Over the years of creating content for this brand, there are some facts that have stuck with me, mainly because they went against my thinking at the time. One such tidbit came from lighting designer Peter Romaniello, IALD, who enlightened me back in March 2020 by saying, “Throughout all constructed projects, and residential in particular, only about 7 or 8 percent of all projects have a lighting designer.”
That seemed ridiculously small to me, especially considering the level of luxury that CI businesses typically work with. The context of Peter’s statement was why — unlike other lighting designers of the time — he was welcoming integrators into the lighting fold. “My philosophy has always been that if lighting is being done better on 20 percent or 30 percent more of those projects because the AV integrators are handling it, then it raises the water level on the importance of lighting design on all projects.”
Peter’s lesson came back to me once again at the recent HTSA Spring Conference when Tom Doherty, the group’s director of technology initiatives, revealed that “a number of members have a lighting designer on staff. In fact, just a couple weeks ago, one of our members who has a lighting designer has run out of capacity and has hired a second one!”
So, once AV integrators took over the lighting, lighting designers were brought on to more jobs. Interesting.
Also interesting was Steve Elliston of Elliston System & Designs’ comments when he added an electrician to his staff, making improvements over how electrical companies typically deliver proposals. “We present our high-voltage proposals just like we do our low-voltage work,” he said, “so clients and builders are getting a 30-page document for the electrical with every receptacle, light fixture, and anything that’s going in the room detailed out just like low voltage.”
Compare that to some of the other electrical proposals he had seen — including some scratched on the back of a piece of cardboard — and it is clear which the architects, builders, and clients would prefer.
In both of those cases, when a custom integration company took over the role of another professional, it made the process — and the project — better. That is a testament to the quality that this industry brings to the table — a consistency in always providing white-glove service to every area that is covered. Every client, whether they be the architect, builder, or end-user, gets the same treatment.
It took many, many years to win the trust of the other trades. Hopefully, now they can see that by including custom integrators, they get a consummate professional who will not only make them look good but create spectacular results for the homeowner.
I’m reminded of the old commercial for Bacos, where someone is shown really enjoying a salad, then the Bacos imitation bacon bits are added and they really enjoy the salad. Clearly, custom installers are the Bacos of the home construction and renovation world.
We just need more people to recognize that.
