Smart Home Technology: DIY or Professional Integration?

Smart Home technology May be Consumer Friendly, but Sometimes You Need a Professional

Smart home technology is everywhere these days. The success of voice assistants like Alexa, Google, and Siri has helped capture the popular imagination of what new technology can do to make consumers’ lives easier. You want smart lighting control? There are solutions like Philips Hue available at Home Depot and elsewhere. You want a smart thermostat? You can get a Nest or Ecobee – besides enhancing comfort and saving energy; they also look good on the wall! You want music everywhere? There are Sonos and HEOS systems that can bring wireless stereo sound to every room in your home. There are smart cameras like Arlo to monitor your home, video doorbells from Ring, smart locks from Schlage and Kwikset, and automated shades from Hunter-Douglas and Lutron. All these (relatively) consumer-friendly products have created great awareness of the level to which consumers can automate their home or space.

5 Things to Check Out at CEDIA 2017

Coming up on September 5-9 in sunny San Diego, California, CEDIA 2017 is the biggest and best event of the technology integration calendar. There is a lot to offer everyone in attendance but we think that there are a few things that a trip to CEDIA would not be complete without. Whether this is your first trip to CEDIA, like me, or you’re a seasoned CEDIA pro, follow this guide to make sure that you get the most out of your trip.

Why to Start Recruiting Now

A Guest Post from Industry Veteran Gordon Isaac

I have worked with over a thousand small businesses since the end of the recent recession and they all have one thing in common relating to staffing: a shortage. As the economy has bounced back, businesses are growing and many owners have found themselves too consumed with working “in” their business and have found it difficult to spend time working “on” their business. This has put them in a position of too much work and not enough people or time to get it all done.

Here are some ideas that will help you in this situation.

Interview Recap: an Industry Q&A Session with Access Networks

An Industry Expert’s Perspective on Networking, Robots, and Black Holes

If you’ve visited our Facebook page recently, you’ve probably noticed that we’ve started hosting Facebook Live interviews on a regular basis! These interviews are designed to help our clients and members of the custom integration industry keep up-to-date with the latest trends and news as well as learn from experts in the field.

This week, we had the privilege of interviewing Nathan Holmes, Technical Trainer at Access Networks. The California-based company provides tailored enterprise-grade networking solutions for professional integrators throughout the United States. In his role as technical trainer, Nathan helps integrators succeed by guiding them in best practices and providing helpful resources.

In the AV and Automation Industry, It’s All about the Client Experience

Does Your Company Succeed in Giving the Right Client Experience?

In a world where most companies are pushing e-commerce websites or black box solutions, the AV and automation industry has held back. Why? Because integrators aren’t simply selling an amplifier or smart TV—they’re selling an experience. A lot of companies excel at being “technology concierges” with first-class customer support, but that’s just one part of your client’s experience with your company.

Industry Q&A Session with Vital Management CEO Paul Starkey

On Wednesday, Ron Callis had the opportunity to interview Paul Starkey, CEO of Vital Management and Bravas Group, via Facebook Live. Paul Starkey has been in the custom installation business for 24 years, and during that time he has raised venture capital twice, acquired two companies, and started two others. He has extensive knowledge of the CI industry ranging across business operations, sales and marketing.

For those of you who didn’t have the chance to catch it live, we’ve captured the video and transcript of the Q&A session below.

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