Howdy folks. Welcome to the Week in Playback. I got a question for you this time around: what makes a good business partner a good business partner?
Online sources will list qualities like Trust, Credibility, Loyalty, Openness and Mutuality. However, Mother Teresa of all people has perhaps one of my favorite quotes when it comes to describing what a valuable business relationship looks like: “I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things.”
Every year CE Pro does the Quest for Quality Awards, and while it exists to highlight manufacturers and distributors going above and beyond as business partners, we also hope it helps define what makes a good business partner in this industry. That quote, I feel hits at the core of it, especially today.
As integrators continue to expand managed services and long-term client relationships, vendors that provide tools, analytics and operational support for them have grown to be indispensable partners.
CE Pro picked up on this trend back in 2025, and it has only grown over time, especially as integrators have branched out more into lighting design, energy management and even outdoor installations. It reflects a dawning reality of the business: integrators, rather than controlling mere systems, control the client’s lived experience in the home.
The role of an integrator has evolved from being the simple installer to the purveyor, and in that transformation what a company needs to do to be considered trusted, credible and loyal has changed a little bit.
It’s not about helping with the product anymore. It might have been back when integrators were more focused on product sales, but now, it’s about helping with the project at multiple levels, with the product being a small component of the bigger picture.
I suppose in that way, as integrators themselves have seen their business duties expand so too have the prospective partners seen the demands being made of them grow as well. Whether or not that’s a good thing is up to you to decide.
With that said, let’s get into the Playback.
1. The Quest for Quality
Source: The 2026 Quest for Quality Award Winners: Recognizing Service, Support and Reliability
CE Pro unveiled its winners in the 2026 Quest for Quality Awards this week with winners in manufacturing and distribution announced on March 31, 2026.
This year’s awards featured 14 separate categories (each with 3 distinct rankings) for a grand total of 66 opportunities in which business partners can be recognized.
Nominations for the Quest for Quality Awards are given exclusively by integrators with the winners being determined through an open-ended survey alongside category voting that evaluates the day-to-day services integrators rely on to run their businesses.
Among some of the top-rated companies, Dow Technologies, OneVision Resources, URC, ADI Portal.io notched recognitions across multiple categories.
2. CEDIA Goes to Washington
Source: CEDIA Day on Capitol Hill 2026: Advocacy Focuses on Labor, Security and Education
CEDIA traveled to Washington, D.C. for its third annual CEDIA Day on Capitol Hill on Thursday, March 26. Association leaders from around the world were joined by the CEDIA Board of Directors and industry partners to advocate for policies that support smart home professionals and the future workforce.
While there, leaders focused on three key areas of support for the custom integration (CI) channel, advocating for an official job class for “Technology Integrator,” demonstrating the value and function of smart technologies to elected officials, and lobbying for workforce development initiatives.
Solving the labor issue within the industry remains a key priority while discussions of router security emerged a pertinent topic considering the FCC’s recent ban on all foreign-made, consumer-grade devices.
3. Introducing: BRAVIA Inc.
Source: Sony, TCL Establish BRAVIA Inc., Marking Major Shift in Home Entertainment Market
Sony Corporation and TCL Electronics signed definitive agreements to establish BRAVIA Inc. on Tuesday, March 31 2026.
The new business entity is a joint venture that formalizes a strategic shift first outlined earlier this year and signals a new operating model for Sony’s home entertainment business.
The new company will be headquartered in Tokyo, with board representation split evenly between Sony and TCL. Financially, the combined enterprise value of the businesses involved is estimated at approximately 102.8 billion yen, with TCL’s consideration projected at about 75.4 billion yen, subject to adjustments.
Juan Du, chairperson of TCL Electronics Holdings Limited, said the company is “filled with anticipation” for the partnership.
4. Kaleidescape Celebrates 25 with 120
Source: Kaleidescape Launches Terra Prime 120TB Server as Company Marks 25 Years in High-End Movie Delivery
Kaleidescape introduced a new high-capacity movie server aimed at customers building large, high-performance home cinema libraries on Monday, March 30, 2026.
The new Terra Prime 120TB movie server is designed to store up to 2,000 4K titles, according to Kaleidescape, and supports download speeds that can deliver a full movie in as little as eight minutes when connected to a 2.5-gigabit network.
The new release coincides with Kaleidescape celebrating 25 years of operation within the premium home cinema category.
“As we mark 25 years, we are proud to be the only provider that has sustained a true high-fidelity movie library, with lossless audio and full reference video,” says Tayloe Stansbury, chairman and CEO of Kaleidescape.
5. Who’s That Knocking on Integrators’ Doorsteps?
Source: Home Security is Becoming a Category Integrators Can’t Ignore
CEDIA Expo Show Director Jason McGraw hinted earlier this week that smart home security is fast becoming a category that integrators can ill afford to ignore.
“People want peace of mind, convenience, and visibility,” McGraw says. “The newest security solutions integrate directly with the rest of the smart home so homeowners can monitor their property, receive alerts, and manage access from anywhere.”
From homes that leverage surveillance feeds to view local wildlife to those that simply leverage the technology to handle quick hand-offs of packages and entry for friends, family and service workers, the use cases for security solutions have drastically changed with new technologies like AI rapidly driving that change.
While residential security remains a major focus, McGraw also highlighted how integrators can expand their capabilities and tackle commercial security applications.
