Picking the Right Electronics Systems Contractor Partner
By Barrie McCorkle

It is important to have people you trust in every facet of your life. You want to have a pharmacist you trust to tell you if there is going to be a bad interaction with two prescriptions. You want to have a mechanic who will tell you that the noise your car is making is no big deal or you shouldn’t drive it.  You want to have a waiter tell you about the best thing on the menu.

So, why should this practice change when you are building a home? You want to have the right architect, general contractor, builder, plumber, electrician, designer, etc. on your team.  Use the same model when selecting your low-voltage partner or electronic systems contractor (ESC).

Working with the right ESC is vital to having your home-building project go as smoothly as possible. 

So, how do you find an ESC partner?  Referrals, expertise, professionalism, industry involvement and where they acquire product can all be factors for selecting the best ESC for your project. Here are some pointers:

• Reputation — Have you heard good things about this company? Are they members of CEDIA, NAHB, the BBB, or the local Chamber of Commerce? Are they involved in community activities? Your reputation precedes you, the same goes for a good business.
  
  
• Price Isn’t Everything — It’s great to find an ESC that has good prices, but don’t make this your sole decision maker. Do you work for free? Would you? Neither would they. It is wonderful to have a competitive price, but it’s more important to have someone that you can trust and rely on.
  
  
• Knowledge — You can generally get a sense of an ESC's knowledge by asking simple questions — see how they answer them. If you are not sure the questions to ask, try a different route. Go into the store or office and pretend as if you are buying something for yourself. If the staff can help you out and in some cases even “wow you,” then you’ve probably got a knowledgeable company.
  
  
• Experience — How long has the company been in business? If a short time, how long has the owner or GM been in the business? This will go hand-in-hand with knowledge. The more longevity an ESC has, the more knowledge they should possess.
  
  
• Product —  This may sound strange, but from where or whom do they acquire product? Most reputable ESCs will get product directly from the manufacturer, as opposed to through a distribution company. They will also be an “authorized” dealer for the lines that they sell. This means that if there are ever have any issues, the ESC will be able to take care of them accurately and expeditiously.
  
  
• Attitude —  Here's an insider’s tip: select an ESC that you can’t “walk all over.” If you can, they are probably not the qualified firm that you think they are. A reputable ESC will step in and tell you if you are making a bad decision and be candid with you about what you do and don’t need.  Once again, they are the specialist and your partner. You are coming to them for information. They want the project to go as smoothly as you do, that’s why they care so much.

With the way that technology constantly advances into newer, better systems, you need to have a qualified ESC to rely on for all of your low-voltage needs. Unless planned out accordingly, the wiring or equipment that is put into a house today might be obsolete by as early as next year. This doesn’t mean that you need to take action on every single item that is brought to the table for your home building project, but it does mean that you need to at least know what all of your options are. Picking the right ESC will do this for you.

The relationship that you develop with an ESC should be just that, a relationship. You must have mutual respect for one another to work together and flourish. Consider finding the right ESC for your business like finding your significant other.

< Previous Article | Next Article >

[ return to top ]