When a home improvement retailer wanted to provide an unmanned showroom experience for its customers, the company turned to SDM’s 2025 Project of the Year winner — Pro Edge Technology of Riverdale, Utah. The integrator deployed video surveillance, access control and automated tech to enable Bath Fitter Utah to deliver a seamless experience without any on-site staff. This unique project showcases how security-driven innovation and efficiency can reshape the retail space.

“We’re a home improvement company,” says Rick Vanden Boomen, general manager of Bath Fitter of Utah. “Our business model is typically we go to the customer’s home and we take measurements and give them a quote in their home; but we definitely saw a need for customers to come in to confirm their order, or maybe see the product in person first. The problem with that is typically you would need to hire someone to be sitting in a showroom and maybe talking to customers. I had this concept to remotely allow someone to come into a showroom.”

Finding the Right Fit

Bath Fitter was looking for a partner who could handle every detail, from infrastructure and cabling all the way through final configuration. That’s when Boomen turned to Pro Edge. Pro Edge Technology was founded in 2008 by Jared Roper after years of managing telecom and IT support for large-scale enterprises. What began as a one-man operation has grown into an award-winning security and technology integration firm known for innovative, customer-focused solutions.

“When I was coming up with the concept, we thought we could probably pull this off ourselves, but it’d be really lousy,” Boomen says. “We could put a ring doorbell on the door and we could probably let someone in and maybe talk to them on the phone. Then I stumbled across Axis Communications and their camera system and some of the different components they build. I contacted Axis to get more information and then they recommended Pro Edge right away. Axis thought they would be a really good fit for what we’re trying to do and the Pro Edge team put the whole technology package together.”

Boomen continues, “I contacted Pro Edge and we met in person. Pro Edge is really, really cool. They set up a little bit of a demonstration in their warehouse of what it would be like to put all the technology together.”

Jared Roper, owner and project manager, Pro Edge, says, “When pro Edge started years ago, we reached out to all the manufacturers and out of everyone, Axis stood right behind us — they said, ‘Hey, we got you.’ Ever since then, we’ve been very loyal to Axis. This project came from Axis as a lead.

“Usually a normal project is like access control or some security cameras for a facility,” Roper continues. “This time, the customer came to us and said, ‘I want an unmanned shop. I want to have some cameras there; I want to have some audio, video, and access control all tied into it; but I want to have them reach out to my call center in Salt Lake City.’ It was unique as far as us having to figure out how to get that information from the Boise location back to the call center and let the individuals walk around the showroom. It wasn’t just letting an employee in or out — it is now a customer-facing solution.”

The solution was built around Axis Communications products and tailored to create a secure, intelligent, and hands-off customer experience. The system included: two Axis servers for reliable performance and video management; 10+ Axis cameras for full interior and exterior surveillance; eight Axis readers for controlled entry and exit; one Axis door intercom for secure remote visitor management; four ceiling-mounted speakers for in-showroom messaging; four Axis door controllers and associated strikes and buttons; and three Axis I/O relay modules to trigger pre-recorded audio per product zone.

“Bath Fitter came out, and we actually did a demo here at the shop,” Roper says. “We set it up to simulate what he was trying to do, and Rick liked it. We drew up a proposal and it took a little while to implement because we started working on the process even before the ground was broken on the project.”

Taking the Tech Tour

To bring the Bath Fitter unmanned showroom to life, Pro Edge leveraged innovative design strategies and Axis’ solutions to create a hands-free, customer-guided experience without the need for onsite personnel. The team used the Axis I8116-E Door Intercom to allow visitors to remotely request access to the building. This device connects to a remote operator who can verify and grant entry — ensuring security without sacrificing convenience.

“They were working one day until 12:00 a.m.,” Boomen says of Pro Edge. “I was trying to be there the whole time for them to show them I was just as hard of a worker as them, but they literally worked till midnight to get the system in. Mike Dearing was there to wire some of the system in during the framing process of the building, maybe three or four months before we put the rest of the system in. They’re great. They came whenever we needed them and we definitely plan on working with them in the future. I have no plans to look anywhere else.”

