The final responses have been tallied for the 15th edition of CE Pro’s Quest for Quality Awards, and here we’re looking at which distributors won the lion’s share of accolades. As with each year, readers voted on their suppliers whose service areas give dealers a winning hand in their day-to-day business endeavors.
In total, over 12,000 votes were cast by CE Pro readership, with contributors being able to leave some open-ended responses as to why these distributors deserve praise—some of which we’ve included in the listings below.
The 2025 Quest for Quality Award Winners: Distributors
Customer Service/ General Communication
Platinum: DOW Technologies
“We’re absolutely thrilled to receive this award! We’ve always believed in treating our customers like family. Being a family-owned business means we’re not just shipping boxes; we’re building relationships. We understand the challenges SMBs face, and we’re committed to being a true partner, offering personalized service and support every step of the way. This award is a testament to the dedication of our entire team, who go above and beyond to ensure our customers’ success. It validates our core belief that exceptional customer service isn’t just a department, it’s the heart of our business.” —Drew Fischer, Vice President – Home Integration & Specialty Sales
Gold: ADI | Snap One
“We understand the importance of providing quick and efficient support for our customers. Our success is built on strong relationships with customers, ensuring they have access to the latest products, expert guidance, and seamless logistics. As we continue investing in innovation and expanding our product offerings, we remain committed to delivering exceptional service, streamlined operations, and the reliable supply chain our customers can depend on.” —Ryan Marsh, SVP & Chief Revenue Officer
Silver: 21st Century Distributing
“With over 40 years as the Southeast’s largest integration distributor, we understand our customers’ needs and work tirelessly to simplify their busy lives. Our experienced team, paired with exceptional delivery service, ensures our customers receive the support they need. From intuitive online ordering and streamlined proposal management to cutting-edge training through our Virtual Conference Center and Virtual Roadshow, we provide the tools and expertise to help our customers succeed.” —Mark Garijanian VP of Marketing
Dealer Program/Incentives
Platinum: ADI | Snap One
“By evaluating customer purchasing data and collaborating with our suppliers, we make sure we’re offering the right products. Through exclusive promotions and tailored incentives, we aim to help our customers find new sales opportunities. Beyond simply offering deals, we strategically leverage these incentives to strengthen relationships, build long-term partnerships, and reward customer loyalty.” —Ryan Marsh, SVP & Chief Revenue Officer
Gold: DOW Technologies
“We believe in supporting all our dealers, not just the biggest players. Our programs, like FLASH VIR and Smart Services, are designed to be inclusive and offer real value to businesses of all sizes. From earning VIR credits and free freight to mitigating the costs of returns, we’re committed to creating innovative incentives that help our partners thrive and build stronger businesses.” —Drew Fischer, Vice President – Home Integration & Specialty Sales
Silver: WAVE Electronics
“WAVE Electronics continually excels at taking care of their dealers with superior customer service.” —Reader comment
RMR Support Programs
Platinum: DOW Technologies
“Winning this is a real honor. We’re focused on building long-term partnerships with our dealers. These programs are designed to help them grow their businesses with predictable, reliable revenue streams. We’re committed to providing innovative solutions and support that empower our customers, and this award validates our approach to creating mutually beneficial relationships.” —Drew Fischer, Vice President – Home Integration & Specialty Sales
Gold: ADI | Snap One
“We know that using RMR and other subscription-based service plans help our customers win more referrals and provide future sales opportunities. The RMR model also makes it easier to build and manage an annual budget by letting customers easily forecast future revenue. For those reasons and more, RMR is a key business strategy for our customers and that has encouraged us to invest in relevant support programs.” —Ryan Marsh, SVP & Chief Revenue Officer
Silver: WAVE Electronics
Shipping Policies
Platinum: DOW Technologies
“We’re excited about the positive impact our new shipping policies are having on our customers. Launching our own truck routes, called DOW Dash, and offering a flat $45 delivery fee for those areas allows us to provide faster, more affordable service. Combined with our incredibly low $300 free shipping threshold for everyone else, we’re making it easier and more cost-effective for our partners to get the products they need when they need them. It’s all part of our commitment to delivering exceptional value and support.” —Drew Fischer, Vice President – Home Integration & Specialty Sales
Gold: Future Ready Solutions
“Future Ready Solutions provides great technical advice and knowledge especially for fiber solutions, which is always intimidating to start getting into. With their help and their unique fiber solutions, we are much more comfortable in this area.” —Reader comment
Silver: ADI | Snap One
“We partner with hundreds of top suppliers to source the latest products to meet our customers’ needs. With thousands of items in stock daily at our branch locations and available online, along with our various shipping options and convenient branch pickup, we’re committed to helping customers save time, complete projects faster, and minimize inventory storage needs.” —Ryan Marsh, SVP & Chief Revenue Officer
