The Connected Cloud -- August 2022

News Articles

August 2, 2022

The Connected Cloud -- August 2022 [Show All]

*The CONNECTED CLOUD*
News, Feature Updates, Webinars, Events & Resources	August 2022

Asset Management Improvements

Usability improvements enhance your customers' experience!

Asset management has seen a steady adoption from customers since it has been included in the PRO service level. We've received several suggestions on improving the usability and thus we've expanded the features available. Those include the ability to store an in-service date, value amount and replacement cost. These new fields can be updated individually or imported via csv, and may be included in a report for print or export to excel for further analysis such as year-end tax accounting.

Along with the additional reporting capabilities you can also upload an image of the asset which is displayed wherever the asset is listed which is useful for photo evidence comparison.

ScanPass® has been included to quickly scan a barcode placed on the asset and upon scanned with the Connect ONE app will load the asset for review, issuing, return, etc. Barcode labels can be purchased from us or you can also choose to print a QR code to your own label.

Asset View

Did you Know? Badge printing from Connect ONE

An included service that works with your customers' local printer.

Your customer can have up to 3 custom templates, the customized options including a background overlay, what fields to print, the scale of the image, and where to position the image and text. These templates can be printed directly from Connect ONE to a local badge printer. A helpful suggestion is to upload the customer's company logo from the Dealer Site on the Customer tab, then Customer Options. This will become the logo on the default badge design.

The instructions to use the badge design and printing are very simple:

Go to the Users' Login Profile, scroll down to Badge Options and select/configure the badge template they want to use. They can also upload a background template which can include a custom color scheme, logo, etc.
Go to the User, start by uploading a image, or if their image is already uploaded, just click Badge
From the Badge screen, simply go to Actions->Print to Local Printer. Note the blue box stating they might need to click on their browser printer setup to hide header/footer and reduce margins.

TIP: SMS Messaging Enhancements

Connect ONE offers an enhanced SMS messaging service that provides reliable delivery as a true SMS message since it doesn't utilize the carrier email to text option. The expanded SMS service is subscribed on the customer level, please see the Connect ONE price guide for package information, the price guide is available on the Home tab of the Dealer Administration Portal. The carrier email to text option will continue to be included in the base service level at no additional charge.

This is a great option for critical messages which require reliable delivery and will continue without management changes if the customer changes cellular carriers since only their phone number is specified for delivery.

Tip: Customer Add-On Modules

Add-on modules are super easy to setup for your customer - requiring little to no configuration - build more RMR!

Asset Management
- The Asset Management Module provides streamlined methods to track assets, such as keys, equipment, electronics, tools, inventory, etc., to locations and/or users including the generation of custom user authorization templates upon issuing and/or returning.
Badge Printing (InstantCard)
- The InstantCard module works with the InstantCard Badge Service to push user photo and details to a badge template for physical badge printing.
Case Management
- The Case Management Module provides streamlined methods to track critical event responses, incidents, and repairs at one or multiple locations. Ideal for building and property management companies, multifamily and multi-tenant users or national accounts with numerous locations.
Emergency Messaging Hub
- The Emergency Messaging Hub provides a unified feed of emergency messages from multiple systems for an associated site. It works by receiving Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) messages from Mass Notification and other Emergency Response platforms and by translating device native events to the CAP format. All CAP messages are published to the hub for all external services to consume in a single atom feed.
GeoView System Mapping (MVP Award Winner 2019)
- The GeoView System Mapping Module maps real-time status and control of systems to Google Maps. Easily drag/place markers for: System Health, Arm/Disarm Status & Control (Multi-Area), Zones & Sensors (including Environmental & Weather Sensors), Doors & Outputs, Cameras (also Live View within Map). Also, upload interior floorplans and overlay them on top of the satellite image
Safe Passage (MVP Award Winner 2021)
- The Safe Passage module provides a framework for a one-time/periodic self-approval process. If required and not completed, upon access by the individual, violation events are generated so a manager can ensure the user is safe to be at the site regarding health and/or hazard concerns. Documentation is stored with the user account showing they have answered the proper questions and approved any company terms such as an NDA.
Weather Monitoring
- The Weather Monitoring Module monitors 6 weather metrics, updated every 30-60 minutes: 1. Temperature, 2. Relative Humidity, 3. Current Condition, 4. Wind Speed, 5. Barometric Pressure, 6. Dew Point. Each of the metrics can be programmed with a low and high threshold limit which can deliver notifications and interact with other devices onsite such as the alarm/access systems and thermostats. Historical reporting is also possible for each metric which can show readings recorded over a time period.

Give Us the Challenge...

We love hearing from our Dealers with requests from their customers to help solve challenges.

Please contact us and give us the challenge, we may be able to design something for you, and together we can watch your company reach the potential you always knew was possible.

Send us your feedback

Stay Up-to-Date

We will continue to include the enhancements in this newsletter.

We also post the enhancements to our "Company" page and "Group" page on LinkedIn, as well as to the "Feature Blog" tab on our website.
Please contact us for your invitation to join the "Group" on LinkedIn.

Also, be sure to review the Home tab on the Connect ONE Dealer Site as this will contain many helpful Sales Sheets and Technical Guides.

We encourage you to visit these sites to stay up-to-date.

