UGuardU monitoring device boosts company's sinking fortunes

June 12, 2009 | Portland Business Journal | by Wendy Culverwell

Last year, as revenue fell 6.5 percent to $10.34 million, Technocom Inc. CEO Patrick McCloskey challenged his team to find a way to keep from cutting staff.

“Let’s innovate during this time,” he said.

Faced with sinking demand for its services installing security, computer and entertainment systems, the Wilsonville company responded.

The privately held firm formerly known as Livewire launched UGuardU in April. The new service lets customers monitor homes and businesses over the Internet.

UGuardU was born when a bank inquired about using technology to monitor foreclosed homes for break-ins and squatters. The bank didn’t become a customer, but the question inspired Technocom to come up with UGuardU.

The system marries high resolution Swedish cameras with customized software that lets customers view live images from any Internet connection, even smart phones. The system can be customized to notify subscribers when there is an event. It also flags activity to save customers from watching hours of video to pinpoint incidents.

The cameras cost $199 each to install. Monthly connection fees start at $10 and rise from there if customers decide to save video to Technocom’s secured servers.

Technocom expects UGuardU to grow into a $1.5 million business by 2010.

Newberg Ford Mercury is one of its first customers.

The rural dealership sells about 400 vehicles a year. It was looking for a low-cost way to monitor its lot both for trouble and for prospective customers.

Thieves took several vehicles about four years ago. Owner John Kerekanich ruled out fencing the lot because he feared it would dissuade customers. He looked into commercial security systems, but discovered they were too expensive.

The layout of the dealership posed another challenge.

Landscaping and a slight slope make it difficult for the eight-member sales crew to see people entering the dealership. Missed customers are missed opportunities to sell.

The dealership plans to mount a camera on top of the building and feed the video to the sales managers’ computer and a laptop in the sales room. When visitors enter the lot, the system will signal the sales team.

“It’s perfect,” said Kerekanich. “If somebody’s out there, they can see it instantly and they can go out and engage the customer.”

Technocom is marketing UGuardU as a security service to its existing customers. Residential sales manager Matt Mosley said a full-fledged advertising campaign will likely follow as the service gains an audience. Potential customers include people who want to monitor vacation homes or work places.

Not all users are mindful about security or solving business problems.

One of its first private customers was simply a dog owner who suspected his pooch was raiding the refrigerator. He wanted video evidence. Technocom installed a camera in the kitchen. To date, the dog has avoided detection.

Technocom itself does not monitor the video captured by the cameras it installs.

“That’s your job,” said Gabe Authier, director of information technology.

wculverwell@bizjournals.com | 503-219-3415