I have often written that good systems integrators and design/build forms have four, distinct profit centers: design/engineering, sales, installation and service. This isn't a revelation, as profitable dealers have known this for years. And, many smaller, growing dealers are realizing this.

But, could a fifth be on the horizon?

With the new generation of ProAV gear being "internet-ready" and networkable, there's a new opportunity out there for the average ProAV dealer/contractor: proactive service monitoring (PSM).

PSM is still much in the conceptual stage of development, but the technology's already there. Projectors that can be connected to the network and monitored for lamp life, status problems, input indication and operational issues are already equipped for the potential to be monitored proactively. Control system manufacturers like AMX and Crestron have both integrated network connectivity to allow for proactive control and status monitoring of not only their equipment but also virtually any in a given system. And, manufacturers like Altinex, SMART, InFocus, Sony, Epson, Kramer, AutoPatch and others have all announced network strategies or have integrated some network connectivity into their products.

So, where's the opportunity?

Well, if a dealer were to set-up a 24 hour/7 days-a-week monitoring network operations center to monitor the status of systems that have monitoring capability inside, there's an opportunity to charge for this service as an additional benefit for he client. Companies like Coke, IBM, 3Com, Apple, Proctor & Gamble, Dow Chemical and even universities would gladly pay for this service for their AV rooms to prevent both theft and potential system problems whenever the equipment is needed to work, perfectly. If a dealer could offer a guarantee that the equipment would be working all the time or that they, the dealer, could know that a problem is looming or inevitable before the problem becomes one, it's worth almost anything you want to charge for it.

Why?

It's job security for the in-house AV guy…

 

 

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Gary Kayye is Chief Visionary of Kayye Consulting - a firm that specializes in providing marketing consulting and training development to the professional audiovisual industry. He spent 12 years at Extron and AMX as VP of Sales and Marketing before founding his own firm. He can be reached at www.kayye.com or via e-mail at gkayye@kayye.com.

 

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