Professional Development Archives - Exertis Almo Installments Blog

What’s a Business Development Manager (BDM), and What Value Do They Bring To Exertis Almo Resellers?

by Tiff Jones-Morton | Dec 24, 2024 | Business Development, Professional Development, Uncategorized

Exertis Almo Business Development Managers (BDMs)

When I first entered the AV industry, Business Development Managers (BDMs) seemed like superheroes. They were the ultimate resource for product support, promotions, authorizations, and anything related to their manufacturers. Initially, I thought their role revolved around hosting lunch-and-learns, assisting sales reps with product questions, or showing up at events like the E4 Experience and InfoComm. But as I stepped into the role myself, I quickly learned that was just the tip of the iceberg.

BDMs are indeed brand experts—and sometimes the angels who save the day—but their responsibilities go far beyond that. A BDM’s true value lies in their ability to act as the critical link between two massive organizations: Exertis Almo and its manufacturing partners. This connection drives sales growth, streamlines processes, and ultimately makes life easier for both our resellers and their customers.

The Multi-Faceted Role of a BDM

Here’s a closer look at what BDMs do and the value they bring to resellers and the company as a whole:

Streamlining the Customer Experience

BDMs aim to simplify processes for Exertis Almo sales reps, resellers, and their customers. Whether it’s helping with product selections, troubleshooting challenges, or providing a single point of contact for multiple solutions, we’re here to streamline the journey.

Additionally, our close partnership with manufacturers enables us to resolve challenges faster, ensuring resellers can keep their projects on track.

Strengthening Manufacturer Relationships

BDMs strengthen relationships with manufacturer partners on various levels. We provide regular reports and valuable information to manufacturers, ensuring they are well-informed about market trends, sales performance, and customer feedback. This collaboration helps in:

- Aligning strategies and goals.
- Enhancing product offerings based on real-world insights.
- Building trust and fostering long-term partnerships.

Marketing Collaboration

BDMs play a key role in go-to-market strategies by working closely with the marketing team to:

- Assist with deciding which products to promote and how to do it effectively.
- Develop campaigns and events that highlight opportunities for resellers.
- Equip the sales team and resellers with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions.

These efforts ensure our resellers are equipped with the tools and insights to stay competitive in the market.

Strategic Sales Growth

A core part of the BDM role is driving overall sales. We collaborate with our manufacturing partners and internal Exertis Almo teams to:

- Identify sales opportunities.
- Help plan inventory levels and ensure the right products are available.
- Suggest essential add-on products to complete solutions, ensuring customers have everything they need for their projects.

By offering bundled recommendations or looping in experts for specialized needs, we make projects smoother for customers and maximize the value of every sale.

Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Learning

BDMs are lifelong learners. We’re encouraged to pursue:

- Internal training on leadership, communication, and professional development.
- Technical certifications and industry insights to maintain expertise.
- Opportunities to share our expertise through blogs, podcasts, and other platforms, keeping the AV community informed, inspired, and engaged.

This dedication to learning enables us to share knowledge with our teammates and resellers, creating a ripple effect of growth and innovation throughout the AV community.

The Value to Resellers: A Seamless Support System

As BDMs, we bring immense value to resellers by serving as a bridge between manufacturers and Exertis Almo. This partnership helps resellers by:

Providing full solutions, including essential products that enhance customer satisfaction and simplify installation.
Leveraging manufacturer relationships to expedite resolutions and streamline processes.
Offering insights that ensure the right products are available at the right time, at competitive prices.

The Bigger Picture: Driving Success Through Values

BDMs are just one part of the broader success story at Exertis Almo. Our organization thrives because of its culture of Family, Innovation, Integrity, and Teamwork (FIT).

These values unite every department—purchasing, registrations, marketing, sales, warehousing, services, and management—into a cohesive team dedicated to growth, collaboration, and exceptional service. This collective effort drives satisfaction for resellers and their customers while supporting growth across the entire AV industry.

So there you have it…

A BDM’s job is more than just product expertise or attending industry events. We’re strategic partners, creative problem solvers, and growth drivers. By streamlining processes, suggesting essential add-ons, and collaborating across teams, we ensure resellers have the resources to deliver complete solutions and succeed in an ever-evolving industry.

Exertis Almo’s team of dedicated BDMs goes beyond brand expertise—we’re your dedicated allies, committed to making your projects smoother, your customers happier, and your sales stronger. Let’s grow together!

