During turbulent times, buying groups provide a lifeline to dealers by sharing their knowledge, advice, and deep vendor relationships. With so much to deal with in this somewhat chaotic environment, buying groups are reaching out with a variety of offerings.
“Most of our communications are self-serving, as we find there will never be a one-size-fits-all solution,” says Patrick McCarthy, executive director, Azione Unlimited. “Headwinds come in all shapes and sizes, so we alleviate pressure from as many pain points as possible with a buffet of information. Weekly dealer-direct newsletters, Slack communications, conference panels, and ad hoc peer groups have been major drivers of information. Still, we are also fortunate that our membership clients are very resilient to tariff and shipping uncertainties. We noticed a surge in purchasing at the beginning of the year for jobs in hand, but we still see full pipelines across the country.”
So, with tariffs and shipping mostly handled by Azione members, what are their primary concerns? “On the surface, the number one dealer concern is that the middle market has largely dried up,” McCarthy adds. “What this really indicates is that many dealers have not insulated their cash flow with RMR and client services. So, while they may see projects in a specific income band disappear, the solution shouldn’t be ‘squeeze harder’; it should be ‘plant a new tree.’”
At Oasys, there are always concerns around talent gap/staffing, but right now, the buying group is hearing more about economic headwinds and even large projects being rebid and scaled back a little. “With some help on interest rates in the coming months, everyone feels there could be some relief, but it’s still a concern for most dealers,” says Hank Alexander, director, Oasys. “The question of reaching out feels like such an old and tired one. We addressed it at our Spring Conference, and, even then, most dealers were in the mood of ‘appreciate the information, but we’re all in it, and it’s a moving target, so let’s move on.’”
Communicating with ProSource membership is a challenge in a dynamic business environment, according to ProSource CEO Jim Pearse. “Throughout the summer, we worked to leverage all our relationships to understand the challenges our members, vendor partners, and, most importantly, the customers are experiencing,” he says. “We then curated our message to focus on the essential and useful information to help navigate the markets and execute strategies that maintained growth. The primary member concern that we are addressing is increasing efficiency and execution in their day-to-day business processes. Most of the challenges our members face stem from maintaining a high level of efficiency and the resulting profitability.”
At HTSA, the two most consistent concerns heard are related to people: finding qualified staff to complete projects at all levels and attracting new talent into the custom integration channel as a career path. “These are not short-term challenges; they’re structural issues across the trades,” says Jon Robbins, executive director, HTSA. “That’s why we’re investing heavily in education and professional development initiatives, helping members train, retain, and elevate their teams for long-term growth. We’ve always been about collective strength; the power of shared knowledge, trust, and collaboration between members, vendors, and industry partners. In times of uncertainty, that foundation becomes even more meaningful. Our members know that they’re part of a community that supports each other, stays ahead of trends, and moves forward together. That spirit of unity continues to define HTSA and drive our success.”
Members hear from HTSA every single week through its “Java Notes,” a unique, ongoing dialog that’s become a hallmark of the HTSA experience. “These communications keep our community connected and informed, not just about industry challenges, but also about opportunities and successes that can inspire,” Robbins explains. “With an open rate consistently above 90 percent, ‘Java Notes’ has created a cultural rhythm within the group where members feel in touch and engaged, even when external conditions are unpredictable.”
Tips for the Trade
“Education is the cornerstone of what we do, and we’re constantly expanding the depth and range of our training,” Robbins says. “Whether it’s technical instruction, business strategy, project management, sales development, or the integration of emerging technologies like AI, we’re committed to ensuring our members are ahead of the curve. Our best advice to dealers is simple: Never stop learning. The industry is evolving at a remarkable pace, and those who lean into education and skill development, especially in new categories like lighting and control, are positioning themselves for sustained success.
On an optimistic note, lighting fixtures continue to be the standout category, leading growth across the board at HTSA. “What’s exciting is that members who have developed real expertise in lighting design and specification are also seeing stronger performance in their legacy categories such as audio, video, and control,” explains Robbins. “The earlier engagement we’re seeing with builders, designers, and architects has opened the door to more holistic conversations about technology integration, allowing members to influence projects much earlier in the design process.”
Azione’s best tip is to focus on your vendor partnerships and work closely with them. “You will always get better support from partners with whom you have built strong relations,” McCarthy says. “That’s the magic of an association like Azione, as we provide the platform not only to meet the decision-makers on both ends of the deal, but also to encourage a stronger partnership by focusing on supporting each other.”
The good news is that Azione is seeing a significant increase in large-scale projects, indicating that premium products remain at an all-time high. “This is a carryover from last year, where many of our luxury-aligned vendor partners saw some of their best years ever,” says McCarthy. “Of course, lighting is still the darling of the industry, and our newly minted lighting committee is now, more than ever, giving our membership the confidence to become more profitable. I am also keeping an eye on energy management as a breakout category as more of our established partners settle into the space. Azione will also be leaning heavily into the service and RMR side of the business to help further drive profitability to our members.”
In addition to its annual summit, Oasys has expanded its online courses and vendor-led workshops throughout the year. “Those are all tied to the Oasys Education Trifecta: CEDIA online learning, IntegrateU hands-on training, and the Lighting Dojo program with Bruce Clark,” Alexander says. “On top of that, every Oasys Summit, Town Hall, vendor visit, and regional meeting now includes structured educational content; not just product knowledge, but also business development, leadership, and marketing strategies.”
Related: Oasys Summit 2025 Delivers Practical Tools for Custom Integrators
His best dealer tip is to make education part of your culture. “Don’t wait for a slow season to train,” Alexander advises. “Invest in your team year-round. Assign one person to own training and track certifications. Encourage your techs and sales staff to take advantage of manufacturer and industry resources because it pays off in professionalism and profitability. The integrators who commit to continuous learning are the ones who grow the fastest and build the most resilient businesses.”
ProSource is evolving its training and engagement strategies to ensure an increase in the level of collaboration between vendors and members. “We also have a principle to increase our vendor partners’ ROI when they engage with our membership,” Pearse says. “Sometimes this means less is more as we focus on productive engagements.”
On a more optimistic note, he adds, ProSource is seeing strong growth in the brands and products that are focused on supporting the specialty retail and custom integrator verticals in the consumer electronics channel. “These vendors are listening to the challenges our members face and are taking the steps to adjust their strategies to best meet the needs of this critical channel.”
The Bottom Line
According to McCarthy, the key to any successful business right now is picking your partners wisely. “Colleagues, peers, vendors, dealers, builders, architects, associations, and even clients need to be constantly reviewed for their value,” he says. “It’s very much a ‘you get out what you put in’ kind of world, which can feel like a burden in a fast-paced, project-based industry like CI; however, working on the business and not in the business is where dealers can become profitable and overcome any impact. We are carefully adding partners and sharing in the success of collaboration from the top down.”
