The Home Technology Association is delivering on its mission! Read the following testimonials and quotes from Integrators, Interior Designers, Industry Influencers, Manufacturers, and Buying Groups:
Integrators:
"Having been involved since the very start of the Integrated technology industry 40 years ago, regulation of the industry has been in the hands of its own organisation. Mostly this has been the measurement of training inputs. We believe it’s the outputs that our Clients in the Residential and Marine sectors are most interested in. Not just what we know but how we apply that knowledge to make our projects the best they can be.
While we know most of our business is driven by recommendations of Clients, their teams, and the design professionals they work with, the larger the world market we work in, the less chance these connections know each other.
HTA assurance establishes we are who we say we are, we can do what we say we can do, and we have a track record of successful projects and happy Clients to prove it.
Only when companies are measured can they be compared and HTA is the tool by which to be measured. That’s why HTA’s graded ratings provide Clients and their teams the guidance to find the right company to work with, wherever that project lands.
We are proud to spearhead their adoption outside of the USA and Canada and bring their determined due diligence to a wider audience."
- Kevin Andrews, Founder and Managing Director of Ideaworks Ltd in London, England, United Kingdom
"For many years SONA have been desperate to find a way for our industry to become more regulated and for integrators to be more accountable for the work they commit to, and promises they make.
Advances in technology have ironically opened up the market to companies who, regardless of their level of experience, skill or knowledge are quite easily able to gain access to equipment. The bias however has swung towards selling products, rather than a service or experience, and our industry as a whole has suffered as a result, becoming saturated with companies with little to zero knowledge or real experience in home technology - offering to install it and taking on huge projects they simply aren't equipped to plan, deliver or support. The number of 'high end cinemas' we see in person and on Instagram every week, where speakers are in completely the wrong position, or missing completely is a prime example of this and how unsuspecting clients are being left with sub-par experiences.
Throwing a bit of kit in should never be the goal, and we know there are so many great companies and individuals in the UK who are absolutely aligned with this ethos - however there is no organisation, group or association where we can all come together to help keep these standards high.... Until now. Companies like SONA got in to the industry through passion and interest in the field - not seeing the opportunity to add some 'bolt on' products and make a quick buck. There are many companies like us, who strive to deliver the best possible integrated systems for their clients, but they are losing work to competitors who think that all we do is install some speakers, TVs and a bit of lighting control with one brand they have been taught how to sell.
We really hope by embarking on this journey with the HTA we can inspire other companies to step up and help us make this industry what it needs and deserves to be. Technology is such a huge element in any home these days - equipment poorly selected, installed and supported simply shouldn't be an option. Together with the HTA I really believe SONA can not only continue to provide a great service and experience for our clients, but also improve the reputation of the industry as a whole and make it harder for clients to be taken advantage of or left with a sub-par system and bitter taste in their mouth. We really hope other great brands and companies in the UK will join us in our efforts to raise the bar of integrated home technology once more.”
- Simon Fulstow, Founder and Managing Director of SONA Projects in Cheshire, England, United Kingdom
"After a tour of our Experience Centre, most homeowners' reaction is 'I want all of this awesome stuff!', but of course very few are able or prepared to pay for everything that's on offer.
The HTA budget calculator helps the homeowner decide where they want to focus their budget in a matter of minutes, which is a huge time-saver for both the integrator and the homeowner. It also allows the client to select the integrator that they'll be working with for years to come based on service, reputation and quality, confident that the price they're paying is broadly in-line with market norms."
- James Ratcliffe, Owner of Homeplay Ltd in Weybridge, England, United Kingdom
"I am a fan of HTA. My entire team is proud that we are a member, our membership and recognition bring extra credibility to us as a quality concierge integration company. I incorporate HTA in every discussion I have about who we are as a company, it's even part of our elevator pitch. I utilize their budget calculator regularly and it has made speaking about budgets easier. When we meet with a client, or even before our first meeting, we ask them to go through the exercise of determining what kind of technology they want in their home and suggest using the budget calculator to do so. It helps open up a conversation about the most difficult of topics - BUDGETS!
At the same time, by quietly introducing HTA to our potential client through the calculator they tend to bring up the importance of HTA member certification themselves. Not surprisingly, I recently had a potential client call me because he found me on the HTA website, he spoke to two of my competitors, decided he wanted a recognized company to build their theater and we closed a $300,000 theater."
- Mike Barry, President of Millennium Systems Design in Orlando, FL
"I spoke to a new customer on the phone today. He shared that they had just renovated a condo in FL, so that forced them to think about redoing their Media Room in Pittsburgh. I always ask every customer how they came across Kozi Media Design, and when I asked this one the response was different then the others which typically said a Google Search. This time it was that his interior designer in FL said he should search for custom integrators that are certified. When I asked what certification, he couldn't remember. When I said was it HTA, he jumped and said Yes, that's the one. Well done with getting to the designers HTA! Makes things much easier."