Want to know more? Check out Tiff’s other blog “Amping Up Government Operations: Rocking out with cutting-edge AV gear“

About the Author

Tiff Jones-Morton | DSCE

BDM – Brand Specialist

Supported Manufacturers: LG Business Solutions (NE, SE, MW)

Contact Exertis Almo for product info, inventory availability, or to start a quote.

Work, Life, and Presence with a Special Needs Child

by Amy Krezowski | Dec 12, 2024 | Professional Development, Uncategorized

Kevin Carroll - KC Katalyst “Work, Life, Presence” a saying that will always be close to my heart and a reminder to myself every day. I was sitting at the Exertis Almo National Sales Meeting, and we had this amazing speaker, Kevin Carroll. He talked about his life, struggles growing up, and how far he had come into his career. “Work, Life, Balance” had a new meaning and it is now “Work, Life, PRESENCE.” It is not about balancing life, it is about being present, especially when you have a child with special needs.

I am a mother of a child with a rare genetic disorder, called Syngap1. He is one of 1,400 patients in the whole world! In his 6 years of life, we have had so much thrown at us: Intellectual disability, epilepsy, autism, language delays, sleep problems, motor delays, hypotonia, sensory processing deficits, emotional and behavioral challenges. Oofta, that’s a lot and mouth full! How would we ever be able to help our child ever overcome so many obstacles, maintain a “normal” lifestyle and how would we continue our careers as both working parents?

Working and maintaining a career with a special needs child brings many incredible challenges. But we are not alone, many families struggle with the same obstacles we do every day. I took myself down a deep hole when we first received his “official” diagnosis at 3 years of age. I didn’t know how I was going to manage this “new” lifestyle, but then I decided to come up with strategies to manage our time, energy and emotions. Below are some helpful strategies to help you with the navigating the challenging, but also REWARDING role as a parent with special needs:

1. Creating a Flexible Schedule

Flexibility: If work allows, try and find a way to work around your child’s needs. You may have to take breaks throughout the day for medical appointments or therapy. Flexibility in your work schedule can help you accomplish this.
Hours: Know your limits and avoid overscheduling. Always communicate with your employer/supervisor/customers about your availability. Don’t be afraid to adjust when needed.
Prioritizing: Make a list of your work and home responsibilities and prioritize what is most important. This will help you focus on what truly matters and help you manage your time more effectively.

2. Communication at work

Transparency: always maintain open communication with your employer about your family situation so they can understand your needs and limitations. Let them know you are committed to your work, but there may be a time when family responsibilities will take priority.
Arrangements: whether you work from home, adjust hours, or take time off for medical appointments, exploring flexible work options will help you become more present with your caregiving duties and help you manage your work.

3. Support

Building a Network: Having a network of caregivers does not always just mean family, it’s about your friends, neighbors, colleagues, etc. Don’t ever hesitate to ask for help when it comes to your child’s needs.
Connection: Share your experiences with others. You will find it extremely comforting being open – for many are going through similar situations or know someone that is. Consider joining support groups so that you can exchange advice with others and provide emotional support. You are never alone.
Professional Help: Don’t ever hesitate to reach out for help when you’re managing your child’s care. Ask for assistance from their therapists, caregivers, special education teachers, paraprofessionals, etc. It can be worth investing in support services to help you manage all your responsibilities.

4. Technology

Tools: Digital tools such as calendars, task management apps, etc. will help you stay organized. This may include scheduling doctors’ appointments, therapy, and important work meetings. Keep them all in one place so you can stay on track. Also, having a good web cam will go a long way and avoids many headaches when jumping on calls.
Virtual: When possible, utilize telehealth services for doctor’s visits, therapy, or consultations. This will help reduce stress and amount of time traveling to help you stay on track.

5. Wins/Strengths!!

Celebrate: Focus on small successes whether it’s at work or at home. Celebrating a new skill they have developed or a peaceful moment you shared. The littlest things can sometimes be the most rewarding!
Accomplishments: Acknowledge the efforts that it takes to be present in both worlds. It sometimes may feel like you’re constantly juggling, just know you are doing an incredible job by meeting your family’s needs and working.
Abilities: Focus on your child’s strengths and achievements. This will be a powerful reminder of how resilient your child is and how much you accomplish together.
Engagement: Bond in ways with your child that cater to their abilities and can be rewarding for both of you.

