Commercial Integrator + Security Sales Sept/Oct 2023 - 35

In fact, at CEDIA Expo 2022, 45% of
attendees reported doing commercial
work. " Responding to this trend, we knew
that we wanted to expand our trade-show
experience by embracing this channel
convergence and helping the industry
grow, " he adds. The result is CIX23, which
will be co-located with CEDIA Expo in
Denver, at the Colorado Convention Center,
scheduled for September 7 through 9.
According to McGraw, the combined
show is akin to a three-legged stool,
where attendees get to fulfi ll three primary
attendance goals - namely, to discover
and interact with new products, to obtain
education and training, and to expand
business connections via networking
opportunities. Expanding further on the
value proposition, he states that attendees
have the unique opportunity " ...to
experience two shows on one platform in
the same week. "
Given that the commercial AV industry
itself is quite vast, McGraw notes that
CIX23's initial strategy is to spotlight
four primary vertical markets: corporate,
higher education, hospitality and
retail. " We selected these as they are the
fi xed-install environments that pertain
most to the crossover with the residential
space, " he explains.
A Truly Combined Experience
McGraw reveals that, although there are
two shows, each with its own respective
registration, attendees can visit exhibitors
of either show. " There is no barrier
on the show fl oor that separates the two, "
he observes candidly. " The shows off er a
variety of exhibits and new products for
integrators from both communities - a
combination not typically seen at other
domestic industry events. "
Underlining those diverse prospects,
McGraw points to the ever-growing joint
show exhibitor list. " When you look at
the roster of exhibitors, you will see that
we have manufacturers with product
lines that fi t diff erent applications, like
residential, commercial, multi-dwelling
units and hospitality spaces among others, "
he proclaims. In McGraw's opinion,
this breadth will allow attendees to
discover and meet brands they would
otherwise miss out on. " You get to see
Helping Businesses Succeed
By Tom LeBlanc, executive director, NSCA
NSCA, as a trade association that serves AV, security and technology integrators,
has a unique and valued mission: We help member companies on the business
side. The BizSkills training at Commercial Integrator Expo is thus based on triedand-true
curriculum developed by members of the NSCA community who are
experts in those areas. This NSCA BizSkills program will focus on four areas: sales,
fi nance, operations and project management. Here, the curriculum is extremely
focused on diff erent aspects, such as selling solutions in our industry; running an
integration company; dealing with both universal and industry-specifi c fi nance
issues; and unique project-management challenges.
In addition to off ering the BizSkills sessions at Commercial Integrator Expo,
NSCA will also have a booth on the show fl oor. We encourage attending integrators
to swing by and talk to us about their business challenges. Hopefully, we can point
them toward resources that might in some way contribute to their success.
many of the brands that you're very
familiar with on one side, " he explains.
" And then you're going to see hundreds
of brands that you may not be familiar
with on the other side. " From AI, audio,
control, video, digital signage, security,
energy management, lighting and unifi
ed communications, CIX23 and CEDIA
Expo 2023 will provide attendees with a
well-rounded off ering of the latest technologies
and solutions. This, he stresses,
provides attendees with the opportunity
to interact with products and brands on
a bigger scale and, thereby, expand their
horizons across both markets. " Essentially,
we're looking to deliver a broader
array of solutions, content and ideas at
one time and place, " McGraw adds.
Emphasis on
Education and Networking
Another big part of the combined events'
experience will be education and networking.
CIX23 will have a complementary
conference program - Commercial
Integrator Expo Conference - that will
explore topics germane to commercial
integrators, as well as those who perform
residential work. The Content Advisory
Committee, featuring experts in commerTracking
Trends in Unifi ed Communications
By David J. Danto, director of emerging technology, IMCCA;
director of UC strategy and research on the Thought Leadership Team, HP
The unifi ed communications and collaboration space is going through tremendous
transition - as is the entire world of work. These are not small shifts, either. Rather,
they are among the most signifi cant changes in workstyles and technology that we
will experience in our lifetime. To tackle these changes, Commercial Integrator Expo
and the IMCCA are presenting curated tracks on the future of work.
In particular, a Smart Stage session, entitled " The Future of Work - It's Undeniably
a Hybrid World, " will provide the opportunity to examine the issues and motivations
around the work-from-home/return-to-offi ce debates. It will also present a highlevel
view of the pandemic and its aftereff ects. Additionally, the session will identify
sustainable future trends for organizations and integrators. This involves transitioning
workfl ows, reimagining and redesigning offi ce spaces, and envisioning a future
that is more digital and more hybrid in nature. IMCCA's goal is to provide combined
constituents with actionable information to expand industry activities and make
critical decisions in order to survive and thrive well into the future.
Sept/Oct 2023 | Commercial Integrator+Security Sales & Integration
35
Commercial Integrator + Security Sales Sept/Oct 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Commercial Integrator + Security Sales Sept/Oct 2023
