CE Pro of the Week: Jason Bellanti, Spire Integrated Systems

Each week, we aim to provide an informative - yet colorful - profile of one of your fellow CE pros. We first met Jason Bellanti while researching a story about how his Detroit area company managed to grow during the recession.

Interested in being featured yourself? See below.

How would you use Twitter to describe what your company does (140 character limit)?

We have the people, integrity, and resources to do things right.

After you complete a project, what do you think your typical client tells his friend about the experience?

I think that our clients tell their friends they had an excellent experience beginning with sale all the way to the final installation and training. Also, that we were honest, responsive and showed respect to them and their homes.

What can CE pros learn from your company to make them think differently and run their business better?

I would tell people to focus on profitability versus the size of the job. Some of the large projects have a matching price tag, but the profit margin is sometimes not there when it is all said and done.

Also, some of us in the company have engineering backgrounds, so we apply some of those principles our design process. All of our proposals go through an “engineering check” to ensure that no parts were left out and that the system will function as we designed it to.

Also, from a testing standpoint, a large percentage of our systems are built and tested in our build area before they ever go out to the client’s house.

What trade tip can you offer your fellow CE pros?

Take a look at SnapAV. You will be blown away by their quality, customer service and most importantly: prices.

What’s the wildest request you’ve ever had for an installation?

We had a customer request that a projector be hidden in a large gathering room when it was not in use We ended up cutting out a piece of the large crown molding and building a box for the projector behind it.

The AMX automation system lowers the piece of crown molding out of the way when the room turns on. When the room turns off, and the projector is cooled, the crown molding raises back up into place and you can barely see the seam.

What is your 3D strategy and do you think the technology will live up to the hype?

Our strategy is to ignore it, if possible …

If a customer asks about it, we will make sure that all of the components that we install are 3D ready, but we do not really use 3D as a selling feature.

Honestly, if I watch 3D for long enough, it gives me a headache. I think that it will eventually fizzle away for home use, but keep going strong in the theaters. The experience on a 50-inch TV is just not the same that you get when you go to the theater.

What is your absolute favorite piece of audio demo material?

This is more of a guilty pleasure than a true audio demo, but I love the lobby scene from The Matrix. It is a perfect blend of comedy, action, gun shots, explosions and great surround effects.

What is your absolute favorite piece of video demo material?

I haven’t found anything that rivals the color and scenery of Avatar on Blu-ray.

What is something most people don’t know about you?

I am one of the leaders on the tech team at my church, 2|42 Community Church.

Also, my wife Liv and I have a foster daughter. [See photo above.]

Want to be a CE Pro of the Week? .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) with "CE Pro of the Week" in the subject line and I'll ask you some questions.