FAQ:

Who should I try to sell the S4 Open Appliances to?

There are multiple classes of potential customers, and sale influencers, that you may run into. Check their web site to get a feeling for the type of company they are before calling on them and adjust your presentation accordingly.

BACnet product manufacturers

  • There are a few companies out there who specialize in BACnet products but are not themselves a BAS manufacturer. SCADA Engine in Australia is one example.
  • Ask for the person responsible for 3rd party product integration.

Metasys® 3rd party product vendors

  • These are companies who manufacture mechanical systems, electrical systems, or controls who have implemented the JCI proprietary N2 field bus protocol in order to be compatible with Metasys®. Within the JCI Metasys® world these are called VND devices.
  • Our play here is in providing either the S4 Open: OPC-N2 Router or the S4 Open: BACnet-N2 Router in large existing installations of their products to provide a gateway to open protocols. Typically we would not be cost effective for single device installations.
  • Ask for the person responsible for 3rd party product integration.

Enterprise Management Manufacturers: HP (OpenView), IBM (Tivoli), CAI (Unicenter), EMC

  • These are primarily targets for the Obermeier Software SNMP-OPC Gateway products; The SNMP-OPC Server and the OPC-SNMP Enterprise Agent (eAgent). Refer these to Steve.
  • In the future we will be adding SNMP support to the S4 Open products.

JCI ABCS (Metasys® Authorized Building Control Specialists, both current and past)

  • JCI has moved away from the Iconics platform and left lots of M3 and M5 Workstation customers stranded. There is a potentially huge market to migrate these customers to the commercially available Iconics Genesis32 product and porting the graphics from the M3 or M5 workstation to this system.
  • There is a large installed base of Metasys® Companion / Facilitator supervisory controllers. The S4 Open: N2 Switch will help them to upgrade these customers to current generation Metasys® supervisory controllers.
  • They are targets for the S4 Open: BACnet-N2 Router or the S4 Open: OPC-N2 Router to migrate legacy Metasys® BAS systems to competing BAS vendor technology.
  • There is a large contingent of Ex-ABCS’ who are hungry for a way to take care of customers where they installed JCI Metasys® products.
  • There is also a large contingent of companies who have been ABCS’ in the past and have been cast off by JCI for various reasons. These may now be associated with other BAS manufacturers. Or, they may be independent contractors. They may be some of our best prospects. People love to hate JCI. Let them vent. Then sell them on our products.
  • Ask for the person responsible for integrations.

JCI Field Offices

  • There is a large installed base of Metasys® Companion / Facilitator supervisory controllers. The S4 Open: N2 Switch will help them to upgrade these customers to current generation Metasys® supervisory controllers.
  • The S4 Open: OPC-N2 Router would be applicable in cases where Metasys® needs to be integrated to manufacturing or process control applications such as Pharmaceutical, etc. See below.
  • Ask for the person responsible for integrations

Architects and Consulting Engineers

  • Our primary play here is with renovations and in influencing the specifications for projects being defined.
  • Ask for the person responsible for Building Automation Systems. If the existing building has the Johnson Controls Metasys® Building Automation System we can provide them the technology to upgrade the head end of the system and salvage the existing field devices.

Pharmaceutical, Computer Chip manufacturers, Other “Clean Room” manufacturers.

  • An integration between the BAS and the manufacturing or process control system can save huge $$$ by raising the yield and quality of the product being manufactured.
  • Ask for the person responsible for integrations.

Trade Press, Industry Analysts, Trade Shows, and Web Forums

  • Look for opportunities to get our products listed in directories.
  • Look for opportunities to submit articles.
  • Look for opportunities to have product reviews performed.
  • Look for opportunities to exhibit or demonstrate our products.