03.04.2008 — I know I am stealing the sign-off line from Will Ferrell’s “Anchorman” character Ron Burgundy, but it was certainly easy to “stay classy, San Diego” during the CEDIA Management Conference.

The venue and seminars were classy, and the attendees were all among the classiest, cream-of-the-crop integration companies in the industry.

In its nine years of existence, this year’s event had the highest turnout with 260 people (including 149 first-timers) voraciously gobbling up tidbits of information from presenters and fellow attendees.

Is The Housing Market That Bad?

“What slowdown?” That’s the question most of the attendees were asking whenever the subject of recession or housing market collapse was being bandied about.

The opening presentation set the positive tone for the event.

Kevin Carroll, a self-named “katalyst” who previously worked for Nike and the Philadelphia 76ers, gave an inspiring speech about his personal rise from being abandoned as a child by his parents to his current career. He uses a red rubber ball as his inspiration. (It’s a really long story.)

Suffice it to say, Carroll challenged attendees to look beyond the doom and gloom and inspire themselves and their employees to strive for greatness.

Speciality Retailers, Integrators The Same

Carroll was followed on stage by industry veteran Darrell McComber of McComber & Associates, who gave a very detailed analysis that outlined several financial targets for custom integrators.

McComber started by saying that “95 percent” of specialty retailers are now installation companies, and therefore, he told attendees, there can no longer be a distinction between the two groups.

His session, entitled “The Custom Installation Business from a Financial Perspective,” focused on ways that integrators can improve their business in a tough economy and how to boost cash flow. (The seminar will be covered in-depth in an upcoming issue of CE Pro.)

Among his conclusions: “I don’t see national chains consuming the custom industry any time soon.”

McComber says many of his clients faced business downturns in the first half of 2007 but most have righted the ship.

Deliver the “Ultimate Customer Experience”

Scott McKain gave a humorous and compelling speech entitled “What Customers REALLY Want.”

McKain, who has definitely given this speech before, had the audience spellbound talking about how to offer clients the “ultimate customer experience.”

To describe the potential impact integrators can have on their clients’ lives, McKain poignantly described how his wife battled ovarian cancer over the past few years, and that one solace she had was watching movies in the couple’s home theater.

He advised dealers to cut down on too many choices for clients, and work to bring that ultimate experience via a personal and emotional touch. He believes that price only comes to play for customers that do not receive a compelling experience from you.