Hunter Douglas is celebrating the fifth anniversary of its Custom Integrator Program (CIP) with significant achievements in membership growth and expanded member benefits. Since launching in 2019, the Hunter Douglas CIP has witnessed a nearly 20-fold increase in membership.
The Hunter Douglas CIP simplifies smart shade adoption and supports integrators in navigating the category’s evolving design and installation requirements. The program’s membership milestone aligns with industry growth predictions, like those outlined in CEDIA’s Integrated Home Market Analysis, which identifies automated window treatments as a top category for integrators in 2024. As customers and interior designers increasingly seek smart shades for their broad benefits in the connected home, Hunter Douglas is committed to supporting new and existing CIP members in navigating the category’s potential and delivering on this demand.
“As more dealers adopt this dynamic category, integrators must distinguish themselves through unique offerings — going beyond the basic roller shades and creating connected home experiences with distinctive styles that improve convenience, comfort, energy efficiency, privacy, ambiance and more,” says Maren Gehling, director of sales for the custom home and integration channels. “While expanding into a design-forward product category can seem daunting, the Hunter Douglas CIP is designed to support dealers at every stage of their smart shade journey and celebrate their success as they satisfy clients, forge partnerships with designers and builders, and bolster growth in a competitive market.”
Recognizing the category’s evolution, Hunter Douglas bolsters its commitment to the custom integrator channel with ironclad incentives and new perks for CIP members in 2024.
- Comprehensive Integrator Support: CIP members gain access to a comprehensive suite of resources, including customer service, training, and essential sales support for effective business expansion. Exclusive promotions on sample books and showroom displays equip integrators with the tools to highlight product benefits and functionalities to clients. The Link, a digital sales app for Hunter Douglas dealers, serves as a central hub for on-demand training, exclusive promotions, and sales tools, optimizing operational efficiency for CIP members.
- The Hunter Douglas Portfolio: Hunter Douglas offers one of the most expansive portfolio of customizable shades on the market, with over 20 unique styles and hundreds of fabrics to suit each project’s aesthetic and budget. The Alustra product line is newly expanded and available in the U.S. and Canada. Through a curated product assortment, CIP program members can leverage a variety of multi-functional flagship shade styles, such as Duette Honeycomb Shades, Silhouette Window Shadings, and Vignette Modern Roman Shades, to expand opportunities to optimize natural lighting control and increase their project profitability.
- Automation with PowerView: Leveraging dealer feedback, Hunter Douglas redesigned the PowerView platform to reduce the learning curve associated with smart shade installation. CIP members enjoy a responsive, intuitive system that is easy to program and supports the intricacies of the portfolio. PowerView integrates seamlessly with major smart home automation systems, including Control4, Crestron, Crestron Home, ELAN, RTI, and URC.
- NEW – Vetted Measuring and Installation Support: New for 2024, Hunter Douglas is offering CIP members their first Hunter Douglas Installation Services (HDIS) measurement at no charge. Long trusted for its cost-effective support, HDIS provides dealers access to a network of qualified professionals for end-to-end installation support. These professionals work as an extension of a dealer’s team through the measuring and installation process and provide a one-year guarantee on installations, mitigating risks and labor costs.
- Quality and Legacy Assurance: Hunter Douglas is the leader in national advertising for the window treatment category, investing millions of dollars in media across multiple channels with impactful video, print and digital advertising. These efforts increase demand for the product and raise awareness of the brand’s commitment to quality, resulting in more customer inquiries to dealers. Once specified, the window treatments are backed by a comprehensive Lifetime Guarantee, so integrators and end users alike can trust the products will always deliver the experience they expect.
For more information, visit www.hunterdouglas.com/custom-integrator-program.
