When I first came to Inex a couple of years ago, it didn’t take long to see that Chuck Bartolomeo is the heartbeat of both the company and the industry. He just has a way of knowing when to push a deal forward and how to pull everyone together to make it happen.
This year we’re celebrating Chuck’s 23 (and counting!) years at Inex. I asked him to share a few stories and lessons from his time in business – and, true to form, he did not disappoint. Here’s what he had to say.
Tell us how you got into the industry.
Let’s go all the way back to 1998 when I was approached by an LPR company called PIPS. I turned down that job offer, then giving the lead to Jim Kennedy who after several successful years left PIPS and started a new LPR company called INEX/ZAMIR, this was back in 2002. I was employee number three in the USA as an engineer and inside administrative person were hired by Jim before me. The very early years were challenging having zero accounts and limited cash to operate the company. My early responsibilities included developing a Representative Organization from my past experiences within the R/F, Telecommunications and Security Industries. It proved to be a successful pipeline for quality lead generation and the foundation from which this company was initially built.
How did the ALPR industry change over the years?
I believe we are entering the 5th generation of LPR technology. Early systems consisted of an analog video camera and external computer with an OCR engine. Subsequent LPR generations included digital cameras, the combination of a DPU and imager into a single unit, remote LPR system access, dramatic increase in LPR performance and finally multiple cloud applications. The LPR cost per lane has also dramatically been reduced from over $12,000 per parking lane to a fraction of that today, making it more affordable to previously unthought of marketplaces such as the campgrounds, trucking lots, and the car wash world.
Your most unusual sales.
The most unusual sale was early on where an Inex Rep had an opportunity with a very exclusive Golf/ Country Club with a members list including Senators and other VIPs. The use case was to identify the vehicle plate number at the entrance gate and by the time the VIP had driven to the half-mile drive to the Clubhouse his Scotch and soda was awaiting him as he left the vehicle. Brought new meaning to service with a smile. The fastest sale (or non-sale) was when we were notified that our bid made all compliance qualifications and was the lowest bid on a major city-wide fixed camera project. Inex product consisted of close to a million dollars for this program. When our competitor learned of our win, they challenged the bidding process, discovering through the city agency that our bid was delivered by FedEx 3 hours past the deadline, we were subsequently disqualified.
Who are your favorite customers?
It’s not favorite customers or accounts but rather those contacts and relationships, some which go back more than 20+ years. When you “do what you say” and “say what you do” trust begins to develop causing you to make sales happen. Unfortunately, my current list of trusted “scotch bottle” contacts is reduced every year as time marches on.
Who are the people at the company you like working with the most?
Our first level solution engineers (Todd, Eric and Kayden) have my vote to be made into living Saints. As technology evolves and IT departments increasingly play a more important and sophisticated role in LPR security/networking, I would put this team up against anyone, in any company, anytime. Their subtle low-key approach for resolving customer problems while always opening the door for new products is invaluable. They instill a level of confidence which is a key component of the selling cycle. I wish I had a dollar for every time I ambushed them with an urgent 3-way immediate customer technical call that I could not address.
Where will the industry be 10 years from now?
AI is a game changer. As we take vehicle recognition to the next level, there will be horizontal growth into marketplaces previously out of reach of LPR. The management of data across multiple platforms seamlessly or through multiple end users will rapidly become the new normal merging all vehicle identifying technologies into a seamless, universal, situational awareness platform.
What made you stay with Inex for over 23 years?
As a “Charter member” of Inex and beginning with zero customers in the USA I am proud of the initial inroads made customers such as Google, Space X, Exxon, Conoco Oil, Sony Pictures, 100+ Navy bases, Naval Observatory (Vice President’s House), West Point Academy, MGM Casinos, and various three-letter government agencies. Most important are the “key” repeat buying accounts all having purchased millions of dollars of our products. The continued success of Inex Technologies is simply because of the people, products and resources made available over the years.
What advice do you have for people who are thinking of joining the industry?
Your reputation and integrity are so much more important than any sale. You may have a string of successful deployments; however, this is a small industry, and folks never forget your mistakes or overstatements. The LPR roadside is littered with companies who could never get past unsuccessful deployments. These failed ventures include Remmington, HY Tech, Reds, ARCH, Bosch, PIPS, and others. I have seen Inex go from a newcomer to one of the oldest and most respected pillars in this industry. There is absolutely no luck in the selling process, rather luck is achieved when preparation meets with opportunity.