We cover quite a few industries here at Future US B2B — AV integration (naturally), pro audio, broadcast and OTT video, consumer electronics, and more — and while they don’t interconnect everywhere, one area in agreement is recognizing Amazon as a major disruptor.
Whether it is in their capacity as consumer electronics retailer or content producers, Amazon takes a good deal out of the markets, and the threat only increases as Amazon offers more and more products and services.
In a recent blog post on residentialsystems.com (entitled “The GAFA Takeover” with GAFA being Google/Amazon/Facebook/Apple), Todd Anthony Puma discusses Amazon’s purchase of Eero, a product he likes to use, and what it means for his business. “What happens when Amazon starts offering to have someone come set up the Eero, install the Ring, and connect the Dot — all for an incredibly low price of $69?” he asks.
He goes on to discuss a few ways this scenario could play out, which will make dealers have to choose whether to combat or partner with GAFA. If you haven’t checked it out yet, you should — it’s a good read.
GAFA came up again the Savant/USAI Lighting training event I attended at the Savant Experience Center in SoHo, New York. The training was for Azione Unlimited members, and Azione president Richard Glikes opened the session by saying: “Lighting is a natural progression for us. Business is going to get tough, and we have a lot of competition, so we need to focus on the thing the big boys in the internet can’t take away from us — physical things such as designing and installing lighting systems.”
That statement was met with a lot of acknowledging head nods around the room, including mine. That focus on service fills the feature well of this issue, which includes takes on how to offer lighting design and installation as a service, an investigation of aging-in-place technologies and whether or not they belong in your stable of skills, and a discussion with Nexus 21, a direct-to-dealer manufacturer of hidden AV systems.
We will never be able to compete with GAFA on price and product selection, but we totally win with skills and service. From impressive AV systems to innovative whole-home automation systems, there is a level of service that your clients know cannot be matched elsewhere.
Now we just have to make sure everyone else knows.
