How the Company’s First Dealer Assesses Its Line to Date

Samsung’s SP-A900

As Control4’s very first dealer, how would you rate your experience with the company’s overall product line so far?
Just like any other major custom line we have ever sold, the first couple years with Control4 were bumpy. We made the mistake of trying to do too much with Control4, and our first few projects were way too big for the abilities of the product. By working closely with Control4, we were able to successfully manage these jobs and now we are very confident with the current offerings. We now feel that the Control4 platform is very stable from small systems to large and the newer models offer better solutions. I would have to give Control4 about an “8” right now.

For what types of installations are Control4 products, as a whole, best suited?
Control4’s one-remote solution has been great for our customers. Even though it costs more than just a typical universal remote control, people can see the value in the additional features and future possibilities for their home. This, of course, is a great avenue for us to sell more products. We have found that in addition to new construction, Control4 is better at retrofit than any other product we have ever offered. Whether pre-wired or not, we are able to offer solutions for just about any need that a customer might have.

Describe the features of Control4’s products that have made you such a loyal dealer.
The simple answer is the price point of the product. The Control4 product line has made it possible for just the “average guy” to have some very cool and sensible automation in their home. I also feel that one of the biggest strengths Control4 offers is the idea of just buying one system to accomplish all of the automation needs—no more piecing and patching different systems together. Control4 offers us excellent sales and technical support; their training and other dealer resources are top-notch as well.

What features would you like to see changed or added to the product line?
I am highly anticipating the introduction of video distribution to Control4’s solutions, as well as a more flexible user interface for touchscreens that will open some possible doors to some commercial applications as well. I would also like to see a more affordable Control4 keypad solution to be more competitive with the “six-pack” systems that are out there. Lastly, it would be great to see support for more audio formats on their audio server platform.