Categorized: The Access Blog | February 1, 2022
Networking is a tough business, but systems integrators are uniquely poised to be key players in this lucrative sector of the home systems market … if they have the right tools, training, products, and backing of a dedicated manufacturer. Guiding dealers from start to finish in their IT journeys is Access Networks specialty. Through a team of IT professionals, best-in-class equipment like a cloud-based network management system, personalized on-site or remote configuration and testing assistance, and endless recurring revenue opportunities, the company’s breadth of product and services exemplify Access Networks’ commitment to successful residential deployments of enterprise-grade networks.
“As bandwidth requirements and demand for reliable, stable Wi-Fi connections continue to grow, it’s imperative that integrators have the skills and knowledge to design and install networks that exceed their customers’ expectations,” says Ben Jurow, Sr. Director of Sales Operations “At Access Networks we understand the inherent complexities and challenges of proper network setup, and have made it our mission to remove some of these hurdles for integrators.”
Here are 6 ways Access Networks is making this happen:
1.) In-Person Site Surveys
Integrators can arrange to have an Access Networks networking expert visit the jobsite to evaluate the Wi-Fi environment, identify problem areas, recommend solutions, and provide heatmaps and other documentation indicating ideal locations for access points and other components for optimal Wi-Fi performance. Understanding that every project and integrators’ needs are unique, Access Networks offers several options for site surveys. From general guidance to full-scale assessments, solutions are available to suit integrators’ network design and installation needs.
2.) Unmatched Service & Support
Successful installations of residential networks can hinge largely on the level of service and support dealers receive. With this in mind, Access Networks focuses as much energy on its dealer support services as it does product development. Thanks to its receptive and knowledgable Client Services & Technical Services Departments, dealers can depend on a team of trusted IT experts to help them decipher the subtle nuances of proper network design, configuration, and installation. In addition to providing dealers with valuable assistance, the Client Services Department streamlines the sales and ordering process, giving dealers a single resource and point of contact, regardless of whether they are placing orders or posing design questions.
3.) Cloud-based Network Configuration and Management
Access Networks’ award-winning cloud-based network configuration and management platform ARCC (Advanced, Resilient Cloud Controller) delivers a new level of simplicity during the deployment of networks, a higher level of control with more tools to customize each job, and a lower cost of entry for industry-leading capabilities. Truck rolls for post-installation service become a problem of the past as updates introducing new features and capabilities download to ARCC remotely via the cloud and remediation happens remotely. All of this adds up to recurring revenue opportunities and greater customer satisfaction.
ARCC seamlessly integrates with any Access Networks-enabled network, unmanaged as well as custom Core network solutions. Once the access points, routers, and switches have been installed, the access points will connect to the Internet and self-configure. Then, from a computer or mobile device, an integrator can button up the system, administering security protocols and setting up passwords, for example. The entire process is seamless and transparent to the customer, and repeatable with custom-made templates when possible, saving integrators time and manpower. This gives integrators more design flexibility, faster system deployment, greater workflow efficiency, and less equipment to install and service. “Historically, wireless residential networks have required an on-premise controller for visibility, configuration, and control,” says Access Networks VP of Sales Ben Jurow. “Now, with the introduction of ARCC, which can be added to any Access Networks Core system or access point purchase, integrators can deliver an exceptional level of service and support remotely via the cloud without having to install any additional hardware. ARCC provides efficiency and the most complete Wi-Fi service for clients including deployment, diagnostics, troubleshooting, and upgrades.”
4.) Easy Access to Wi-Fi Testing Equipment
There are so many variables within the home environment that can impact the performance of a Wi-Fi network, many of which are nearly impossible to detect and identify without testing equipment. To provide integrators with easy access to a full range of professional-grade tools to properly design, deploy, validate, and troubleshoot wired and wireless residential Wi-Fi networks, Access Networks has teamed up with leading manufacturer NetAlly. From basic handheld measurement devices to comprehensive software platforms, Access Networks’ new line of NetAlly products provides instant visibility in the palm of the hand for efficient problem solving, resulting in streamlined workflow, reduction in service calls, and greater customer satisfaction.
“Our line of NetAlly solutions is a perfect complement to our on-site consultations and 24/7 remote design and service assistance,” says Nathan Holmes, Senior Training Manager. “It gives integrators tools they can use themselves in the field to validate network performance that’s quick, relatively easy, and often more affordable than having an Access Networks IT engineer visit the site. Our dealers were asking for an alternative to our on-site surveys, and now, through our partnership with NetAlly, they can handle many of the same validation tasks themselves.”
5.) Keeping Pace for Future-Proof Networking Solutions
When technology integrators talk, Access Networks listens. It’s this attention to integrator pain points and technological evolution that keeps Access Networks on the leading edge of evolution. Laser focused on keeping its solution ahead of the technological curve and experienced enough to update its offerings quickly, Access Networks continues, through partnerships, products, and service, to help integrators prosper in the always-changing, always-challenging home networking business.
6.) Extending the Network with Snap One
Access Networks lays the foundation for reliable Wi-Fi connectivity. For years, they’ve offered everything integrators need—products, service, and support—to properly design, configure and install enterprise-grade networks. As a member of the Snap One family of brands, Access Networks is allied with an entire portfolio of smart products and systems that integrators need to complete their whole-home projects with a dependable network.