06.19.2008 — Russell Kim, president of Audio Dimensions in Oklahoma City, offers a glimpse into his company.

What makes your company unique among hybrid custom/retail electronics dealers?

We operate eight stores in four states.

What is the biggest business-related challenge facing your company?

Refining both marketing and sales practices.

What is the top benefit of being a Home Theater Specialists of America (HTSA) member company?

Learning the best business practices from other businesses and getting to know senior management of other vendors.

Most important piece of sales or operational advice: You have to inspect what you expect.

Best business decision: Taking my time and hiring the right people.

Worst business decision: Many times I get in a hurry and make poor decisions. Then I find the time to do it right the second time.

Can you offer three tips for sales people working in the custom/retail hybrid industry?

1. Asking careful discovery questions to lead customers is absolutely key to earning customers' trust. You have to meet the customer where they're at before you show them any new technology.

2. The response time in getting back to people when you say you will is critical. They want to know they can be taken care of in a timely manner.

3. At the end of the day, it's not what they bought, but how they feel about their purchase. Therefore, the salesperson has to make sure the system works as well as expected.

They have to make the customer feel that they can operate the system and make them feel important.

What are some keys to properly merchandising a showroom?

It's not the product, it's the experience. We focus on super-high-end, killer demos. We want it to be an experience they've never had anywhere else.

What steps are you taking to make up those lost margins on flat panels?

We go out of the way to create a creative installation to drive labor sales up. We also focus on selling high-end audio.

How do you educate clients about today's ever-changing technology?

It's up to the salesperson to create clarity and less confusion so the customer will trust us. Many times the customer wants to test our people to see if they know what they're talking about.

The salesperson has to be knowledgeable in order to educate the clients.

What are the three technologies that currently confuse consumers most?
1. LCD vs. plasma
2. Music servers
3. Remote controls

Do you have any tips on good demo material to display in a show room?

"Star Wars," good vs. evil, is always good drama.