December - International Society of Certified Electronics Technicians

We are all well aware that the profitability
of servicing consumer electronics has
eroded in the last decade. It is time to search
for that new profit center that will bolster
that bottom line. For many years now I have
been actively involved in home theater,
whole house music and the total home integration
field. It has been an exciting and
rewarding experience built from what once
was a television sales and service operation.
The degree of success that I have been able
to achieve has been partially due to the geographic
location of the business. It is much
easier to sell state-of-the-art systems to
clients who can easily afford such extravagances.
However, times are changing and all
of us can benefit from these changes.
The very essence of what has nearly
ruined the consumer electronics service
industry could possibly become your new
best friend. Price erosion on the sales floor
has brought what used to be only for the
well-to-do, into an area where the average
PAGE 10 –
December 2004
NESDA President's Article
Befriend the Enemy
By Brian Gibson CET, NESDA President
person can start to consider these very same
products. There are some very exciting
products out there that the masses are lining
up to purchase. Flat panel technology leads
the pack; we have all dreamed of the day
when we could just hang our TV on the wall
like a painting. Not too many years ago that
dream came true, it you had in excess of ten
thousand dollars to spend. Now that very
same size panel with increased picture and
sound qualities sells for less than half of the
original cost with no end of price erosion in
sight. That may not be what we as servicers
want to see, but if you find your way into the
sales and installation market, those lower
prices will help you create new ways to
greatly increase your profitability. And who
is more qualified to educate, sell and install
these products than us?
The very same things can also be said for
the audio side of the business. Everyone
wants surround sound to go along with the
really cool TV they just purchased. The
choices in surround sound are astounding
and so are the prices. Who would believe
that you could buy a complete system for
less than a thousand dollars? Once the purchase
is made, the value in having these
products professionally installed is obvious.
Opportunity keeps on knocking during the
install, don't forget about those quality interconnects,
power and surge management as
well as that great remote to make it easy for
all to use. And as if it wasn't enough many
times consumers don't even have to pay for
all these items till years down the road!
There are so many other great examples
of products and services to sell that I could
go on for a long time. I think you see my
point by now. It is time to expand your business,
don't let it slip away. You will have
great success when you can assure your customer
that not only are you capable of
installing all their gear, but you're the very
same person who will repair it if it should
break. That's where you have the major
advantage over the big box merchants. You
will profit from the sales, installation and
service on each and every product for years
to come. NESDA is committed to diversification
in our trainings, so that we might all
survive and prosper long into the future.