In a recent conversation, Rick Bennett sat down with Tom Fontana and Brad Castillo to focus on the growing number of operational headaches that security integrators and end users face every day, and the practical ways Chesapeake and Midlantic Marketing (MidChes) helps deliver projects faster, cleaner, and with fewer surprises.
Rick framed the challenge in simple terms. Integrators are often asked to respond to a bid in two days, or deliver a quote quickly, while still handling active installs and service calls. Every delay creates a downstream tax: tied up manpower, stalled scheduling, and increased risk of mistakes.
Tom put it plainly: “Everything today is plug and play, right? Which we know is not the case.”
That theme drives much of MidChes’ value: get involved early, surface issues before installers arrive on site, and reduce the chance of a project stopping because of missing parts, wrong assumptions, or unresolved technical dependencies.
PRO TIP: for immediate parts lists (BOMs) and supporting documentation, contact Rick Buehler immediately at support@midches.com for (nearly) instant gratification! He's backed up by Gina, Madison, and a host of additional team members to ensure quick, accurate replies to inquiries.
One of the biggest sources of rework is what looks insignificant on paper. A camera is specified, but the mounting method is unclear. Cabling distances exceed Ethernet limits for AMG network switches. The environment demands a different size Winsted console than first imagined. Storage sizing is underestimated. These are easy to miss when a security integrator's team is rushing to respond to a bid.
Tom emphasized that MidChes can help determine what is actually required:
Site survey support alongside the integrator’s sales and installation teams
Clarifying mounting requirements, cabling distances, and network constraints
Identifying when fiber, extenders, or alternative approaches are needed
Reducing the chance installers arrive without the right equipment and the job halts
And when Rick asked what a survey costs, Tom’s answer was direct: “Zero.”
The broader point is not “free” as a selling feature. It is “early accuracy” as a margin protector. Every avoided return trip and every prevented change order reduces project risk.
Rick summarized it this way: if you need pricing quickly, “email Rick Buehler” for a same day or next day turnaround.
Just as important, the quoting process is also a quality check. As Tom noted, even when an integrator provides an initial bill of material, MidChes can catch missing or mismatched components, such as mounts and other accessories, or validate storage calculations with “another set of eyes.”
PRO TIP: that combination, speed plus validation, helps reduce the classic failure mode where a quote is submitted on time but the project later bleeds margin due to avoidable omissions.
Anyone who has tried to resolve an urgent product question through a generic support line knows the potential pain that awaits. Rick described it as “phone jail,” and asked how MidChes reduces that burden for integrators and end users.
Tom’s answer focused on being the intermediary that knows who to call and how to get answers quickly: “Let us be the eyes and ears to the manufacturer.”
Because MidChes works directly with manufacturer teams, they can often route questions to the right people faster than an integrator can through public channels, including product managers and specialist resources that most in the industry may not even know exist. This also applies to returns and administrative coordination, where Tom highlighted Gina and Madison’s ability to navigate processes and contacts efficiently.
Brad described MidChes’ Professional Services model as a way to fill those gaps with experienced, certified specialists who can assist in the field and act as teachers during deployments. The objective is not to replace the integrator’s team, but to accelerate them and reduce risk during the highest pressure phases of the project.
Labeling and preparing equipment
Pre-configuring and “IP-ing” systems
Reducing stand-up time in the field
The integrator can focus on physical installation and then finalize programming with MidChes support
PRO TIP: Rick connected this directly to margin protection: when an 80-hour job turns into 120 hours, gross margin collapses. The purpose of pro services is to minimize overruns and keep delivery aligned to the original plan. As Brad confirmed, that is “exactly what the purpose is for.”
Training is another pressure point. Integrators need manufacturer certifications to bid, but real-world proficiency fades if the team is not using the platform regularly. Pulling technicians out of the field for training also has a cost.
Tom explained that MidChes can support both onsite training and office-based training, but the most practical model is often training during the job itself, so teams are not removed from revenue-producing work. MidChes can also assist with end user training, which is a different skill set than installation.
Brad reinforced a key point: product and firmware changes move fast. Deployments should not go live on “a year old version” when updates have changed workflows, capabilities, and best practices. MidChes can help teams revisit training topics, focus on the specific ten items an integrator wants to learn more deeply, and ensure the installed system reflects current realities.
This conversation was not about megapixels or product releases. It was about execution.
When MidChes is engaged early and consistently, integrators and end users can reduce the issues that actually keep teams up at night:
Bids that must be turned quickly
Quotes and BOMs that cannot afford mistakes
Manufacturer response delays
Under-resourced programming and commissioning
Training gaps caused by turnover and rapid product change
Schedule slips and margin erosion from preventable rework
As Rick put it, these challenges are “mounting,” and it matters more than ever before to have an organization partnering with you that can help remove friction throughout the lifecycle of a deployment.