Customers need service. They may say, and may even believe it themselves, that service is not important or that these things never break so they don't need a service agreement or support from a local reseller, but they do. If they don't buy it at first, wait a few months they will call you back. It's inevitable.

But, what about the dealer that is, all of a sudden, struggling to compete with Box Houses and the Internet?

Systems. Go systems.

Sure, anyone may be able to sell a projector over the Internet, but they can't hang it in the ceiling, change the lamp, connect it to a DVD player, a VCR and a computer and make it controllable from one, simple, easy-to-use remote control, over the Internet. That takes a Systems Integration team.

Can you build systems yet? Are you a systems integrator? Well, you can't sell service agreements without having the capabilities of a Systems Integrator. It's a team approach to selling, supporting and servicing a client.

Think you're doing that already? OK, let's take a simple test:

When was the last time you spent six hours with a client (on their turf) asking them questions about the way they run their presentations or will use their training facility (and NOT demo'ing a product)?

If your answer was never, then, you probably are not a Systems Integrator.

You see, the first step with a client in the systems design phase is performing what's called a Needs Analysis. The Needs Analysis consists of determining the usage of the facility, budget, contacts, interviewing the instructors/facilitators and finally evaluating the facility structurally. This takes at least 5-6 hours. I've seen someone do it in four hours, but never less. Why? Well, in addition to gathering information, you are also establishing a relationship with the client so that they trust spending anywhere from what amounts to the price of a 7-series BMW to as high as the price of a house. It take more that a demo to get that PO (purchase order).

OK, so what's the key and why do it? Well, eventually clients realize that they sure could use a facility that had this presentation gear permanently installed in the room instead of bringing it in every time they need to have a meeting; one that is totally automated and operates with an extremely short learning curve and is technically complex but actually easy-to-use.

We've been counseling dealers in the USA, Canada and Europe to help them make the conversion from a projector dealer to true Systems Integrator capable of designing boardrooms, conference rooms and training rooms; turnkey. It's not hard, but it does involve a philosophical shift from being a box re-seller to becoming a systems and facility designer. But the rewards are huge. Long-term relationships with clients that amount to potentially millions of dollars of revenue from one client and profitability from selling, not only the gear, but also the installation services, systems design services and "Proactive service agreements" - not extended warranties (see KNews Insider, November 1, 2000).

So, does it work? Can a dealer make the conversion, profitably? Just ask a few of the 20 or so clients we've consulted with, or are consulting with, who've made the conversion from a box-house to a systems integrator or who've added a systems integration team to their company: Spinitar, CompView, Future Enterprises and Duocom.

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Gary Kayye, CTS is Principal of Kayye Consulting an industry consulting firm specializing in providing marketing, business development and training consulting for ProAV dealers and manufacturers. He, and his partner Jody Thomas,have developed a business plan that is effectively a "Blueprint" Guide to building a Systems Integration company from scratch or by converting a projector reseller to a Systems Integrator. The Blueprint Business Plan is over 100 pages long and even includes sample systems projects. It's expensive, but worth the investment. He may be reached at his web site at www.kayye.com or via e-mail at gkayye@kayye.com.

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