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Reforming the housing and utilities sector cannot but affect the development of technologies that ensure the safety of residential buildings. But for this to happen, the consciousness of people – end consumers – and the approach to the work of companies operating in this segment must change.
What is the typical situation today? Most companies now offer the most popular equipment – intercoms, and inexpensive models are in great demand. The promotion methods are also the simplest, as a rule, installers negotiate directly with residents. Then they either sell intercoms or only carry out installation, and then charge a monthly subscription fee for technical maintenance. Another option for the same scheme of work is reinstallation. Since the first intercoms in our country began to be installed in 1980, now it is very important to replace them with new ones.
This method of interaction between companies and consumers is currently the most common in the regions of Russia and neighboring countries. But in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and other large cities, the situation is different. There, the installation of intercom systems in residential buildings is almost complete. Experts' estimates vary, but even if we focus on the minimum values, we can talk about 80% of the functioning housing stock. Of course, new buildings are being built, which are also equipped with intercoms, but these are very small volumes compared to the housing already in use. So it is becoming more difficult for companies to expand their business in extensive ways, since the market is growing little.
In addition, quality of life standards are rising. The demand for housing security is growing, new opportunities are becoming popular. Leading companies today offer fire alarms, install intercom panels with video cameras, monitors and cameras on stairwells. At the same time, it is possible to bring all the information from the video cameras to a stand with several monitors installed in the concierge or security guard room. That is, residents are already offered some kind of security system.
It is possible to trace the main trends of development of this direction. Firstly, the transition to color video is predicted to be quite soon. It is becoming more and more accessible every year, as the equipment itself is becoming cheaper. Secondly, if earlier the security system was closed to the entrance itself, now customers are increasingly offered a distributed structure. Leading intercom companies both here and in the West promote such systems that would allow not only to organize a concierge or security guard post, but also a single intercom (non-telephone) system that allows security to control all passages from a certain point. In fact, these are intercom television systems for a group of houses.
Distributed intercom systems are still isolated phenomena on the housing market. They are installed in elite and business-class houses, and, as a rule, at the construction stage. After all, developers are already coming to the understanding that in order to sell apartments, normal security systems must be installed in the house.
It is difficult to talk about competition between new technologies in intercom systems. But it definitely makes sense to talk about these technologies. We, and many other companies, have been seeing an increase in demand for video systems for several years now. Moreover, housing requirements are also constantly increasing. What was considered business class yesterday is now economy class.
Significant changes should occur thanks to the housing and utilities reform and the new Housing Code in the minds of people. First of all, a responsible attitude towards one's property should be formed.
Almost the main feature of this market segment has always been that intercom system installers have worked and work directly with the end customer. The state does not finance this sector, except for equipping houses with security systems at the expense of various deputy funds on the eve of elections.
The creation of homeowners' associations (HOAs) and the common ownership of everything in the building is what will ensure reliable protection not only for the apartments, but also for this common property itself. After all, there is something to protect in every house.
In addition, it is important not to forget that for effective management of the house it needs to be insured. It is clear that the size of insurance premiums cannot even be compared with the costs that will have to be spent on repairs in the event of, for example, a fire. But no insurance company will take on a house if it is not properly protected. If all the entrances and basements are not closed, and a normal fire alarm is not installed.
Unfortunately, the creation of HOAs is not going as fast as we would like, and most management companies in their current form are not motivated to invest in normal security of residential buildings. This is especially true for municipal housing, of which we have a lot. Management companies receive money from the budget for its maintenance. At the same time, the quality of the services provided, as a rule, leaves much to be desired. And spending money on organizing housing security is an exceptional situation.
However, if we take Europe, for example, then doors have long been closed there, if at all, then by direct-call intercoms. That is, it is more an element of comfortable living than security. And, naturally, installers work exclusively with legal entities – condominiums.
This is exactly what we lack today in Russia. As soon as we finally move to a system of interaction between legal entities, the process of forming normal market relations will begin in this segment.
It is difficult to predict now how long and difficult this process will be, but the main thing is that it becomes a reality as soon as possible. Of course, since the market is gradually moving towards more complex systems, leading companies are trying new marketing moves. But a real breakthrough will only happen when HOAs appear en masse, which, in turn, will choose normal management companies for which the management of residential buildings is the main business.
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