Over the last few weeks 3M Resident Monitoring has been quietly notifying customers that they are exiting the emergency call system marketplace.  I have calls and emails out to 3M and Direct Supply, who was a significant component in the 3M distribution network. I have not received any responses to those inquiries.

Over the last few weeks 3M Resident Monitoring has been quietly notifying customers that they are exiting the emergency call system marketplace.  I have calls and emails out to 3M and Direct Supply, who was a significant component in the 3M distribution network. I have not received any responses to those inquiries.

Here is what we know (or at least think we know)

  • Effective immediately, 3M is not selling or installing any new systems.
  • They will continue to support existing customers through 2013.

The Challenges

  • This is a life safety issue and means that essentially right now, existing customers will need to make plans to replace their existing system in the next 14 months.  It means a very significant unforeseeable capital expenditure of tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars for each replacement system.
  • The operators we are talking to are hugely concerned that even in that one year period they will not be fully supported.
  • It puts Direct Supply in a very difficult position with their customers, through no fault of their own.
  • As the year comes to an end will any and all parts be available to customers?

There is a conventional wisdom that says going with a large company like 3M gives customers the assurance they are too big to fail.   The problem is, that because they are so big, something like emergency call is such a minor component, it really means nothing to drop the product line.  The other problem with a large company is that the customer has less opportunity to influence the road-map for the company. In talking with a number of industry sources it is clear that like Vigil Health Solution (the company I work with), other call vendors are looking at ways they can soften the blow of having to make this change. If you have more or better information it would be great if you would share it.  

 If you would like to remain anonymous feel free to email anything you would like to say to me.  smoran (at) seniorhousingforum.net

Steve Moran