Look, I get it. The last thing many integrators want to do after a hard day of work is load up CEPro.com and read an article on how they can improve their business. But trust me when I tell you that these articles are not here to harp on the same topics over and over again, but rather to serve as a tool for curious integrators and AV professionals to take a step back, reflect on what they do day-to-day, and see if there are improvements that can be made.

To that end, CE Pro has rounded up 7 business-focused stories from 2019 that we feel integrators should read. All of the below articles are filled with useful information that could help give your business a boost heading into 2020.

Top 7 Business Stories From 2019

#1: Plumbing Could be the Next Big Thing for Smart-Home Pros

While this one is more Julie’s opinion than anything, she did spend a lot of time at CEDIA Expo 2019, and during that time she noticed the sheer number of leak detection, water purification, water management, and other plumbing-related products on the show floor.

Could this be a big trend for 2020? Only time will tell, but integrators would be wise to hear Julie out on this, as anytime a new category opens up it’s the early-adopters that stand to benefit the most.

#2: Why Your Home Theaters Probably Stink

In the mood for a biting, candid look at what’s wrong with the home theater install industry? Eric Thies of DSI Luxury Technology weighs-in on what irks him about “good enough” solutions for clients, how integrators are wrong to install multiroom audio speakers in home theaters, and more.

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Thies’ witty yet uncompromising “hot takes” got a lot of CE Pro readers up in arms a few months ago, but his opinions serve as a reminder to integrators that complacency leads to lackluster installs.

#3: Creating the ‘Perfect’ Scripted Demo, Showroom Tour

This story is part project profile and part business resource, but it remains one of the most popular stories on CE Pro of the year, and for a good reason. Instead of simply running down the benefits of the technology they sell, integrator Echo Systems has turned its sales pitch into an art form thanks to a fully scripted showroom demo and tour. This provides some additional “wow factor” that often leads to more sales and a better customer experience.

#4: Massive ADT Report Shows How Customers View Smart Home Tech

Knowing your audience is a huge asset to any business, and thanks to ADT’s recent survey of more than 1,000 people, integrators can gain insight into how their customers view smart home technology.

The survey goes in-depth on smart home technology adoption rates, smart security technology, and several other key areas like customer purchase preferences and privacy concerns.

#5: Requiring a Service Contract… Will It Work?

Imagine a world where every time you installed a new AV system the customer had no choice but to also sign up for a service contract. Sound like paradise? Sound too good to be true? Well it’s not, as Austin, Texas-based Service Tech Audio Visual is doing just that.

So what’s the secret? As it turns out, simply having the service contract discussion at the beginning of the project tends to seal the deal. It also avoids that awkward conversation later, allowing integrators to go into a project knowing exactly what will be expected of them in the long term. Read the full story to figure out how to set this set up at your place of business!

#6: What Integrators Can Learn From Best Buy

Yes, you read that right. Believe it or not, there’s a LOT that integrators can learn from retail tech giant Best Buy, and Joseph Kolchinsky, founder and CEO of OneVision Resources, does an excellent job at outlining the key aspects that make Best Buy so successful and how integrators can carry those successes over into their own businesses.

Want to learn how to help solve your customers’ underlying problems more efficiently? How about getting a crash course on proactive service? It’s all in here!

#7: It’s Time to Get an Electrical License… Now!

While this article was published right at the start of 2019, the message it conveys is still as important as ever: With the energy storage, electric vehicle, and clean energy management categories booming in the last few years, it’s becoming harder and harder to ignore the need for an electrical license.

As pointed out in the article, “The smart home market is changing so rapidly that having a line-voltage license will not only offer you a certain level of insulation from outside market influences, but also open up an even broader market potential for your company.” Learn more by reading the full story.

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