anywhere with cell phone coverage and internet access. Keeping our team focused on results, highly motivated, with current, relevant and correct information, on a constant basis, is critical to our success. We need the right combination of technology and human capital to achieve our goals.
VDS: In a nutshell: what, or what are the objectives that a manager must achieve in the field of a security company? In the same vein: what, or what are the comprehensive goals (for customers and employees) that a security integration company should have?
AR: In my opinion, as Managers we exist to serve. We have an obligation to consider the needs of our customers at all times and seek to offer them the necessary help. We cannot forget that we are specialists in our field and when someone approaches us looking for a solution, they are looking for our professional support to help them solve their problems. We have to provide a solid team of professionals who work very well together, with a clear focus on providing an exceptional service to our clients. I have seen many companies create great products and fail due to unwillingness to serve their customers. My challenge as a Manager is to create a focused, highly skilled team with clear objectives for them and pay special attention to their needs, removing any obstacles to their success.
VDS: Latin America has normalized economically: there are greater capital flows and foreign investors are turning their eyes to the region. How do you see the immediate future and possibilities for industry expansion in the region?
AR: I see a positive scenario for our market in the region. Mexico is coming out of a rut due to changes in government and modifications to our taxes, I am confident that 2015 will be a great year for everyone. When organizations have a small budget they need to make investments strategically, which makes Avigion an excellent choice because our solutions are of high quality, extremely easy to use, and provide our customers with an excellent ROI. Additionally, our customers are increasingly aware that they require better security solutions and many organizations are looking for the best alternatives.
VDS: What, from your point of view, is the evolution that the security industry has had in your country in the years you have been working in it? What are the particularities of the electronic security industry in your country from the point of view of the technologies that are demanded and offered, the needs of customers and the solutions offered by companies?
AR: Our industry is evolving at great speed. – new solutions that incorporate streaming over IP, high-definition video, integration with standard information technologies, all this is having a tremendous impact. Integrators have a strong challenge ahead to evolve and incorporate these new technologies into their product portfolio. Integrators who only sell analog systems with DVRs will soon be relegated to a small market segment with little growth and low margins. To remain competitive, integrators need to learn more about IP solutions and train their staff appropriately.
VDS: What is your opinion regarding the education, training and updating of all personnel working in the field of security integration?
AR: Technology in the security industry is evolving at great speed now that our industry is strongly connected to the Information Technology sector. As manufacturers, we play an important role as coaches for our customers but "brand independent" training is also necessary. Organizations like WINGS and ASIS play a key role in ensuring that our industry is kept up to date and properly trained.
In my opinion, training materials need to be constantly reviewed to include the latest innovations on the market and train for the future, not the past. At Avigilon, we take our training program very seriously and work hard to keep our materials and methods informative, interesting and up to date.
VDS: How do you see the future of the security industry in your country when it comes to threats, demand and technological applications?
AR: I believe that the security industry will continue to grow well throughout Latin America. I expect to see a significant number of startups coming to market but quickly disappearing due to lack of proper support and products that do not provide real value for end users, despite their low costs.
Customers need to be very selective when choosing a business partner or supplier, it is important that they have products that will support their growth, business continuity and longevity. In my opinion, we will continue to see innovations in video surveillance, alarms, access control and home automation.
VDS: What do you think are the reasons for your recognition in the field of security in your country and Latin America?
It is an honor to be recognized in the industry. I greatly value the strong relationships I have built over the years. I like to believe that my colleagues and clients enjoy doing business with me because I am always willing to help, have a great knowledge of the industry, solutions and products available, and always look for a win-win relationship. I am also able to "adjust" the conversation according to the interests and approaches of the audience. I'm very good at telling success stories and painting a complete picture, rather than just repeating numbers and technical specifications.
Alejandro, the human being, and his family
Alejandro states categorically that family is his main hobby. "My wife Elizabeth does a wonderful job keeping our daughters Andrea and Maria Jose in one piece while I work; it's great to see how they grow, learn, and evolve to become independent human beings. I treasure every moment with my family, recharge my batteries very quickly and give meaning to many other things that happen around us, "ponders Alejandro Rodríguez
In the same way, he emphasizes that he loves to travel. "Every city, every different society has something new to offer, something to learn. I think it's really interesting to know about the way people live in other cities and countries."
It also indicates that it enjoys technology very much and closely follows the innovations in the market. "Technology by itself doesn't seem that important to me, the impact it has on people's lives is what gives it greater meaning. For example, just look at the impact the internet has had: a global network connecting us instantly so we can interact and share information. It can help a family come together more, but it can also cause stress from information overload. It's a wonderful time, but we need to be careful not to be sucked into technology and forget about human interaction."
He also says that "this may sound a bit nerdy," but since childhood I've enjoyed superhero comics. At the end of the 80's comics were full of color and with very light stories. Over the years, they have changed to be dark stories, very complex and with a very strong emotional content. I think they are a reflection of society itself."
5 success factors in Avigilio
1. Avigilon defines the future of protection through comprehensive, innovative security solutions.
2. Avigilon's technology and innovation leadership are key factors in the adoption of our high-definition solutions and our rapid growth.
3. Avigilon is at the forefront of the evolution from analog to high-definition digital surveillance solutions
4. With the addition of access control and video analytics to our portfolio, Avigilon differentiates itself as a leader in the global security market
5. Our successful growth strategy focuses on: increasing our brand recognition, expanding the reach of our sales force and accelerating innovation
