Lexus of Westminster is California's premier Lexus dealership, recognized for providing an exceptional ownership experience on par with the luxury brand.
Securing customer and company data
Lexus of Westminster is California's premier Lexus dealership, recognized for providing an exceptional ownership experience on par with the luxury brand. With an eye toward customer satisfaction, increased efficiency, reduced maintenance requirements and strengthened access control, Lexus of Westminster determined that the construction of a new showroom was also an opportunity to upgrade the dealership’s security system and take advantage of IP-based technology. With help from system integrator and IP experts ASCI Security, the dealership evaluated and then quickly chose the
S2 NetBox from
S2 Security Corporation (S2).
Providing an insider’s view
Chris Longpre, the vice president of Lexus of Westminster responsible for security, has a background in engineering and software development. Despite his familiarity with technology, Longpre became frustrated with managing the dealership’s outdated security system. Longpre notes that implementation and configuration were difficult, the system crashed often, and updates could only be performed while he was on the premises as there was no remote maintenance. Add to that a lack of responsiveness from the security system’s manufacturer, as well as no upgrade path for the product and Longpre was ready to make a change.
Given the amount of financial and personal data that the dealership collects during the sales process, a new security system had to provide Lexus of Westminster with rock-solid access control. “We treat the inside of this showroom as though it were a bank,” notes Longpre. “We collect and manage sensitive data on the premises and are extremely careful about access to the physical space.”
For Longpre, any new system needed to streamline the addition of new employees to the system and ensure that company and customer data was kept safe both from those with malicious intent and from innocent “insider threats” that occur when employees inadvertently create security breaches by sharing door codes or simply neglect to follow protocol.
Longpre also realized the value in video monitoring for the showroom and recording video for event management. He foresaw that future construction to the dealership’s remote service location would require a security system that would be flexible, could be added on to as needed, and would provide remote monitoring capabilities. And to complete the package, Longpre wanted to work with a system integrator and manufacturer that would provide exceptional service.
Exceeding expectations
Longpre began his search by first seeking recommendations for system integrators. Through several contacts, Longpre learned that for an experienced team skilled at using state-of-the-art products in high-end installations, systems integrator ASCI Security was the best in the business. After meeting with the company and confirming ASCI’s reputation for superior customer service, attention to detail, and technical expertise, Longpre felt confident he had found a new long-term partner for his security projects.
When Longpre described his vision of the ideal security solution, ASCI knew that the S2 NetBox was the right fit, but noted Longpre’s desire to have a look “under the hood” first. Underscoring their emphasis on customer service, ASCI quickly arranged a meeting with S2 to have Longpre’s technical questions answered. Reports Longpre: “I was able to ask all the questions an engineer might ask. At the end of the meeting, I realized that in the NetBox, S2 had executed exactly what I would have done myself. Arranging the demo proved that ASCI and S2 are companies that were willing to work to build relationships, not just make a sale.”
ASCI also recognized that the S2 NetBox would work perfectly for a high-end installation. Recalls Gregg Miller, vice president of ASCI, “We are known for our quality workmanship, and this installation required careful planning. Still, the general contractor was skeptical that we’d be drilling holes and running wires through this elegant, contemporary, glass construction. But with the S2 NetBox, we were able to put things on the wall, plug them in and have them work without ever having to go back into the space the contractor had already built. We stuck to our plan, finished our part of the project on schedule, and won over the general contractor in the process.”
Lexus of Westminster immediately saw a dramatic reduction in the time it took to manage security and add employees to the system. The S2 NetBox has also enabled Longpre to track activity within the showroom more accurately through integration with the video system. He can now quickly identify irregular activity, follow a chain of events, and then make any necessary changes to user access. And because the system can be managed and maintained remotely, both Lexus of Westminster and ASCI have been able to log into the system simultaneously to work together to resolve any startup issues. Longpre adds that even with his tough standards for customer service, his experience with S2 NetBox and ASCI has exceeded his expectations.
“Lexus is held to a high standard of quality and service everyday, and I expect the same level of quality when I am the customer,” said Longpre. “I tell everyone that the S2 NetBox is exactly as advertised and that S2 Security Corporation is a service-oriented business. This has made it easy to commit to S2.”