Social Media Presence
Platinum: DOW Technologies
“Our social media is a great resource for dealers to find out everything they need to know about DOW, plus get the current trainings, promotions, new products and more. Every day our posts are an opportunity to express who we are as a company, what values our vendor partners bring to dealers and the benefits available to dealers. We also love the opportunity to highlight our customers when our team hits the road. We’re actively looking to give them more exposure and show our appreciation for their business.” —Jay Johnson, Director of Marketing
Gold: ADI | Snap One
“As part of our digital presence, we understand the power of social media in fostering strong customer relationships and delivering valuable content. We use the platform to celebrate customer successes, share insights on the latest trends, facilitate conversations, highlight new product offerings, support industry learning and upcoming events, and more. We remain committed to engaging with our community and stakeholders in authentic, and impactful ways.” —Ryan Marsh, SVP & Chief Revenue Officer
Silver: WAVE Electronics
Technical Support
Platinum: ADI I Snap One
“Our team is committed to assisting and supporting our customers and we take pride in offering effective assistance to quickly resolve issues, ensuring our customers can get back to running their businesses. As a distributor, we understand the critical role we play in providing seamless service and support, and with our expanded business, we’re excited to offer even more technical expertise, enhanced resources, and comprehensive solutions to further support our customers’ needs and success.” —Ryan Marsh, SVP & Chief Revenue Officer
Gold: WAVE Electronics
“I’ve had a service relationship with a distributor that listens to their dealers, adjusts accordingly, looks for ways to make us efficient with time, and always has an answer when I call. They have never not called or emailed back with in a respectful amount of time. Their pricing has been fair. They’re an extension of our team: WAVE Electronics.” —Reader comment
Silver: DOW Technologies
“Our team is passionate about providing unparalleled support, from initial system design to ongoing advice. With over 200 years of combined experience in custom integration, our reps are dedicated to being true partners for our dealers. This award recognizes their expertise and commitment to ensuring our customers have the knowledge and support they need to succeed.” —Drew Fischer, Vice President – Home Integration & Specialty Sales
Training Programs
Platinum: ADI I Snap One
“As a combined business, ADI | Snap One offers a number of different learning opportunities for customers to keep them updated on the latest product offerings, solutions, and industry trends. From training sessions in local stores, online webinars, at ADI Expo Series events, or through the training on demand platform — our customers have the flexibility to choose the way they want to learn that works best for them.” —Ryan Marsh, SVP & Chief Revenue Officer
Gold: DOW Technologies
“We understand that our dealers’ success is our success. That’s why we prioritize bringing our training directly to them, in their local territories. We believe in investing in our partners’ knowledge and skills, and we’re committed to providing accessible, high-quality training that empowers them to excel in today’s market. This award reinforces our dedication to supporting our dealers every step of the way.” —Drew Fischer, Vice President – Home Integration & Specialty Sales
Silver: Pioneer Music Company
“As a regional distributor, receiving this award means a lot to us. It’s a testament to the time we invest in listening to our dealers, understanding their local markets, and adapting to meet their needs. We believe excellence comes from getting the small things right, and our commitment to those value-added details makes a real difference in building strong relationships. Our mission is to install human connections wherever possible, and that’s what truly sets us apart.” —Alec Haight, CEO
Website
Platinum: DOW Technologies
“Providing our customers with a seamless shopping experience is our top priority, which is why we’re committed to maintaining an intuitive, user-friendly site. Our team continuously updates content, optimizes navigation, and enhances searchability to ensure dealers can quickly find the right products and confirm specifications. Our self-service features make it easy to download ads, process returns, and track shipments at their convenience. Looking ahead, we’re excited to announce that a brand-new site is in development, set to launch later this year, offering dealers an even more powerful and efficient back-end experience.” —Jay Johnson, Director of Marketing
Gold: ADI | Snap One
“As our base of digital-first customers continues to grow, we remain focused on driving key enhancements across our ecommerce platform to improve our online shopping experience. Recent enhancements to the ADI site include an expanded product catalog, improved site speed, AI-powered search and product recommendations, local availability and order status details, and a streamlined checkout. And we’re making more updates to the Snap One site later this year. By prioritizing digital experiences, we’re better equipped to meet the needs of our customers, and deliver faster, more personalized, and seamless interactions.” —Ryan Marsh, SVP & Chief Revenue Officer
Silver: 21st Century Distributing
“This year’s Quest for Quality award for Customer Service, along with our highly evolved website, reflects our unwavering dedication to customer satisfaction.” —Mark Garijanian VP of Marketing
