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7 Tips to Improve Custom Industry
The concluding session at the CE Pro 100 Summit shared ideas on how to improve business and move the industry forward.
SpeakerCraft’s Nick Berry (standing) led CE Pro 100 Summit attendees in a brainstorming finale to come up with directive messages for the industry.
SpeakerCraft president Jeremy Burkhardt wasn't physically in attendance at the CE Pro 100 Summit, but he still managed to lead the concluding session.
With help from Nick Berry, SpeakerCraft's VP of marketing, a video from Burkhardt was played that challenged dealers to keep moving their businesses forward.
With the assistance of a caricature drawing of Burkhardt as his backup (along with an open bar), Berry led the room in roundtable discussions to come up with the next big idea for the industry and for his company.
Some of the ideas from the audience included:
Encouraging CEDIA or CEA to create a national consumer awareness program for the industry.
Encourage manufacturers to have password-protected online buying portals for dealers to buy equipment.
Encourage manufacturers to hire former integrators on staff who can help dealers connect better with them.
Push manufacturers to do one-offs when those unique projects come up. Integrators say they love manufacturers who will go the extra mile to create a component to solve their specific job need.
Manufacturers should stick to their categories of expertise, unless product evolution is guiding them to branch out.
Manufacturers should make sure to have good/better/best offerings. Dealers prefer to buy from one vendor in a specific vertical product niche.
Ask manufacturers to offer demo equipment on extended payment terms with a stipulation that if the dealer sells a certain number of the products within the term, then the demo unit is free.
With help from Nick Berry, SpeakerCraft's VP of marketing, a video from Burkhardt was played that challenged dealers to keep moving their businesses forward.
With the assistance of a caricature drawing of Burkhardt as his backup (along with an open bar), Berry led the room in roundtable discussions to come up with the next big idea for the industry and for his company.
Some of the ideas from the audience included:
Encouraging CEDIA or CEA to create a national consumer awareness program for the industry.
Encourage manufacturers to have password-protected online buying portals for dealers to buy equipment.
Encourage manufacturers to hire former integrators on staff who can help dealers connect better with them.
Push manufacturers to do one-offs when those unique projects come up. Integrators say they love manufacturers who will go the extra mile to create a component to solve their specific job need.
Manufacturers should stick to their categories of expertise, unless product evolution is guiding them to branch out.
Manufacturers should make sure to have good/better/best offerings. Dealers prefer to buy from one vendor in a specific vertical product niche.
Ask manufacturers to offer demo equipment on extended payment terms with a stipulation that if the dealer sells a certain number of the products within the term, then the demo unit is free.
CE Pro 100
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Best Buy Founder Schulze Steps Down After CEO Probe Best Buy Marketing Exec Barry Judge Resigns Bjorn Dybdahl Among 2012 CE Hall of Fame Class Let’s Stop Vilifying Best Buy How We Verify the CE Pro 100 Best Buy, ADT, Vivint Take Different Paths to Success CE Pro 100 Tops $1.4B in Sales The Biggest Challenges & Opportunities of 2012 More filed in CE Pro 100 |
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 CE Pro 100Find out why 84% Predict Growth for 2012. Also, This year, the list is led by mammoth Best Buy, which has a CE Pro estimated installation revenue from its Geek Squad, Magnolia Home Theater and Audio Visions divisions of a remarkable $680 million.Read on.
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About the Author
Jason Knott, Editor, CE Pro
Jason has covered low-voltage electronics as an editor since 1990. He joined EH Publishing in 2000, and before that served as publisher and editor of Security Sales, a leading magazine for the security industry. He served as chairman of the Security Industry Association’s Education Committee from 2000-2004 and sat on the board of that association from 1998-2002. He is also a former board member of the Alarm Industry Research and Educational Foundation. He is currently a member of the CEDIA Education Action Team for Electronic Systems Business. Jason graduated from the University of Southern California.
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Ughhh. I can’t believe it would actually take somebody like Burkhardt to bring this to the “industry’s” attention. Read the first 3 suggestions, great suggestions, but it’s terribly sad if he’s the first one to think of this.
1. Is he actually suggesting that CEDIA do something with membership fees to move the industry forward? Holy Crap. They may send hit-men after him.
2. Is he suggesting that technology companies actually use technology to make their company efficient and lean?
3. Hire former integrators? What for? Because an integrator might actually have an idea of what products and types of products are needed in the industry?
I’ve got 3 comments for CEDIA and other companies.
1. CEDIA should fire whoever’s driving the car over there, call Burkhardt find out what he’s making at Speakercraft and triple his salary to come to CEDIA. Before CEDIA becomes totally irrelevant.
2. If you’re a company without an online dealer portal already, you should probably start boarding the windows because it’s just about over for you. Here’s a hint, the internet is NOT going away. Use it.
3. If you’re a company that’s aimlessly floundering around out there trying to find your way, before you do anything, just ask yourself WWJBD? And then do that.