6. Advocate

Know Your Rights: When you’re navigating special education or healthcare, make sure you stay informed about your rights as a parent. Understanding these rights will help reduce stress by making accommodations at school and navigating healthcare services.
Workplace Accommodations: If your child requires you to need flexibility in your work schedule (example: medical appointments during workday), investigate your companies’ policies on workplace accommodations.

It takes resilience, adaptability, and a strong support system to be able to manage work while caring for a child with special needs. Remember you don’t always have to do it alone or perfectly. Ask for help and rely on your support system when you need it. You are their parent for a reason, and you will do everything in your power to provide them with the best life they can have.

Remember, it is “Work, Life, PRESENCE.”

If you enjoyed Amy’s blog, check out Rob Voorhees’ blog “Coach’s Corner: Overcome the Fear of Asking for Help“.

About the Author

Amy Krezowski

BDM – Brand Specialist

Supported Manufacturers: Peerless-AV and Planar

The AV MBA | You Can’t Always Get What You Want

by Tom Keefe | Nov 5, 2024 | Business Development, Professional Development, Uncategorized

As I write this article, my truck is in the shop having new tires put on. Buying tires is one of my least favorite purchases of all time!!! Yet every few years I go through the same process. Gather my tire size information, check some tire websites, identify my needs in terms of performance (I live in Buffalo, NY, so a tire that performs well in the snow is a must!!!), establish my budget, read some reviews, select my top picks, shop prices, book the appointment.

This time around, I’m coming off a set of tires that performed very poorly in terms of mileage. They only lasted 24,000 miles and I rotated them every 5,000 miles. That is TERRIBLE!!! Additionally, they had a highway tread, which was good for gas mileage, but didn’t give me the traction I needed in the deep Buffalo snow. Finally, my service to this point has been done at the dealer. However, my free service package has timed out, and the dealer is farther away and more expensive than most of my local shops, so I am no longer motivated to use them.

Based on those factors, I shopped around for an All-Terrain tire at a discounted price from what my dealership was offering that got great reviews and picked the lowest priced local auto shop. While the tire I chose is more expensive than my original set, I will get better on-road performance and a longer tread life. This brings my total cost of ownership below the level of my current set of tires. I can live with that. assess the tradeoffs

Weighing the Options for Your Next AV Project

When working on audio-video (AV) projects, there are several tradeoffs to consider ensuring the project meets its objectives while staying within budget and time constraints. Here are some key tradeoffs:

Cost vs. Quality

- High-Quality Equipment: Investing in top-tier equipment can provide superior audio and video quality, but it comes at a higher cost.
- Budget-Friendly Options: Opting for more affordable equipment can save money but might compromise on performance and longevity.

Complexity vs. Usability

- Advanced Features: Incorporating advanced features and automation can enhance functionality but may require more complex setup and user training.
- Simplicity: A simpler system is easier to use and maintain but might lack some advanced capabilities.

Flexibility vs. Specificity

- Flexible Systems: Designing a system that can adapt to various uses and future upgrades can be beneficial but might be more expensive and complex.
- Specific Systems: Tailoring the system to specific needs can be more cost-effective and straightforward but may limit future adaptability.

Aesthetics vs. Functionality

- Aesthetic Design: Prioritizing the visual appeal of the setup can enhance the user experience but might limit equipment choices and placement.
- Functional Design: Focusing on functionality ensures optimal performance but might result in a less visually appealing setup.

Scalability vs. Initial Investment

- Scalable Solutions: Investing in scalable solutions allows for future expansion but requires a higher initial investment.
- Fixed Solutions: Implementing a fixed solution can be more affordable initially but may not accommodate future growth.

Integration vs. Independence

- Integrated Systems: Integrating AV systems with other building systems (like lighting and HVAC) can provide seamless control but increases complexity and cost.
- Independent Systems: Keeping systems independent simplifies installation and maintenance but might reduce overall efficiency and user experience.

Maintenance vs. Initial Cost

- High-Quality, Low-Maintenance Equipment: Investing in high-quality equipment can reduce long-term maintenance costs but requires a higher initial investment.
- Lower-Cost, Higher-Maintenance Equipment: Choosing cheaper equipment can save on initial costs but may lead to higher maintenance expenses over time.

