blog

Simply Taking Action Can be the Best Way to Tackle Big Problems in Your Business

Unfortunately, outside of just a few pay-per-view movies, or the occasional special broadcast, the answer remains “no” when it comes to 4K broadcasting. But you...

We all strive to provide great customer service to our clients, because we know how quickly word of mouth spreads and that providing exceptional...

I joked the other day to an industry friend that I should take a “screen grab” of the CEDIA website staff page. That way...

For the first time in my AV career, I made an impulsive decision and purchased a demo unit. Weeks later, when the first units...

I spent a couple of days last week at Crestron headquarters going through Crestron Studio training. In the process, I learned what makes a...

If we could Franken-create the perfect customer that we would like to do business with, what attributes would they have? I think these 10...

Chances are you started your company fueled by a passion for the home technology industry. Over time, your company overcame new challenges by using...

On most install jobs, it’s generally not the big things like massive component failures, corrupt programming, or just being unable to get a system...

If, instead of looking at service as an inherent liability, you view it as a chance to be part of the solution, you begin...

For years I teetered on the Sonos edge. Clients asked for it by name and my colleagues raved about how easy it was to...

Beyond integrating itself, you are watching how the industry changes and is morphing. Other terms become limiting, especially looking at the fast pace of...

I’ve taken my family to the Florida theme parks three times in the past five years, and there has been something to learn from...

Last month, we ran a hypothetical letter that many integrators would like to send to their problem client ("Stan"), an affluent heavyweight who demands...

Last week, I attended the Virginia Council of CEOs Retreat at The Homestead in Warm Springs, VA. It was a great event set in...

Far from pushing the CI professional to the sidelines, the IoT represents a strong opportunity for businesspeople to position themselves as experts, and rightfully...

Two cavemen pull a square-wheeled cart full of rocks. A fellow caveman in the background, holds up a round tire, trying to get their...

A lot has been written about selling RMS and generating RMR. There are a handful of tools in the industry that are focused on...

While online and offline status is clearly important, it’s not the whole story. Being able to see packet loss, latency, and other extended services...

Upon introduction, 3D was hailed as the big step-up feature that people would demand. People would queue up at tradeshows waiting for their turn...

We just won a $60K-plus job without building a proposal. How? We didn’t sell a $60K job; we sold a complete set of drawings...

There is no getting around the fact that service is a demanding, around-the-clock endeavor. However, there are simple and effective strategies for providing a...

We see design oversights in our industry all the time: flat panel TVs with inputs that open perpendicular to the wall; architectural speakers that...

The idea behind my Control4 home installation started out with no actual Control4 gear in the mix at all. 

I have been a Sony girl my entire life.  Starting in this industry back in the early 2000s, Sony was an easy sell.  However,...

Not only are we home technology experts, but we often act as “home technology general contractors,” as well. While our core expertise may be audio,...

Getting compensated for 100 percent of the service that you provide is growing ever more critical. But billing for basic support can be a...

I managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory last week. We had a great meeting with the client and the builder told...

The first quarter of the 2017 is about to end. This is a good time to look at how much progress you’ve made on...

While I have been trying to coach him for several months on better processes, better client interactions, and better follow through, nothing seemed to...

For one reason or another, the custom integration industry gets held to a different standard than other trades, with integrators often subjected to unfair...

As I’m preparing dinner I ask Alexa “Alexa, when will you work with Sonos.” It was mostly a joke, except to my surprise, she...

Last month we got the email that everyone in our industry dreads. A projection screen had not only failed, but the entire cassette had...

With a Rotten Tomatoes score of only 31 percent, I didn’t go into Passengers with high expectations. I mean, I wanted to enjoy the...

Dave had just turned in his two weeks' notice.  Dave is a rock star. The kind of employee you tell the other installers to be...

It turns out that many integrators are still viewing the term “service contract” as synonymous with a “paid service plan.” But this is a...

The new showroom space will enable the Dallas-based company to provide Southern California interior design firms to give clients an in-person, first-hand, demonstration of...

While planned time off is usually attainable, it is the calls at all hours of the day and night that cause the stress and...

Samsung’s new QLED TVs and their latest UltraHD Blu-ray player has hit retail shelves starting with a “World Premiere” event at Los Angeles-based Video...

We all have a client like Stan. Stan is never satisfied. Since the day you turned the system over to him, he’s done nothing...

For some, the news harkens back to a heavy-handed “evil empire” image of “old Crestron” or simply “bad optics” from the control system purveyors...

When he launched Azione Unlimited (AU) in 2012, one of Richard Glikes’ primary goals was to create a cohesive national network of integrators and...