Schedule

Are You Happy with Your Company’s Audio Sales Performance?
Over the last few years, most system integration firms have spent the bulk of their time creating business processes for designing and installing various levels of control, automation and networking solutions (all categories that have recently started showing signs of deteriorating profit margins).

Along the way, many owners now realize they took their eye off the ball regarding selling and upselling performance stereo products, a category that arguably represents today’s most compelling opportunity for adding profit dollars to the bottom line.

Unfortunately, re-learning how to sell more audio will take considerably more effort than ordering a few pair of expensive loudspeakers and asking everyone to please sell them.

Just like when companies first decided to sell and install networks and needed to find the right products, get everyone trained and figure out their sales approach, companies who choose to pursue this highly profitable path to the future (to sell more stereo components in every category and price range) must first take the time to make a plan—and then commit to a deliberate and dedicated implementation process.

The 3-1/2 hour workshop intensive will address current trends that might suggest that ‘audio is dead’ with counter insights, market strategies and a 10-Point Sales and Marketing Plan that lays out each functional area owners need to address to create and customize a successful company-wide ‘Sell More Stereo’ Initiative.

Managed Services and Recurring Revenue from Commercial AV and Control Applications
Is your company positioned well to sell managed services and recurring revenue in Commercial AV and Control Applications?
Decreasing prices and margins on hardware sales coupled with disruptive low-cost, simpler technology products have put pressure on integrator profits and growth over the past several years. This trend will continue with customers ultimately looking for more services from AV integrators to manage their systems, cloud-based applications, and future technology not yet introduced to the marketplace.
Managed service offerings will be necessary to compete for customer projects/solutions and will change our current business models from project installations with service contracts attached to more service/subscription based solutions.
This interactive panel will explore the implications and benefits to developing managed services in commercial AV and control applications with an emphasis on management, sales, and engineering discipline perspectives. What are managed services versus financing alternatives and the differences – our panelists will weigh in! Lastly, the panel will explore various potential managed service offerings including, but not limited to: remote monitoring and management of AV components; video conferencing services; subscription based services; video and video content; retail subscription services; conference room concierge; and digital signage content management.

We highlight best practices for the custom electronics integrators from business process and documentation to career paths and training to labor rates and how they influence pricing and workforce productivity enhancement. We then turn it over to guests to brainstorm innovative, new approaches to company improvement. Top ideas are reported out to the group as a whole. A signature feature of AE Ventures hosted events, our roundtables break the ice among the guests and get the best practice sharing juices flowing!

We highlight best practices for the commercial integrators from sales and marketing to design, installation and service to financial and human resources management, customer care and experience. We then turn it over to guests to brainstorm innovative, new approaches to company improvement. Top ideas are reported out to the group as a whole. A signature feature of AE Ventures hosted events, our roundtables break the ice among the guests and get the best practice-sharing juices flowing!

We highlight best practices for the electronic security integrators and dealers from sales and marketing to design, installation and service to financial and human resources management, customer care and experience. We then turn it over to guests to brainstorm innovative, new approaches to company improvement. Top ideas are reported out to the group as a whole. A signature feature of AE Ventures hosted events, our roundtables break the ice among the guests and get the best practice-sharing juices flowing!

Fresh Horses – Products & Applications Your Company Can Ride for Revenue & Profit Growth
Topics Include:
- Cybersecurity
- Virtual Reality & Augmented Reality
- LED Lighting
- Aesthetic Design
- Electrical Innovations
- High-Performance Audio

Voice of the Customer - The Convergence of IT and AV
The age-old saying goes, “The customer’s always right.” By listening to the voice of the customer, commercial integrators can pinpoint exactly what the market desires in terms of technology, services, customer care and more. This session will take a unique look at the VOC from the perspective of IT directors who influence and approve AV investments. What do they look for in their AV integrator? What level of integration do they seek with their IT systems, infrastructure and service providers? How do you win and retain their business? We’ll cover all this and more.

