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I’ve visited dozens of dealerships that had installed a theater and vignettes in years past, and for the most part, their demo facilities were...

Client expectations have intensified in the past decade, putting increased pressure on your margins, workmanship, and timeliness.

In 2008 Tiffany & Co’s stock traded around $26 a share, down from a 20- year high of $57 a year earlier.

Certainly the greatest challenge in the CI business is a healthy labor return on investment (ROI). I maintain that manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP)...

Torus Power Products, which are designed and manufactured by Plitron Manufacturing in Toronto, Canada, provide power management solutions for audio and AV systems, from...

Most CI companies offer services in five major disciplines: audio, video, control, lighting, and security.

I needed a new computer for my home recording studio (I run ProTools), so I worked with a consultant at Guitar Center who was...

There’s a lot of talk about mergers and payout formulas in the CI business, with owners and buyers alike trying to nail down realistic...

There’s so much fuss over the subject of the high-end customer.

Ultra High Net Individuals (UHNI), a classification of households with over $30M in disposable income, represents your best potential clients.

Savvy clients demand pricing transparency, as they should. To the client, the practice of estimating projects using a combination of market pricing and hourly...

Most custom integration company owners say the best way to increase profitability is to focus on product cost.

Go to your dentist to get your teeth cleaned, and a certified dental hygienist does the work.

It’s a common complaint from integrators.

Do you bid on projects by submitting proposals?

Here’s a given: the market is going to be tough for the foreseeable future.

Have you noticed that wealthy clients are asking you to do more for less?

Often the best way to appreciate an industry is to compare it to others.

Perspective #1: “Pack your bags. It’s over.”

It goes without saying that our industry is currently undergoing massive change in terms of the products we sell (or used to sell) and...

Most ESCs in business today either started or have helped grow companies that possess the skills required for delivering many or all of the...

Embracing and Learning from Our Failures Can Lead to Success

Seven Ingredients for Creating an Effective Employee Manual As business owners, one byproduct of our continuous...

Our Clients Expect a Lot More From Us, But Can We Deliver? Based on my 20-plus years of...

Four Misconceptions About Automated Window Treatment Sales ...

Five Market Challenges That Can’t Be Ignored By Your Company ...

As we enter a new decade my big question is this: Are the manufacturers who serve our industry going to continue churning out...

Improving The Perception Of Your Company’s Inner Workings ...

Elevating Your Status From Sub-Trade To Project Professional “You never get a second chance to make a...

Why Your People Are Fundamental To Your Long-Term Success Well, that was quite a year wasn’t it? Regardless...

Why residential escs should think twice before ‘going pro’ A high school basketball area installation of Electro-Voice speakers like this one is not a...

New Technology From E3 Will Help Change Our Business Focus During Microsoft’s E3 demo, the movements ofthis gamer were accurately captured by the ProjectNatal...

When It Comes To The Lines You Sell, Sometimes Less Is More As electronic systems contractors, we all make a variety of decisions every...

How Manufacturers’ Rep Firms Can Better Serve Our Industry During these challenging times, every company in our industry should be looking for better ways...

Five Critical Ideas For Improving Your Sales And Operations If you have been in this business for a while and attended your share of...

Ditch Your Design Center For A More Productive Work Space So if you are like most integrators these days, then you are probably looking...

It’s safe to say that the world has changed. For all but the wealthiest of our clients, discretionary income has been replaced with a...

How do your customers and your prospects perceive you and your installation company? It is important to understand the components of your image and...

Wall Street is in the midst of a Category 5 financial hurricane, and it’s time to hunker down. The storm’s damage is already in...