Here at OneVIsion, we recently kicked off an 18-city national tour at the ProSource Summit in Nashville. This was our first ProSource event and like everyone we spoke with, we had a productive time at the summit meeting high-quality integrators.
After returning home, we got together to reflect on our biggest takeaways from the event. We discussed both the event in general and specifically the formal unveiling of the group’s new service and RMR initiative. We walked away extremely positive about the event and what it means for our industry. Here are our four key takeaways from the summit…
[OneVision’s Road Show Strategy is Solving Service Challenges]
1) A Service-Transformation in Progress
Service initiatives by large industry groups like ProSource are a relatively recent development. Such programs highlight perfectly the work required to successfully solve the service problem. Developing effective service strategies often means shooting at a moving target. The work requires a dedicated focus on tackling new challenges and seizing new opportunities as the service and support landscape shifts and evolves under our feet.
To address this rapid transformation, the industry is starting to recognize the benefits of scale. The collaboration between ProSource and companies like OneVision and Parasol will pay dividends for the group’s members.
2) Service as a Threat and an Opportunity
Many of our conversations with ProSource members in Nashville revolved around a central theme. HTPs are increasingly looking for solutions that focus on the service problem in its entirety. The growing demand for 24/7 support is putting a massive strain on their teams, posing a significant threat to company morale. Meanwhile, solutions that address employee burnout, limiting hours of availability or using an outside answering service for example, often come at the expense of the client experience.
HTPs need a holistic service strategy that addresses both sides of the service problem equation (i.e. they improve both your company’s experience and your clients’ experience). Such solutions require a comprehensive focus not only on reducing the burden of service (e.g. supporting all your service events) but also on facilitating the proper procedures, technology, and cultural change within the organization. In this way, HTPs can focus on doing what they do best (selling, designing, and installing systems) while also immediately differentiating themselves by providing a world-class service experience.
3) Turnkey Solutions
Time and again, we heard from ProSource members in Nashville that they had been struggling to implement an effective game plan to address the service challenge within their companies. The daily demands of their project-based businesses make finding the resources to tackle large initiatives like a service-transformation in-house virtually impossible. However, they know that business models need to evolve to provide a scalable and sustainable level of service and support. This is why it’s no surprise that so many HTPs are looking for turnkey solutions to the service problem.
4) A Welcome Partnership
Finally, we are thrilled to be a member of the ProSource family. We were very excited to collaborate with the group after they approached us about their new managed services and RMR initiative. Throughout the process of joining ProSource, we have been consistently blown away by the leadership’s vision, foresight, and commitment to their dealers. In Nashville, we were greeted with an enthusiastic welcome by their members who we look forward to collaborating with on solutions to the service problem.
The growing focus of groups like ProSource on the service problem is a welcome sign in the industry. Service strategies demand a seat the table when it comes to any conversation about the future of our industry. ProSource’s program is placing on a spotlight on this fact, enabling their members to take advantage of turnkey solutions for service. This is another sign that the industry is ready to come to tackle the service challenge head-on. The future is bright for those who successfully navigate that challenge!
