Study: Integrators Are #3 Choice Contractor for Home Tech Installation

Awesome picture Jason but in my best Inigo Montoya voice “I do no think it means what you think it means.”

I would have placed us further down on this list:

1) Security Company
2) IT Geek
3) Electrician
4) Brother-in-law
5) Wiz kid son
6) The homeowner themselves
7) Some guy they met who knows about this stuff
8) Spouse
9) Contractor
10) Cabinet guy
11) Any other random person on the job
12) Internet/Google/Amazon
13) Integrator

I’m not sure this is surprising nor a cause for concern.  The average person also thinks an ADT $100 system is a “security system”.  And the average person still doesn’t know what home automation is.

It is cause for concern, because even the builders don’t understand/care why they should call an integrator rather than use the unqualified electrician or security company to plan the av or connect the home systems.  I saw a job this week with a TV pre-wired with (4) hdmi cables and nothing else, plus they were all too short to reach the TV!  I don’t even care if I’m the one to pull the wires, just pay for some consulting before the walls are closed!

Where is CEDIA in all of this?  Aren’t they supposed to be the organization that promotes the advancement of the industry as a whole? 

We’re in the midst of some of the biggest technological advances in this industry EVER.  Good quality products are now within every clients reach, meanwhile CEDIA is sitting on our membership dues.  What exactly are they doing?  Where are the TV commercials? Where is the John Q. Public knowledge of who CEDIA is?  You might as well tell a client that you’re a Martian.  The only people who know who CEDIA is are Integrators.  Looks great on a resume, means jack to a client.

It doesn’t matter….at least my mechanic is ASE Certified.

We have been so focused on hardware while the security business has been focused on profit.  They build up a nice recurring revenue base and go out sell systems, some big, more small, but every job is profitable and builds their base of revenue.
Our industry needs a new model based on more sales, some kind of recurring revenue and more packaged selling.  Commercial AV is growing, Security is growing and we are lagging far behind.  Time to reinvent ourselves, and yes CEDIA should be doing more to help the dealers, not just host a tradeshow and have classes.

Cedia has been proven to be useless-

I agree that since CEDIA is our largest association, they are primarily to blame for the lack of consumer/industry awareness.

For years I have tried to justify the expense to join CEDIA and still have not found a financially beneficial reason. NOBODY still knows what it is. I have NEVER lost a job because I lack their endorsement. Their training seems OK for a lot of beginners, but after 20+ years, I think I have what I need figured out. Still don’t get it…

As a founding member, CEDIA was designed to promote the smaller and more talented custom installation businesses against big box dealers & installers. For lack of better words, it was designed to be a, “Union,” of individuals that were held to a higher standard of service, quality, and talent.

The people whom have politically taken over through the years only want to collect dues so they go on their $$$ vacations and outings on our dime.

Granted, CEDIA still provides educational classes, (which you still have to pay for even if you’re a member), that helps out, “newbies,” via testing.

However, for the rest of us veterans, I’d love to see how many dealers no longer subscribe/pay dues to keep a sticker on their showroom window or use their logo in their advertising.

I know I’m off point regarding the original content of this article, but as much I helped to promote Cedia back in the day, it’s now my goal to tear it down.

Even if I accomplish my goal, I don’t think too many people would even care because of the small percentage of the public that are, or were, aware that this organization ever existed which was CEDIA’s original objective.

CEDIA was more popular and well known to the public during the very 1st years, (when the founding members actually cared), than it is today.

@davenport
Actually, the CEA is “our” largest organization that act in “our” best interests.  Also, CES, the tradeshow the CEA puts on, seems to have about 100k+ more people attend than CEDIA.  As technology and integration evolves, the need for super duper, highly specialized A/V installers is deminishing at a fast rate.  Hence the fallout CEDIA is experiencing.  Join the CEA and contribute there.  The techome devision could use some more folks!

Um… what’s an integrator?

answer: the technology available today makes the “integrator” a moot point in high end resi…for reals yo…commercial/industrial will always need em.

I would take this “Study” with little merit. 1st, it is done by the Electronic Security Association that somehow puts their industry or customer on top. Not surprising sine they paid for it..2nd I think if we saw the 5 min survey they sent out that was check 1 of 4 boxes we would notice it really has wholes in it. 3rd, what consumer did they study?  It was probably an email sent to the contacts from someone’s existing data base and that determines the results and demographics. . Very skewed.. 4th, what is their definition of a home security company? is that a company that only offers security or a company that also happens to sell security along with everything else. Take for example Eagle Sentry, a successful A/V Integrator or Security company that is also a CEDIA member? What we call ourselves may not be what the consumer calls us. I think its semantics. The big question is WHAT"S THE POINT? Should we change our names, Industry association, market or business strategy? My guess is all this study did and its real purpose was to help whoever paid for the survey to gain more market share and charge more for their services. Every industry or category of contactor no matter what you call it has challenges. I would hope that more companies invest and become more professional. Analyze and ask questions.

After 20+ years as a C.I.,my phones still ringing off the wall.Even in this down economy.

Out of the goodness in my heart,I still try to squeeze in the botched security company jobs when time permits.

Not just the A/V side,also in properly securing their home!

This “survey” doesn’t line up with what I’m seeing!

It just goes to show that the general public has a general lack of awareness in this area.

Thanks CEDIA!