CE Pro July 2022 - 10

Industry Pulse
4-Pronged Azione Accelerator Program Empowers Members
LIKE MOST custom integration
companies, members of
the Azione Unlimited buying
group are riding the crest of
a wave of high demand. The
group, which now boasts
253 dealer members, was
cumulatively up 41% in revenue
in 2021 earning more
than $1 billion in equipment
and labor last year. The first
three months of 2022 were
not any different, with Azione
members up 37% over
and above the inflated 2021
revenue figures.
" It's Christmas every day, "
quipped Richard Glikes, president
and CEO of Azione as
he spoke to members gathered
in New Orleans for the
group's spring 2022 in-person
meeting, its first since
the announcement of its
merger with the massive Nationwide
Marketing Group.
The New Orleans event had
about 45% of Azione members
in attendance, down
from the group's normal 60%
attendance percentage.
" They are just too busy to
get away, " says Glikes, noting
that is what one member
replied when asked why he
was unable to attend. That
hectic pace in 2022 is what is
keeping many integrators not
thinking about the eventual
slowdown that could occur.
Glikes believes that will begin
next year.
" 2023 won't be a pleasant
experience, " he predicts. " I
think next year will be tough.
Many dealers are still busy
this year because they are fulfilling
orders with equipment
that was backlogged. Many
dealers are very stressed.
When the economy dips,
there will be a shakeout of
dealers. On a positive note,
that will solve the employee
labor problem. "
To help its members look
forward, the group unveiled
its four-part Azione Accelerator
program designed to
empower the foundations
of the business in terms
of mentorship, marketing,
partnerships and experiences.
The four parts of Azione
Accelerator are:
Connected Clusters Cubed
- Working with a professional
facilitator, groups of 10 to
12 non-competitive dealers
will attend two-hour monthly
meetings for a price of
$1,200 every 6 months. These
sessions will be aimed at providing
feedback, expanding
perspectives, and empowering
the business to thrive.
Among the topics of
discussion will be maximizing
vendor relationships, recurring
revenues, hiring and best
practices, mapping software
and processes, measuring
your business with Key Performance
Indicators, evaluating
brands and selecting the
right clients.
Marketing Made Easy -
Using PriMetrix, the web
analysis system from Nationwide
Marketing Group, this
program will pinpoint specific
zip codes with advertising
campaigns using social, search
and display ads that will drive
customers to custom landing
pages on their websites. Dealers
are asked for $1,000 per
month for these campaigns.
Influential Introductions
- This program will formally
connect Azione members
with local Nationwide Market
Group members, who are
large retail appliance dealers,
over lunch. The idea behind
the connection will be to help
the companies possibly establish
partnerships that can
mutually benefit both. Azione
is targeting 170 connections.
Electrifying Experiences
- Azione took 11 to 12
members to Napa in June for
strategy meetings and driving
Porsches. The program will
reward the top sales, top
growth and next wave and
two board members.
The New Orleans event
was also a chance for dealers
to network with each other.
The group's board of directors
- Nick Declemente of Elevated
Integration; Ryan McDaniel
of One-Touch Automation;
Paul Ostrin of Unlimited
Integration; and Kyle Steele
of Global Wave Integration
- had an informative panel
discussion on key topics such
as labor rates and the future
of video distribution.
Steele believes the days of
Busy dealers made the trip to New Orleans to network and learn at Azione's spring conference.
10 | CE Pro July 2022
hardwired residential video
distribution systems are numbered,
speculating the category
will not exist in 3 years.
Regarding labor rates, the
group advised dealers to raise
their labor rates immediately.
Ostrin has an hourly rate of
$237.50 and Declemente is at
$250 per hour. Both said they
received no pushback from
clients at all. -Jason Knott
cepro.com

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CE Pro July 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of CE Pro July 2022