Integrated System for SMB “Micro verticals”
Most security dealers are mastering basic integration of alarms, locks, surveillance, lights and HVAC control (and sometimes also AV) for homes, but what about the commercial market? In this session, we’ll take a deep dive into systems integration for several SMB markets, scoping the opportunities and outlining a plan of attack to help you crack the market. We’ll present use cases, system features and functionality and sales and marketing keys for each. The SMB “micro verticals” we’re looking at include:
• Churches, Theaters
• Convenience Stores
• Automobile Dealers & Repair Shops
• Doctor’s/Dentist’s Office
• Bars & Pubs
• Apparel Stores
• Beauty Salons
• Quick-Serve Restaurants
• Sit-down Restaurants

Sales & Marketing Update Sales and marketing are ever changing business disciplines that challenge us daily to both stay true to enduring principles and adapt to new realities with new technologies and techniques. This session taps true experts in account based marketing, person-to-person selling and effective partnering with integrators for sell-through, including tips on how to optimize your opportunities at and after Total Tech. Join us and benefit and prosper.
Moderator:John Galante, president, AE Ventures
Panelists:Greg Nanigian, president, Grag Nanigian & Associates, Inc.
Chris Ciunci, president, Tribal Vision
Deborah Smith, principal, The Deborah Smith Group

Total Quality Installation, Service & Support
How do we get the customer experience right and turn our new clients into raving fans? The keys are testing/documenting the final installation for quality assurance, properly transitioning the client relationship to your service team, and then efficiently, effectively, and consistently implementing a combination of reactive and proactive services that create an excellent, lifelong experience. This will transform today's integrator into tomorrow's technology manager, setting you up for success in a changing environment.

Next Level System Salesmanship: Defining the Business Benefits of AV Investments
How do we get more owner/operators in verticals like hospitality, retail, education and health care to invest appropriately in AV systems? Present them with return on investment information that makes clear the benefits to customers and the business. How does quality AV affect the customer experience and how does that affect revenues and customer satisfaction?
· More customers and more food and drink consumed at eating and drinking establishments,
· More time shopping and finding desirable merchandise at stores
· More knowledge and skills acquired by students at schools
· A more pleasant waiting room experience that decreases stress in a hospital or doctor’s office
This session will provide stats and facts in areas like these and methods for developing your own ROI data points and using them effectively in your proposals and sales presentations.

Customer Experience: The Ultimate Competitive Battleground
Let’s face it. Electronic security has never been and will never be about getting the latest gee-whiz technology and solutions to market. Both residential and commercial consumers of security, integration and installation companies are understandably wary of the untried and unproven. After all, we’re talking about the protection of life and property and peace of mind in the security realm. So the place to compete is more appropriately in the customer experience: all the ways we market and sell - the customer’s experience of system design and installation; the customer’s experience of system training, orientation and retraining; the customer’s experience of remote monitoring, managed services and field service; the customer’s experience of administrative processes like billing and scheduling. This session will map out the dimensions of the customer experience, provide you with a template for your own 360-degree plan for excellent customer service and help you understand how to leverage superb customer experience for increased customer loyalty and referrals on steroids!

(1-1s Start at 3:25 PM - Happy Hour Food & Beverage 5:00-6:30 PM)

Leveraging the Larger Opportunity of Voice & Speech Recognition
Voice and speech recognition platforms offer a sexy, new interface to home control that adds a wow for both custom and mass installers. In this session, integrators and technologists on the cutting edge of this trend provide tips on optimizing the Voice User Interface (VUI) in both custom and production home installations. We’ll also look at how voice and speech integration can be leveraged to strike strategic partnerships with high-volume builders and realtors.

Fresh Horses – Products & Applications Your Company Can Ride for Revenue & Profit Growth
Topics Include:
· Internet of Things
· Artificial Intelligence
· Virtual & Augmented Reality
· Cloud-based Environments
· AV over IP
· App Development
· Standardized Room Solutions

Fresh Horses Products & Applications Your Company Can Ride for Revenue & Profit Growth
Topics Include:
• "Cyber-secure" Physical Security Systems
• Video Drones & Robotics
• Biometrics
• Near Field Communications
• Guard Force Replacement & Integration
• Voice Control
• Cybersecurity for Small Businesses
• Hosted Access & Video Surveillance
• New Credentials for Access Control
• Facial Recognition

(1-1s Start at 1:40 PM)