CE Pro December 2023 - 58

Channel
TIPS | EDUCATION & EVENTS | DISTRIBUTION
'Custom Integration
as a Service' Can
Boost Revenue,
Customer
Satisfaction &
Business Value
Investments in software and services
by manufacturers to support a CIaaS
model are poised to transform how
channel companies do business.
By John Heyman
WHEN I BEGAN my career
in retail technology, the
industry was struggling to
convince businesses to
invest in computer-based
systems to replace standard
cash registers. Inevitably,
some prospective clients
understood the value and
opportunity that adaptable
and upgradeable systems
presented, while others
could only see the price tag.
Critics were correct that a
smarter system can be more
expensive and even incur future
costs to keep pace with
competition and consumer
needs, but they failed to see
that the systems' benefits
far outweighed any potential
maintenance costs.
Fast-forward a couple of
decades, and now the only
place you're likely to find a
58 | CE Pro December 2023
non-computerized checkout
register is an antiques store.
The custom electronics
integration industry has
evolved in much the same
way as cash registers, largely
relying on revenues from
one-time transactions,
which are then followed by
impromptu service calls and
truck rolls. While that may
have made sense 20 years
ago, today's always-on,
Internet-connected systems
offer a better solution that
improves client experiences,
builds trust with their integrator
and enhances overall
system capabilities.
Shifting from OneTime
Transactions
to RMR Model
Every smart home or smart
workspace requires a backEvery
smart home or smart workspace requires a backbone
of robust software that can deliver ongoing enhancements
during the lifetime of ownership.
bone of robust software
that can deliver ongoing enhancements
during the lifetime
of ownership. Cloudbased
software provides
extra flexibility by empowering
integrators to service
their installations remotely,
which reduces costs and
can dramatically increase
service speed and customer
satisfaction - and dealers
can potentially profit from
recurring monthly or annual
revenue contracts.
As new devices enter the
home over the lifetime of
ownership, new integrations
must be developed, and as
customers demand more of
their systems, new functionalities
must be created.
Systems that do not adopt
new services, protocols, or
functions can seem less and
less 'smart' over time, and
may even become a burden
for users compared with
contemporary tools.
When integrators evolve
from the 'sell it and forget
it' business model and
begin pitching CIaaS, they
can ensure long-term RMR
streams that promote
business growth and offer
regularly scheduled upsell
opportunities with existing
clients.
It's up to us as manufacturers
to develop the tools
and solutions they need to
make this change and catapult
industry growth. In fact,
as smart system owners increasingly
witness the critical
nature of remote service
and software improvements,
they will demand it of the
custom integration industry
just as retailers did with the
cash register industry.
Today's Smart
Systems Grow &
Improve Over Time
The wonderful thing about
the solutions we are delivering
today is they will get
better over time. There are
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CE Pro December 2023

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