Inside the showroom, the team deployed Axis A9188 I/O Relay Modules in conjunction with ceiling-mounted speakers to trigger location-based, prerecorded audio messages. Each product zone includs a button that visitors can press to hear tailored messaging about that specific bath solution, effectively turning the showroom into a self-guided sales experience.

By placing Axis M4318-PLVE cameras throughout the space, the team enabled remote representatives to monitor the customer’s journey through the showroom in real time. This allows support staff to see exactly where visitors are and offer targeted help or answer questions through a centralized system.

Once construction was complete, the team returned and completed the entire install — termination, device setup, testing, and programming — in just one week. Pro Edge preconfigured much of the system offsite, allowing for faster onsite deployment and minimal disruption.

“This project redefines what’s possible in a customer-facing environment by combining security, automation, and user experience into one seamless, unmanned showroom,” Roper says. “It’s not just about installing cameras or access control — it’s about delivering a full, smart solution that empowers the customer to operate an interactive space without onsite staff. From the Axis intercom at the front door to the button-triggered audio stations and real time remote support via cameras, every element of this project was intentionally designed to create a self-guided, secure environment.”

Bath Fitter’s final desired outcome was to create a fully unmanned showroom experience that would allow potential clients to explore the company’s products independently while still offering real-time remote support, all without the need for full-time onsite staff. The deployment eliminated the need for in-person sales staff during most operating hours by utilizing remote intercom access and visual monitoring, while enhancing the customer experience with self-guided product information triggered via interactive buttons and audio playback. The deployment also ensured security and control with real-time video monitoring and access control managed remotely.

Now, 100 percent of showroom visitor access is managed remotely using the Axis intercom and access control system. This has led to a reduction in operation staffing costs for the showroom by eliminating the need for dedicated onsite sales staff during standard hours.

“It’s working really, really well so far and the customers are really liking it,” Boomen says. “It’s nice to be able to let people in remotely and let them show themselves around. I think the customers actually may prefer not having an actual person following them around. It’s kind of a relief of pressure. Representatives typically don’t want to be overbearing but they also don’t want to be sitting back and asking too few questions. I think the customers really like to just wander around at their leisure and take all the time they need to look at all the different displays, so it’s really working well so far.”

The Future

Pro Edge combined cutting-edge technology with a deep understanding of Bath Fitter’s needs to deliver an innovative solution — that’s what makes this deployment SDM’s 2025 Project of the Year. The security industry is supremely relationship-driven, so what does Pro Edge’s relationship look like with Bath Fitter moving forward?

Roper says, “The system’s success is already shaping the future of Bath Fitter’s business model, with plans to roll it out across the country, making this not only a well-executed project, but one with scalable, long-term impact.”

As of now, the showroom was developed as a pilot location for a larger rollout, with plans to deploy this same unmanned showroom experience across Bath Fitter locations nationwide.

“We’ve been around for 40 years and there are about 250 locations nationwide in the United States and Canada,” Boomen says. “Right now, I’m in a town in Montana with about 100,000 people in it. It would be a really difficult thing to staff a showroom here, so I think it’s a really great fit. We have about 25 stores that we want to build out with this unmanned showroom concept we created with Pro Edge.”

Roper says, “This project means a lot to our entire team at Pro Edge. It’s a true representation of what we love most about what we do — taking a customer’s vision and bringing it to life with smart, practical, and professional solutions. We’re incredibly proud of how this project came together. From the first bid to the final install, it was a full team effort that showcased not just our technical skills, but our commitment to doing things the right way. When a customer comes to us with a unique challenge or a specific goal, our team thrives on finding the best way to make it happen. That’s exactly what happened here.

“Seeing the unmanned showroom work exactly how it was envisioned, from remote entry to self-guided audio zones, was a rewarding reminder of the impact we can make when we work together,” Roper adds. “It’s projects like this that remind us why we’re passionate about this industry.”