IDA Expo is one of LiftMaster’s biggest events of the year. This year, in particular, was important to us because we received the IDA Industry Member Service Award. However, as one of the last major conferences to be held before America shut down to flatten the curve of Covid-19, a lot has happened and changed since IDAExpo. Our focus has been on the health and safety of industry members, their families, and the world-at-large. Yet, as we take a moment to reflect back on the event, we believe it is now more important than ever to live by and embody the traits attributed to the IDA Industry Member Service Award. We sat down with LiftMaster’s Sr. Director of Sales and an elected IDA Board of Director, Jim McGinley to learn more about what the 2020 IDA Industry Member Service Award means for us and our dealers:
1. What is the IDA Industry Member Service Award and how has LiftMaster shifted in today’s world to continue to serve the door and access system industry?
Once a year the IDA board members elect who should be recognized for their commitment and contribution to the garage door industry. Board members look for companies and individuals who serve the industry with a high standard and continued excellence in operating their business, for significant contributions to the IDA organization, for overall product and industry innovations and for displaying exceptional traits of honesty, integrity and quality.
During this unprecedented time, the door and access system industry is playing the vital role of ensuring that people can safely and reliably access their homes and essential commercial facilities. LiftMaster is working harder than ever to support our dealers and distributors by providing them with products and parts they need to ensure home and commercial access systems remain functional and safe.
The health and safety of employees and the dealers we serve is a main priority. We are taking additional health and safety measures including adjusting our operating procedures to include heightened screening, hygiene, cleanliness and social distancing protocols. Navigating current conditions can be hard, but we are committed to providing our dealers and distributers with the same high-quality products and tailored service that is synonymous with our brand.
2. This is the 25th anniversary of the first IDA awards. How has the industry changed since the first IDA awards?
There are so many wonderful advances in technology and design that are occurring in the garage door industry right now, and it’s an honor to be recognized as an industry leader amongst all the manufacturers and companies who serve the professional door dealers. It’s especially important during a time when our dealers, who are essential workers, need not only the tools to do their jobs, but also innovative technologies and strategies that allow them to address end-users’ needs.
Technology and safety have increased exponentially. From the development of monitored safety devices like photo beams to the introduction of software that enables homeowners and facility managers to control, secure and monitor garage doors, commercial bay doors and every access door in between, today’s dealers install and program products that do so much more than move a door or gate. They are addressing access needs at the highest level, helping the end-user move safely and seamlessly through their day.
3. Why is receiving the IDA Industry Member Service Award important today, and what does it mean for LiftMaster and its dealers?
Being recognized with the IDA Industry Member Service Award reinforces our commitment to providing powerful combinations of reliable hardware and technology for smart access solutions that empower customers with the knowledge and control to do more.
LiftMaster is proud to have always supported the industry at a very high level. We continue to look for new ways to contribute to our industry that go beyond delivering products and solutions by providing marketing resources and new revenue opportunities to industry members and supporting IDA and IDEA to increase educational awareness.
4. You are a member of the IDA Board of Directors. How long have you served on the board, and what is your favorite part about being involved?
I have served on the Board of Directors for four years now. My favorite part of being involved is interacting with industry leaders and our membership to advance solutions to industry issues. I am also proud to be chairman of the scholarship committee for IDA. Our scholarship fund has distributed more than a million dollars in college scholarships to deserving members within the garage door industry. It is very important to me that we “pay it forward” to those who will be the future of our industry and our nation. It is meaningful to me that our scholarship fund is financially positioned to continue this educational support, but we are always open to donations.
5.What trends and innovations are you looking forward to seeing more of in the industry this coming year?
I’m looking forward to seeing how smart access control continues to solve everyday access needs. I think we have only just begun to see how it can empower people to engage with access in new and innovative ways, which is opening the door to so many amazing possibilities and opportunities. Take for example how smart access devices like our myQ-connected LiftMaster garage door openers can enable contactless Key by Amazon In-Garage Delivery for a secure package delivery solution. With over 1 million successful in-garage deliveries to date, people are using their smart garage in ways they wouldn’t have imagined a few years ago.
As we continue to build out more smart access solutions that help connect people, places and events such as in-garage delivery, our dealers will be able to expand and grow their business in ways they have never done before. And that is what I’m most looking forward to seeing.