Working hard to Simplify all your System Integrations,
The Staff at Connected Technologies.

For more information regarding Connected Technologies™ or Connect ONE®, please visit www.SimplifywithConnectONE.com or call (866) 976-3520.

Connected Technologies, LLC., Monument, CO 80132-1266

See What Others Are Saying...

"Thank you for listening and making the feature available so quickly! I really enjoy working with Connected Technologies."
--Dan Osborne
Project Manager at Schmidt Security Pro

"Connect ONE offers a simple, scalable solution that complements the Aperio offering perfectly. This integration will offer dealers and end-users a highly flexible solution for comprehensive access management."
--Mark Duato
Executive Vice President, Aftermarket at ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions Americas

"Connect ONE provides exciting enhancements to the ELK M1 with expanded user support, schedules, and event history. This enhanced capability adds value and convenience, giving installers an edge and opening new possibilities in a variety of commercial markets."
--Amy Strickland
Marketing Design Manager at ELK Products

"We’re excited to be working with Connected Technologies to offer this service to our dealers, whose feedback has been extremely positive as they continue to add customers."
--Tom Mechler
Regional Marketing Manager for Bosch

"We have been deploying and migrating customers from site-based client servers to the cloud with very positive feedback. One of our customers, a senior housing facility, likes to have one platform to manage both access control and integrated alarm detection. We can administer different levels of access permissions through the cloud for the customer or they can do it on their own. Having an integrated system--access control, security, CCTV and temperature monitoring and control is important."
--Toby Stevens
Sales Manager for Ace American Alarm Company

"Initially, we toyed with the idea of developing our own cloud-based system, but we sent a technician to look ‘behind the curtains’ at the Connected Technologies solution and I was excited about the possibilities for my customers, especially the many school districts we serve."
--Michael Martin
President of Martin Systems

"Our company is in a rural area, we have been frustrated with long drives and expensive service calls to support legacy computer software and systems. Now with a simple to use dealer web portal, Connect ONE allows us to eliminate expensive service calls by supporting our customers remotely with just a simple login and a phone call that takes only a few minutes. Connect ONE is our biggest added value - profitable RMR for my company. My customers only need to learn one easy to use interface for their business and home."
--Jeff Kesterson
President of NightWatch Security

"Our customers benefit from strategic partnerships like we have with Connected Technologies and all the possibilities it brings for loT connectivity."
--Rick Cadiz
Vice President of Sales and Marketing, IPVideo Corp.

"Whether it’s a commercial office, retail, storage, or multifamily development, the incredibly versatile Connect ONE has allowed me to gain the flexibility needed to confidently meet the demands of those development markets."
--Ryan Christen
Sales & Systems Engineer at Vialarm Security

"Connect ONE is very user friendly, it saves me time administrating building security. Managing our employees is quick and easy since only a single entry is required to grant both security and access privileges."
--Julie Cerqua
Administrator of Wauconda Library

"Flexibility is all part of the beauty of using a cloud-based management platform. My customers can manage it themselves from their smartphone app if they like. They can set their own schedules and we configure the Connect ONE GUI. If there’s an emergency or other response required, the superintendent or management can use their smart device for access. It’s all part of the Connect ONE app, which we use for many office and multitenant buildings."
--Gary Davis
Principal and Owner of Alarm Specialists

"We rely on Connected Technologies for technical and customer support. We have requested software and feature upgrades for our customers and if it’s possible it happens within 24 hours. We use Connect ONE in our own business and the reporting features are outstanding."
--James Lee
President and partner at Alarmguard Security

"Because we serve national accounts across the country, when they acquire other locations or add facilities we can bring them online quickly without having to completely replace the infrastructure or conduct extensive programming."
--Matt Harrison
Vice President of Operations at Federal Protection

"We had an incident after the system was installed that validated the importance of having this safeguard. With the system we were able to make sure a former employee could not get back into the suite, which was simple to do with ScanPass Mobile Credential."
--Kris Kehler
CEO at Deby Pay Pro

"We want to make sure our suite is secure and the staff is safe. We are looking at upgrades in the future and with Connect ONE you can scale the solution up and tailor it to meet your needs."
--Frank McDonough
Director of Information Systems for Security Industry Association (SIA)

"Having the ability to see when employees are coming in for work really adds value. But the best feature by far is the ability to lock down all the doors from my computer or phone in the event of a lockdown drill."
--Matt VanEffen
Principal of Holy Cross Catholic School

"Our biggest challenge today is disparate systems that don’t work well together. Connect ONE gets them all to communicate."
--Ken Kocher
President of Force Security Solutions

"Connect ONE’s ability to simplify integration with a wide variety of technology really presents an opportunity for DW Dealers to provide complete solutions."
--Patrick Kelly
Director of IP Video Solutions at Digital Watchdog

"Connect ONE was paramount in allowing Phoenix to offer a service that is truly connected across platforms. The company is unique in the respect that they operate with software that can be edited and modified—without having to wait years to get it."
--Eric Burroughs
Vice President at Phoenix Security Systems Inc.

"Because we serve national accounts across the country, when they acquire other locations or add facilities we can bring them online quickly without having to completely replace the infrastructure or conduct extensive programming."
--Matt Harrison
Vice President of Operations at Federal Protection

Want to become a dealer?

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