I know that I haven’t been in this industry as long as some of the folks who read this column have been. But I have been around long enough to see several larger integrators acquire smaller shops. I’ve also seen the distribution channel go through a few rounds of acquisitions. Even the end users are seeing this: Bigger firms buying up smaller companies; medical and healthcare companies buying each other up. It seems like the big boys are just getting bigger. But we, as an industry, cannot and should not neglect small businesses.
Here are the Facts
Here are the facts, according to the Small Business Administration (SBA): Small businesses still make up the vast majority of businesses in the U.S. In fact, with more than 33 million small businesses in the U.S., small businesses make up 99.9% of all businesses in the country. Small businesses also employ almost half of the workforce: about 46%. This is why we cannot neglect the opportunity to focus on providing solutions that will empower and enhance these business entities.
Pixel AV is a full-service residential and commercial audiovisual company. Boasting more than 25 years of experience, the company prides itself on ensuring continuous success by building long-lasting relationships with its clients and offering service plans that ease clients’ minds because they know that all their technology needs will be covered.
Mark W. Knox, CEO and co-founder of Pixel AV, has a sharp focus on small business.
He has sought to position the company as a complete “AV concierge.” Courtesy / Mark W. Knox
Mark W. Knox, CEO and co-founder of Pixel AV, has a real focus on small business. This has led his company to be able to position itself as a complete “AV concierge.”
All of us have seen our share of AV nightmares, especially in the case of small businesses whose DIY projects go bad. Knox urges us to be mindful of the fact that entrepreneurial small business owners run small businesses. “These owners often have a specific focus on their discipline or craft,” he states. For example, many restaurants have a chef as their proprietor. “Their [ability to] focus on the quality of food and service is crucial to the success of their business,” Knox observes. “As an industry of service providers and manufacturers, our goal should be to provide solutions that allow them to focus their talents on the success of their business. If we can take the audio and video systems off their plate by providing a comprehensive solution, we instantly add value to that business’ success.”
Small Business vs. Enterprise
Small businesses and enterprise environments are different in many ways, an observation that leads to this question: When it comes to working with these clients, do integrators need to take different approaches? “Yes and no,” Knox answers. “No because the demands of large enterprises for an “always ready” system are just as important to a small business owner who may only get one opportunity to win a new customer.”
However, a different approach must be taken when dealing with small businesses on the metrics of resources and flexibility. “As service providers and manufacturers, our solutions need to be scalable, easily expandable and easy to use, with minimal training,” Knox declares. “Completing projects in phases, pre-recording quick training videos and offering financing are all options that our small business clients have benefited from.” He continues, “It’s imperative that we understand the livelihood of these owners is on the line. We have to treat their time and money as if it were our own.”
The Unique Needs of Small Businesses
With all the changes in work environments over the last four years, it’s imperative for integrators to focus on the unique needs of small businesses, whether it’s a restaurant, a family-entertainment destination or something else. No two experiences are exactly the same, and it’s essential to home in on the main needs of each unique space.
“The wave right now for small businesses of any kind has been security and camera surveillance,” Knox opines. He believes it has become increasingly important to have visibility into the business even when you’re not physically there. It’s a luxury that many of us have become accustomed to, as we now routinely monitor many things (e.g., our front door, our thermostat) from our phone.
“We’ve also seen more requests for videowalls with multi-view capabilities,” Knox says. “The ability to route video to select screens on the fly, as well as audio switching, has been in demand. Given this, AVoIP systems are common deployments that address the main needs of our clients.”
It’s About Problems Going Away
Ultimately, customers don’t care about our technology solutions as such. Instead, they care about their problems — especially in the B2B world — and whether we can make them go away. Each company should be able to focus on its goals, which, nine times out of 10, will be providing end users with outstanding service and providing positive, unforgettable experiences. And it’s empowering when they know their integration partner has their AV/IT estate covered.
There is true power in listening and being able to address your partner’s problems with the right solutions, Knox observes. He says, “Being the owner of a small business myself helps me be more relatable to my clients. I understand the daily pressure, and I recognize the significance of small wins. I make it a point to patronize my clients’ businesses and refer them to others in my network when possible.”
Fundamentally, partnering with small businesses is about creating a community in which, as Knox describes it, all those within the community support each other, and the integrator is the technology authority.
Small business owners are people who buy from other people, not from impersonal companies. This is the essence of AV business, as well. “Forming relationships, building trust and creating value has been our secret to success,” Knox concludes. It’s a model that all AV industry stakeholders would be wise to adopt.
