National integrator implements formal offering to generate recurring revenue from A/V and lighting clients in the houses of worship sector.
“Since our founding 35 years ago, we’ve put almost no focus on recurring revenue and service contracts. At present we bring in zero percent of our revenue from this category. Our mission has always been to sell a system and move on to the next one,” says Allan Lamberti, CEO of All Pro Sound based in Pensacola, Fla. “Then I sat in a recurring revenue session at the CI Summit and said to myself, ‘The time has come. It’s long overdue.’”
All Pro Sound provides consultation, design and installation of professional audio, video and lighting and security systems nationally and abroad. Their projects range from large commercial and residential installations to small conference rooms.
“Understanding the limited budgets of this unique market segment, we believe that many will opt to re-optimize their systems as opposed to replacing them.”
The new service program is called Renew— a word that will strike a chord with church leaders—and involves a three-step process: Discover, Correct and Teach.
Simply put, All Pro will discover issues, correct any deficiencies and teach customers operational best practices.
Taylor shares an example from a recent site visit to a church that had signed up for a service contract:
“In the Discover phase, we tested all inputs and outputs on stage, the integrity of rigging, loose cables, impedance of speaker drivers and wireless frequencies. We also documented the basic system layout, saved the system schematic using CAD software and verified the integrity of voltage and grounding.”
“In the Correct phase, we retuned the system for optimum performance, cleaned and straightened sound booth cables and equipment rack wiring, cleaned filters in amplifiers and processors, refreshed the mixing console layout, optimized wireless frequencies, relabeled the rack equipment and console, and updated the firmware.
“And finally, before we left, we taught the client best practices in operating the mixing console, outboard gear and other equipment. For church leaders and their volunteer staff, technology is outgrowing their expertise. Without trying to sell them something, we can help them optimize and get the most out of their existing gear.”
All Pro also plans to expand the service program to the commercial and residential areas of their business.
As another benefit of attending both the CE Pro and CI Summits, Lamberti was happy to discover the Trusted Advisor program and now converses regularly with Sam Taylor and John Riley from ALMO Professional A/V.
“I can ask any questions I want, and they give me tech solutions and advice that I share with my team. It’s a very valuable asset.”
Lamberti adds, “Because of the Renew program, we’ve been able to get in front of more clients and meet them face to face. We are confident that this service will form stronger relationships and will give us the opportunity to sell more equipment by assisting the client in developing a master plan for future upgrades. Monthly revenue is an affordable way to offer these services to the client—flat-fee or pay-as-you-go— whether we installed the system or not.”
