Why LA Sweetz chooses Tyco

Challenges

Like any business owner, Letty Alvarez, pastry chef and founder of LA Sweetz (formerly LA Sweets), is passionate about her work. With three bakery locations across Florida, Alvarez is focused on expanding LA Sweetz as well as making it a household name, already gaining attention from TV shows such as The Food Network’s “Cupcake Wars.”

With a growing business, Alvarez needed to better protect her investment in her business with a comprehensive security solution that would be scalable and easy to implement and use. A negative experience with a previous security company left Alvarez searching for a security partner that would collaboratively work to find creative solutions to her concerns and help her every step of the way to a secure business environment.

“As a business owner, you wear many hats; and you’re always trying to stretch your dollar, so for me it was very important to choose a security vendor that I could trust,” said Alvarez.

After meeting with a Tyco Integrated Security representative who thoroughly presented Alvarez’s business security options based on her concerns, Alvarez chose to work with Tyco to help protect her livelihood and growing business.

Solution

Tyco first gained a thorough understanding of Alvarez’s business to be able to recommend the most appropriate solutions for her bakeries. Concerned about protecting her investment, preventing inventory loss, and easily implementing and managing the technology, Alvarez’s representative discussed the security options that would meet her needs. Alvarez started with a mobile-based burglar alarm system for each of her bakery locations, but later expanded to video surveillance for a more comprehensive security approach.

“I built a relationship with [Tyco representative] Michael, and he showed me how I was missing out on all of the other services that they could provide,” said Alvarez. “It’s just incredible.”

This close collaboration led to the creation of a custom solution that offered the business owner increased security and manageability.

Implementation

Tyco installed an alarm system for all three LA Sweetz locations, and later built out the security capabilities with video surveillance with DVR and a mobile security management application to ensure that all locations had a proactive security solution. Alvarez’s Tyco representative worked with her and her staff to ensure that they felt confident in their ability to manage the new tools.

“I am not a security guru. I don’t know what camera does what and how to turn on the alarm. So Michael [Tyco representative] took the time to teach me everything,” said Alvarez. “I felt like a real customer. I didn’t feel like a number.”

The LA Sweetz locations have the same security systems; but each solution is leveraged differently to help protect Alvarez’s business investment and help her employees feel safe. The shop in Brickell insists on a fast-paced, simple setup; the downtown Miami location requires stronger security; and the location in Miami Lakes needs additional lock-up protocol.

The mobile management application has also been an important technology for Alvarez. “The comfort and convenience of being able to do what I have to do from my mobile device is incredible, and it makes me so much more efficient,” she said. With the app, Alvarez is able to turn her alarms on and off, and zoom in via cameras to help verify that her investments and expensive equipment are well protected.

Results

LA Sweetz now has the security technology that gives Alvarez control and peace of mind, and the easy-to-use mobile security management application has saved her time by enabling her to efficiently check in on locations no matter where she is. “We started this business with very little money and lots of big ideas,” said Alvarez. “And I’ve invested every penny I have … so I want to make sure I protect it.”

With Tyco and the collaborative solutions offered by her Tyco representative, Alvarez has the solutions she needs to efficiently run her business today and in the future as she looks to expand.