With both the residential and commercial markets growing, on the surface it would seem there are increasing opportunities for electronics installation companies to augment their businesses.
On a general level this may be true, but if recent experiences from the economic downturn of a few years ago have taught the electronics industry anything, it is that revenue diversification is the best way to protect against the ebb-and-flow of consumer spending.
One of the ways electronics companies can protect themselves is through recurring revenue streams. These revenues augment traditional product margin and labor revenue streams, and they are rapidly becoming more important to electronics businesses as more products head down the commodity path.
Looking Beyond Service Contracts and Monitoring
Traditionally, when electronics companies implement recurring revenue streams they do so through service contracts and security monitoring plans. These avenues are still great ways to add steady and reliable revenue to companies’ bottom lines, but they are not the only way in today’s business climate dealers can add recurring revenues.
Introduced this past March, from the Philadelphia-based distributor Almo Pro AV is a new program that dealers can utilize to provide clients with customized content for applications that range from video walls to kiosks.
The newly launched service supports dealers’ ability to serve as complete product providers to their clients, explains Sam Taylor, executive vice president and COO for Almo Professional AV.
“Our integrators have a wealth of experience installing displays, distributing signals and controlling digital signage solutions, however one area that has been underdeveloped is the ability to provide content creation services to round out their offerings,” he says. “As the first distributor to offer our own private label content creation services, we are enabling our integrators to provide a true end-to-end digital signage solution for their customers and enjoy increased margins from the services revenues.”
Services Cover Several Markets
Leading the content creation division is Steve Rosenheim, business development manager, Almo Pro AV, whose team is said to have many years of experience in the field.
Some of the content creation categories Almo is set up to serve include:
- Digital Menu Boards: Services allow for the changing of menu prices, items and specials. Almo says it can create content for smaller chain restaurants that serve a variety of patrons.
- Live TV with L-Bar: This content combines live TV with an emphasis on each client’s business. According to the company, a good example would be bars or restaurants that want to promote drink specials and seasonal menus. In the healthcare market, businesses could be setup to promote their latest services.
- Lobby Welcome Signs: This content is designed to help businesses make positive first impressions. Signs can be customized to include branding and internal communications.
- Ultra HD 4K Video Clips: Leveraging the growing momentum of native 4K content, Almo has the ability to offer dealers a choice of 4K clips from its content library, and the company augments this library with customized editing and audio mixing services. The 4K content library includes outdoor scenes, sports, lifestyle and other scenes.
- Custom Content Creation: Almo adds that it can create customized content for video walls, directory screens, interactive kiosks, waiting room signs and other communications needs.
More: Inside Almo Pro AV’s Decision to Provide Third-Party Labor
