Welcome to the fourth annual celebration of some of this industry’s brightest companies, a collection of talent we refer to as the 2015 CI Industry Leaders.
We’ve compiled a list of 5 integrators flourishing in the hotel and casino markets, asked them to share a few secrets of their success and looked at how they’ve made it to the top of the industry (though keep in mind these listings are not revenue-based).
So check out what they have to say and click here to download the complete report: Meet the 2015 CI Industry Leaders.
Know About the Market
Although he talked about it almost three years ago, the words of Alpha Video + Audio co-owner and director of sales Kevin Groves are still true today: it’s important to have an intimate understanding of the market’s decision-makers.
“Over the years, our sales representatives, engineers and technicians who focus on this market learned how to ‘talk the talk’ to hotel and casino clients, and learned how they could customize solutions that fit these clients’ needs,” Groves told CI. “They also sought out complementary vendors and partners so that we could continue to expand the products and solutions we offer to this market segment.
Top 5
Alpha Video + Audio
Edwards Technologies
Low Voltage Contractors
Sport View Technologies – SVT
The Integration Factory
“Call on more than just the director of IT and AV,” he says. Other contacts include the owners, the director of finance, purchasing manager, AV rental manager, facility manager and the communications manager, says Groves.
Brian Edwards, CEO at Edwards Technologies, says his company boasts a knack for strategic planning coupled with “creative technology design results in highly engaging, multi-sensory experiences with improved cost and operational efficiencies for our clients.”
Edwards also offers cloud-based systems for all verticals in which it works. “Technology has advanced faster than our industry has been able to adapt to the changes,” says Edwards. “Often, it is the lack of visionary people in our supply chain. Our challenge is our ability to communicate our vision.”
Offer Unique Solutions
Carlos Gonzalez, vice president at The Integration Factory, says his company brings more IP products and solutions to its installations, and spurred by what he considers top-notch customer service and financial management, the company has found success in several markets, including hospitality.
With “dwindling margins based on the over-saturation of product access,” it’s more important than ever for The Integration Factory to “grow long-term relationships with manufacturers and clients,” says Gonzalez.
Low Voltage Contractors is building its presence in several markets, including hotels, says marketing manager Robbie Danko. The company is “a single-source solution for design, install, monitoring and maintenance,” he says, and has experts well-versed in all the markets it represents.
That allows Low Voltage Contractors to create tailored solutions and maintain its reputation for fast response times.
Hotels and casinos “continue to be the cornerstone of SVT’s revenue,” says president Josh Shanahan. The company has been providing products and services to this market for its entire existence.
Shanahan sees 2015 “as the year for large-format display application in an effort to WOW and immerse patrons and guests into the environment. Our firm has continued success in this vertical due to the demanding, 24/7/365 nature of the business and the associated service response, after-hours performance and attention to detail that is required under tight timelines for all deliverables.”
Download the complete report: Meet the 2015 CI Industry Leaders.