Update on September 24, 2021: "The same HTA-related customer just purchased a 3rd home for $4.9m and is asking us to assess what he has and update it. Again, keep on the architects and designers! "
- Chris Koziarski, Principal of Kozi Media Design in Pittsburgh, PA
"About a year ago, we sat down with a client who wasn't sure about what things really cost. As I was bringing up the HTA budget calculator, he asked what I thought this is going to cost. He thought it might be somewhere between $20-$50K. I said, "Let's see what the HTA budget calculator comes up with." The HTA calculated budget range ended up being $150K to $300K and he signed for $190K a week later. We love using the budget calculator!"
- Chris Worthington, President of Personal Technology in Alhambra, CA
"The Home Technology Association has brought my company tremendous value and exposure! This year (2019) I was awarded a 7-figure project by a high-profile commercial client in NYC who found my company on the HTA’s website. They not only found me, they understood I was qualified for the scope of their project. This company literally brought me in because I was HTA Certified, giving my company tons of exposure."
- Michael Restrepo, Owner of Restrepo Innovations in New York, NY
"As the owner of an HTA-certified company, I greatly encourage all qualified CI firms to pursue certification from this independent and highly credible organization. We recently leveraged our certification to win a spectacular project, effectively differentiating ourselves from another company. Using the very convenient budget calculator and educating the client on the rigorous standards for HTA certification, we swiftly facilitated the decision-making process and the client became comfortable with our capabilities, awarding us the project even though our fully engineered solution was a higher initial investment!”
- JW Anderson, Owner of The Integrated Home in Charlotte, NC
“I have longed for a resource like the HTA. The Home Technology Association has proven to be the CI trade’s first true reputable vetting platform for General Contractors and homeowners. Architects and contractors here in Beverly Hills are beginning to include “AV trade must be HTA Certified” in their bidding specification!"
- Murray Kunis, President of Future Home in Los Angeles, CA
"Even though my company has been HTA Certified for a while, I admit I was not leveraging the HTA's budget calculator until recently. It worked fantastically to educate a recent client on a realistic home theater budget. Here is what happened...my client had set an arbitrary budget number for his theater that seemed reasonable to him, though in reality, it was not a realistic number for the performance level requested. A colleague suggested I share the budget calculator with my client to educate him on realistic home theater budget ranges, and it worked! The theater budget went from $20K to $150K. We are confident our client is going to love the new home theater, and I realize now how powerful the HTA's budget calculator is in educating clients on credible budgets.”
- Paul Foley, Systems Engineer at Hermary's in San Francisco Bay Area, CA
“HTA has been a great partner in helping to elevate those of us who create the best work in the industry from the many others who talk the talk but don’t walk the walk. Not only does HTA work on creating and promoting an objective way for luxury clients to understand how integrators differ from each other, but they also create very powerful tools like the HTA Budget Calculator, which helps the right clients understand what the right level of investment is for working with an integrator that values design and details, not just technology done at the lowest possible price.”
- Michael Oh, CEO & Founder of TSP Smart Spaces in Boston, MA
"I wanted to personally thank the Home Technology Association for the benefits we have seen by being HTA certified. Typically we rely on the word of mouth method, but since becoming certified it has helped us land a couple of new developers. They were immediately impressed with knowing they were not taking as much of a risk on a new contractor with said certification. HTA is solving such a hole in our industry, thank you for actually vetting out companies rather than giving certifications by paying a simple fee. We wish the entire HTA team great success in elevating our industry."
- Chad Lassig, Owner of Audio Video Systems in Park City, UT
"The Budget Calculator is a no brainer! It's never been easier for our company to identify the clients that are truly right for us. It not only helps us land large projects but it helps us identify the size of each goal within the budget. Different home owners see value in different home luxury features. The budget calculator can be filled out repeatedly until the homeowners are happy with the direction it's moving in."
- Peter Sandford, Owner of Smarter Homes in Austin, TX
"We have already started using the HTA Budget Calculator with prospective clients. We suggest that prior to our meeting, they spend 10 minutes with the HTA Budget Calculator to understand both overall budget, and the typical cost drivers. This has been tremendously helpful, as we are no longer the company presenting what can be a surprisingly large budget; instead, we are the experts helping them select the technology they want while reaching a desired cost target. We’ve also noticed that those clients generally bring up a larger number of systems – things like lighting, motorized shades, enterprise-grade data networks. These discussions are much more collaborative, rather than clients shutting down what they may feel is an “add on” sale.
Lastly, this process has allowed us to more easily promote and sell our design services. Customers no longer need the standard “3 bidders” to feel educated on budgets. They now have a reasonable budget range, and see value in partnering with a trusted advisor to design their ideal system."
- Bryan Mills, President of Mills Technologies in Chicago, IL
"Using HTA, I was recently able to separate Cantara from another bidder that had less experience on this scale of project. This allowed a discussion about skill set rather than proposal price."
