Q. Could you brief us about overall business activities of Your company (tie-ups, associations, reach, network)?
Matrix is indigenous in all its core business activities including R&D, manufacturing, marketing, sales and technical support. All Matrix products are indigenously designed at the Matrix R&D Centre. We market our products under the brand name MATRIX through 1000+ channel partners across India and overseas. We work hand-in-hand with our channel partners and system integrators during pre-sales, sales, installation and after-sales.
Q. Can you elaborate more about the product portfolio and it’s applications?
Matrix offers comprehensive range of solutions for IP Video Surveillance, Access Control, Time-Attendance and Telecom applications. All these solutions are specifically designed for large and multi-location enterprises, SME and SMB organizations.
Matrix SATATYA is an IP Video Surveillance portfolio which includes products like Network Video Recorders (NVRs), Hybrid Video Recorders (HVRs), IP Cameras and Centralized Video Management System. SATATYA is positioned as an enterprise solution. It is most suitable for enterprises demanding much more than just video monitoring and recording. Matrix SATATYA offers multiple modes of remote and local monitoring, real-time notifications in the form of email and SMS, flexibility in recording along with other functions like backup management and user management, leading to higher security and productivity for enterprises.
Matrix COSEC is an enterprise-grade people mobility management solution for organizations covering Time-Attendance, Access Control, Visitor Management, Employee Self Service, Roster Management, Cafeteria Management and Contract Workers Management. Matrix COSEC is an all-integrated solution including hardware devices and a suite of software application modules. Matrix COSEC delivers full-proof security and improves productivity of the organizations.
Q. Which are the some of your pioneering products you introduced in the market recently or is there any plan to launch the new products?
For access control applications, we have launched COSEC ARC. COSEC ARC is an intelligent compact single-door IP controller. COSEC ARC dramatically simplifies access control deployment. It works in two modes – as standalone with COSEC PANEL or centralized with COSEC CENTRA application server. The state-of-the-art COSEC ARC can control two readers (on Wiegand or RS485), door lock and other auxiliary devices, making it an ideal solution for any access control application.
In IP video surveillance, we have launched SATATYA SAMAS, an enterprise-grade Video Management Solution suitable for large organizations spread across multiple locations. SATATYA SAMAS provide organizations with the flexibility, scalability and modularity that they expect from a Video Management System.
Matrix SATATYA SAMAS is a modular, flexible and fault-tolerant solution for multi-location organizations by providing easy monitoring, simplified management, multiple connectivity options, quick retrieval and smart storage of data for all the locations. Devices installed at the multiple locations are connected to separate Recording-Streaming Servers (RSS), which, in turn, are managed from a central Management Server. Monitoring of these multiple sites is done through various modes like Smart Client, Mobile Application and Multi-Monitor Application.
The security officers located at different locations can monitor the relevant locations by selecting cameras of their interest and viewing them together on a single monitoring screen. Notification Server tracks events and exceptions and sends email or SMS notifications to designated people in real-time. SATATYA SAMAS offers hierarchical, multi-level and enhanced security.
Q. How do you account R&D activity in your company?
Matrix is one of very few indigenous R&D companies having independent designing capabilities in hardware, embedded software, applications software, mobile applications and mechanical engineering. With 40% of the total manpower dedicated to development of new products, Matrix R&D is the foundation of its growth and sustenance. Matrix R&D is strong in its processes, capabilities and infrastructure to design products conforming to all relevant international standards.
Q. Brief us about the quality policy for your business?
Today, customers assume and expect quality by default. From this perspective, quality is no more a differentiating feature. It is an essential feature. Matrix is on a mission to deliver world-class security and telecom solutions to all its customers through continuous improvements in technology and processes. We believe it is possible to design and build world-class technology solutions in India and market them in the international markets.
Q. How do you foresee “India” as a potential market, what are the prospects?
Matrix products are of technology and infrastructure nature, helping organizations enhance productivity, security and safety. Indian economy is growing rapidly and this growth is coming from urbanization and industrialization. Matrix is in complete sync with this Indian growth story.
Q. What are the distinguishing facts of global market as against the Indian market?
In terms of technology, all markets are integrated in today’s globalized economy. Gone are the days of large technology and product launch lags between developed countries and India. Matrix products are designed for the international markets and these same products are offered in India. Having said this, there are always certain regulatory and certification requirements that differ from one market to another. Matrix products meet all Indian and international standards such as BIS, TEC, CE, FCC, ROHS, etc. In terms of costs, different countries have different costs based on cost of living or cost of doing business. Product prices may vary from one market to another.
Q. What are your strategies to improve your company’s position in Indian & global market as well?
To begin with, Matrix products are amply differentiated in architecture, functions and features from competition. In marketing and sales, we believe in strong distribution and channel networks. We have nearly 100+ channel partners spread across the globe who are focused on marketing, selling and supporting Matrix products not only in India but also in other countries including Europe, America, Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australia.
Our marketing team works closely with these channel partners to ensure Matrix products serve security and communication needs of the customers efficiently, faster and longer. We also have a dedicated customer care team to provide prompt assistance to these customers. Finally, our 24×7 after-sales support ensures complete satisfaction to all our SI partners and end-customers.
Q. According to you what are the factors affecting to your business?
Technology trends, eco-system (for R&D and manufacturing), economy and government policies are the four most important factors affecting Matrix business.
Q. What are the key technological trends that are driving the video surveillance industry?
Video Surveillance hardware is evolving from age-old and bulky centralized boxes to distributed architecture using IP-based sleek capturing and recording. Software applications are web-based and they support mobile applications. More and more solutions are moving to IP and offer wireless connectivity. Mobility and Cloud are other two technology trends driving innovation. As bandwidth bottlenecks are being removed enterprise applications are moving to the Cloud eliminating customer-premise hardware, servers and software. Finally, new-generation Intelligent Video Analytics (IVA) algorithms help automate many manual processes and create newer functions
and applications.
Q. What are the issues you need to address that are related to your industry?
Let us start with indigenous R&D. Indian industry is dependent on external R&D and technologies. Industry and government should work together to correct this by promoting indigenous R&D. Second is lack of domestic manufacturing. While India is one of the largest markets in the world, there are not many manufacturers in India. India has become a virtual dumping ground for imported products. Once again, this situation is not sustainable and needs immediate correction.
Third is lack of awareness. Today, security products are sold as boxes without caring for overall benefits customers expect. Many customers mistakenly equate products with solutions to their problems. I believe higher customer awareness and better responsibility on part of manufacturers and their system integrators would improve customer satisfaction.
Fourth is product standardization. Most countries insist on strict homologation programs before they allow importing products. In spite of India being a very large market, we have failed to establish strong standards and homologation processes. Finally, I would add the common point of economic growth. Like all other industries, security equipment business is tightly linked to the overall economy.
Q. What is your vision for your company?
Our vision is to build Matrix as an excellent security and telecom solutions and services company operating all over the world.