Balancing these tradeoffs requires careful planning and consideration of the project’s specific needs and constraints. Conducting a feasibility study and involving all stakeholders in the planning process can help identify the best approach ¹ ². This way, you will be on the road to success and avoid getting stuck in the mud!!!

Is there a specific aspect of AV projects you’re focusing on or a particular challenge you’re facing? Get in touch to discuss.

Want more business development advice? Check out Tom’s earlier blog, “The AV MBA: Put Your Keys on the Dash!“.

About the Author

Tom Keefe | CTS, DMC-D-4K, DSCE

Category Manager – dvLED

Supported Category: Direct View LED

AV Design Engineering vs. Project Engineering

by John Rossman | Oct 31, 2024 | Business Development, Drafting & Engineering, Professional Development, Uncategorized

Project vs. Design Engineering

When I first joined the AV industry almost 20 years ago, I worked as a project manager for a small integrator in Baltimore. My understanding of AV engineering at that time could be summarized as “there are real engineers (those that worked for my company) and then there are consultants and designers”. The rationale for this skewed perspective was simple: consultants and designers handed us (the integrator) a design full of holes and assumptions, and it was our job to fix those “mistakes” and turn the project into a real-life system that a real-life person could use and benefit from.

av integrator Of course, this naïve and incorrect view was the result of being on only one side of the fence. In the following years, I have been lucky enough to serve in several different roles throughout the industry, from design engineer at a major university, to project engineer, to consultant. Each of these roles has presented different sets of challenges, but more importantly, they have allowed me to see the industry from both sides of the fence, and how each of these roles complement each other to produce satisfactory results for clients and end users.

So what are the actual differences between the “project” engineering and “design” engineering roles? From a distance, these can appear to be two descriptions of the same task, but as we’ll see the differences are significant, beneficial, and necessary for the success of larger-scale projects.

Definitions

For the purposes of this post, we’ll divide the engineering roles into two categories: Project Engineering and Design Engineering. Project Engineering is typically undertaken by one or multiple engineers working for or on behalf of an AV Integrator to produce construction drawings to be used by installers working for that integrator. Design Engineering, on the other hand, is typically undertaken by an independent consultant or pre-sales engineer, creating conceptual drawings which will typically be used by an integrator to create construction drawings.

Goals

As previously stated, an AV Project Engineer is producing construction-level drawings which will actually be used by technicians to install a system. This entails a much higher level of detail and specificity than expected in design-level drawings. As products are being purchased and labor hours are being spent based on the information contained in the drawing package, money is on the line. Every connector, cable, adaptor, and piece of mounting hardware must be accounted for and documented. Cable pull sheets can be generated from these drawings, so cables must be identified and labeled in an understandable scheme. The financial (and technical) success of the installation and project are often reliant upon the accuracy of these drawings. For example, if a Project Engineer overlooks the need for HDMI extension for a long cable run, an extender set may need to be ordered from the field, which can lead to project delays and significant cost impacts.

By contrast, the AV Design Engineer is responsible for creating a design set of conceptual drawings which reflect the project goals set forth by the end user. These conceptual drawings will then be interpreted by the Project Engineer to create the construction drawings. The Design Engineer is expected to have a much closer relationship with the end user, to ensure that the project goals are met, while considering any constraints (budget, timeline, aesthetics) identified by the end user.

Time and Money

Why then do we need to have design drawings at all? Why can’t the Project Engineer simply take the end user’s goals and design the system to construction level all by themselves without the need for a Design Engineer?

As with many things in business and life, the answer comes down to time and money. A Design Engineer is typically contracted directly to the end user or architect via a design contract. This happens very early in the development process, before contractors have been hired. The design team then has the time to meet with the client and stakeholders well before “boots are on the ground”. Budgets can be established, designs can be iterated and reiterated (and re-reiterated) with minimal impact on the overall project budget. Put simply, it is easy and relatively cost-free to make design changes on paper. Changes on-site are a different matter altogether.

Once construction contracts have been issued, boots are on the ground, and drywall is being hung, changes to the design of a system can have massive cost implications. Most integrators do not have engineers on staff that they can commit to being part of a multi-month or multi-year design process. Once they have been hired, they are on the clock to finish the project with (hopefully) a bit of profit in their pockets.

