Commercial Integrator December 2022 - 9

AV AS A BUSINESS
Why Become a Master Systems Integrator?
Integrators should recognize revenue opportunities around positioning themselves as a master
systems integrator that is incredibly relevant and vital to customers as their needs evolve.
By Chuck Wilson
WHAT IS A " master systems integrator " ?
Put simply, it's what NSCA believes integrators
must evolve into in order to remain relevant
and vital as customers' needs evolve.
Put another way, it's an integration company
that oversees all of a customer's technical
solutions. No - it doesn't necessarily mean
AV integrators have to do security or that
security and life-safety integrators have to do
AV. It does mean, however, that they must
be ready to somehow provide solutions
when the building owner or facility manager
demands one company to be solely responsible
for all the systems in the space.
Being a master systems integrator is
certainly not just a niche. Nor is it a " read
the tea leaves " prediction. This is where
the market is heading, and NSCA wants its
member integrators to prepare.
Integrators don't get to decide what will
be important to customers. However, it's
our responsibility to be ready for how their
demands will evolve.
A Growing Priority for Integrators
It won't be long before your customers look
diff erently at their myriad system needs.
The building owner or facility manager will
see so many systems within their building
and will want a company with sole responsibility
for all of them.
Partnerships are forming daily between
NSCA members. It's not uncommon to
see the same integrators working togethJoin
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The concept is to manage connectivity
and IP-enabled devices while also
controlling what goes on the network.
er on large projects within their communities.
They realize that schools and
hospitals don't really want 10 diff erent
companies taking responsibility for the
technology within their buildings. They
are focused on trying to standardize on
platforms, operating systems, network
confi gurations, remote-access capabilities,
workfl ows and processes.
Many of these solutions are operating
on the same network, having remote data
centers and cloud storage, integration
with one another, APIs and programming
features, etc. So, it just makes sense for one
organization to take responsibility for the
integrity of that entire technical ecosystem.
The concept of the master systems integrator
was born from this.
It's time for integration company leaders
to fi gure out if they're in a position to provide
" master systems integrator " solutions
to their customers. Do so by considering
" risk versus reward. " As we know, pushing
risk onto the other party is a game that
we're forced to play. Specifi cations, terms
and conditions, waiver of liability, penalties
and liquidated damages, etc., are all
examples of pushing risk onto someone
else. If we assume risk, then we must be
compensated for it.
Likewise, if we share a network with
building technologies over which we have
no control, we incur risk. Cybersecurity
vulnerabilities represent a prime example
of added exposure where, once, there
was no concern. The last thing we want
to do is add risk to our company without
being paid to do so. The idea behind the
master systems integrator concept is to be
that technology provider who's willing to
manage the connectivity and IP-enabled
devices while controlling what goes on
that network. And, of course, being paid
well to do so.
Desire to Be a Service(s) Provider
Also, consider that this concept probably
isn't for everyone. But for those who embrace
the idea, it starts with a desire to be
a service(s) provider. It's unlikely that we'll
see in the future several remote managedservices
providers operating within one
client space. If that system you provide has
open architecture and provisions for APIs
within it, it's likely that the client will want
it added to their network-monitoring platform.
It's a partnering opportunity, a business
decision, a risk decision and a growth
opportunity - all at the same time.
Chuck Wilson is CEO
of NSCA. Learn about
becoming an NSCA
member at NSCA.org.
Continue This 'Master
Systems Integrator'
Conversation
Join NSCA's virtual roundtable
discussion on " How to Become
a Master Systems Integrator, "
February 8 at 12 pm ET. Register at
NSCA.org/webinars.
DECEMBER 2022 Commercial Integrator
9
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Commercial Integrator December 2022

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