Relationships

An often-overlooked aspect of the importance of the division of the design and project engineering roles is that of impartiality and bias in relationships. While it can be expected that, as professionals, both Project and Design Engineers should value the relationship with the client equally highly as their bottom line, the same expectation might not always be true when it comes to product selection.

business relationships AV integrators, by their nature, must have relationships with the manufacturers of products that they sell and install. To ensure competitive pricing, on-time delivery, and pre- and post-sale support, integrators must cultivate and maintain these manufacturer relationships. Through no fault of their own, this means that integrators will tend to want to sell products provided by manufacturers with which they have good relationships.

While this is all well and good for the integrator, the needs of the project and end user may dictate equipment made by other manufacturers. This is where the value of independent Design Engineers and Consultants is made known. Rather than relying on the product offerings of a few select manufacturers, the independent Design Engineer can select the proper product for the application, regardless of the manufacturer.

Conclusion

While I wish I could go back and tell my younger self these important distinctions, the truth is that it took living and working in both the design and project engineering roles to truly appreciate the differences, as well as the necessity of both roles in the industry. Successful deployments of large-scale AV projects require both the design and project engineer specializations, and we should all be thankful for that!

Interested in more design or engineering related content? Check out “Revisiting ADA Mounting Requirements“.

About the Author

John Rossman | CTS

BDM II – Technical Specialist

Supported Manufacturers: Harman Professional – AKG, AMX, BSS, Crown, DBX, JBL, Lexicon, Martin, & Soundcraft

The AV MBA | Put Your Keys on the Dash!!!

by Tom Keefe | Jul 18, 2024 | Business Development, Professional Development, Uncategorized

Data Analytics

I seriously considered pursuing culinary as a profession in my early twenties. Instead, I ended up going to school for business and working in AV. You see the connection, right? Anyways, one of the terms that you’ll hear used with frequency in a professional kitchen is “mise en place.” This is roughly translated to, “everything in place.” In practice, it means that all the ingredients and tools needed for that day’s service are prepared and organized in advance. The last thing the cooks need to be doing in the middle of firing orders is running around looking for ingredients and prepping them.

I’m an avid user of a certain fitness app that tracks my daily steps, exercise, meals, calories, weight, etc. It allows me to set goals, track my progress and evaluate my results. Even more, it uses my data to adjust my targets to optimize my health and fitness. It’s intelligent!!! This is all done through my phone on an app and I can access it anywhere, anytime, in an easily digestible format. It has helped me immensely in improving my fitness level and it keeps me motivated and focused on my goals because using it has become a habit.

analytics dashboards

Data Dashboards

Business Intelligence (BI) tools are like the Swiss Army knives of the data world; they come with all sorts of gadgets and gizmos to slice, dice, and serve up data in digestible chunks. Imagine you’re a chef, but instead of a kitchen, you have a dashboard full of KPIs (Key Performance Indicators). These tools are your sous-chefs, helping you keep an eye on the business roast, making sure it’s cooking at the right temperature, and not burning to a crisp.

Now, tracking KPIs is like having a fitness tracker for your business. It tells you how many ‘steps’ your company has taken, how ‘fit’ your sales team is, and whether your marketing ‘diet’ is working. And just like a fitness tracker, you want a BI tool that doesn’t quit on you mid-jog. That’s where the top contenders come in, flexing their features like bodybuilders at a data gym.
There are many options to consider, like Datapad, Geckoboard, Grow and—of course—Salesforce. Each has their own particular area of focus and strength. Some are more visual, while others are more focused on raw data analysis. It all depends on your unique needs.

I personally use Microsoft Power BI to track most of my KPI’s. As a category manager for DVLED, I can see things like sales or volume by customer, product, vendor or date range, and mix and match any or all of them to get real-time feedback on how the business is doing across the category. It is constantly running in the background, and I can access it in a matter of seconds at any time for quick, actionable insights. Ten years ago, I would’ve had to run multiple reports and import them into a spreadsheet to access this type of business data. It was time consuming and extremely limited in scope and function. Today, I have all this information easily viewable on a super-cool looking dashboard interface. It has been a complete game changer and time saver.

So, whether you’re a data analyst or a business owner who still thinks Excel is cutting-edge, there’s a BI tool out there that can help you track your KPIs and benchmark your progress. It’s like having a crystal ball, but instead of vague predictions, you get clear, actionable insights. And who knows, with the right BI tool, you might just find the secret ingredient to your business success recipe. Bon Appétit, data chefs!

Want more business development advice? Check out Tom’s earlier blog, “The AV MBA: S.W.O.T. It Out“.

About the Author