- Jason Voorhees, CEO of Cantara in Orange County, CA
"We are very excited to finally have a system in place that can certify integrators by identifying their skill set/capabilities and pre-qualifying them for specific project sizes and requirements. As established integrators, this not only benefits us from weeding out the non-qualified "Trunk Slammers", but also guarantees the client will be delivered a flawless project. The sooner we educate the design-build community on the benefits of the HTA, the better off we and the end user will be."
- Todd DeAngelis, CEO and Founder of Signals AV, with offices in Los Angeles & LaQuinta, CA
“HTA has helped us differentiate our offerings in a very competitive landscape here in Florida. The crucial thing we've learned is that we have to use the resources that HTA makes available to us to get the full value of being HTA Certified. Not only that, but it's important that we promote our HTA Certification. We do this as a part of our marketing efforts, and it has made a big difference, helping us gain customer trust and win more business."
- Melanie Neimerg, Owner of Integral Home Technology in Clearwater, FL
"Using the HTA tools is a no-brainer. We provide a budget range and very quickly figure out if the project is going to the next stage or not. The Budget Calculator is a real-time saver!"
- Blaine Christensen, Co-Owner of Advanced Integrated Systems in Tremonton, UT
"We believe that the true benefit of this certification is that it avails an immediate dismissal of any doubt, to a client that is not familiar with our company culture, that our firm is of the caliber to execute a project successfully, and with the professionalism to engineer, install and service to a very high standard."
- Michael Ross, Principal Partner of Atlantic Control Technologies in Annapolis, MD
“We applied for our certification with HTA because the low barrier to entry in our industry has resulted in under-qualified integrators in the market. This has a history of creating poor client experiences and giving what we do a bad reputation,” says Matthew Johnson, VP/GM of Aurum. “HTA’s stamp of approval on Aurum tells our clients we have been vetted and proven ourselves to be a first-class organization capable of designing, installing and supporting a system we would be proud to have in our own homes.”
- Matt Johnson, Vice President & General Manager of Aurum in Denver, CO
"By being a member of HTA, we can proudly let all of our design and build partners know that there is a resource for them to use that allows them to qualify not only ACS, but any other integrator they may be considering using. The one thing we come up against, more often than not, is that the homeowner or their representative “has a guy” they use for AV. HTA allows companies like ACS to counter that claim by pointing them to the website to show them, that today's modern luxury homes require real technology, and not just AV. It also allows us to show them that not all integrators are the same and the depth of experience, resources and personnel that ACS has is vastly greater than “their guy” ".
- Thomas Clancy, Senior Vice President of Audio Command Systems in New York, NY
"Just wanted to reach out and thank you for the great (HTA Mind Share) webinar today. I think any bits and pieces of gold we can get to improve our marketing is huge. So I appreciate what you guys are doing. It was great to learn more towards the end of the webinar about working with trade partners, and building off of the marketing efforts we are already making. Thank you!"
- Carson Morby, Director of Marketing of Advanced Integration Systems in Tremonton, UT
"Old habits die hard. Now that our team feels comfortable going through the [budget] calculator with trade partners and clients, it's been a lot easier…now that we are using it as a tool for selling system designs, it's been even easier, too. What flipped the switch for us was actually seeing it work. Blaine just told me the other day that now that he's seen it work, he doesn't want to do it any other way."
- Carson Morby, Director of Marketing of Advanced Integration Systems in Tremonton, UT
"Joining HTA years ago was one of the best decisions our company has made. HTA has helped us streamline some of our processes, especially the client discovery process, by being able to send clients (and build trades) to the budget calculator. The budget calculator has been a game changer for us, it's the second thing we recommend clients do after our initial meeting as it helps set the tone with budgets from the get-go."
- Pat Mulligan, VP & CTO of Pacific Audio & Communications in Hawaii
"We lead with our HTA Certification status when meeting new clients, setting the stage early in the discussion for the importance of the client hiring a qualified, reputable integration firm. This approach keeps clients engaged and highlights the importance of HTA Certification from the start. By directing clients to explore other HTA Certified firms and use resources like the HTA Budget Calculator, we empower them with full transparency and control. This not only builds comfort but also trust, making the decision about whom to hire based on the quality and fit, not merely on price. Our clients appreciate the assurance that comes with hiring an HTA Certified integrator, knowing they are choosing from a pool of reputable firms recognized for their expertise. Since becoming HTA Certified at the Luxury tier, our success rate in securing projects where the HTA is a significant part of the discussion has increased dramatically. The HTA resources help clients feel confident and in control, transforming technology from an intimidating prospect into an empowering one.”
- Constantinos Sandoukas , Founder of frayednot in New Jersey
“As a business owner, I am excited about the HTA Certification. In our market, our clients struggle with understanding which company is truly capable of taking care of their electronic systems. If you look across the service industry, almost every other industry has some sort of designation that separates the best from the rest. The Home Technology industry has never really had that distinction until now."
- Travis Leo, former CEO of Residential Systems (founder of Cinergy Professional Development Group)
Influencers / Industry Gurus / Manufacturer Reps:
“When the Home Technology Association asked me to appear in this video, I was excited to help them get the word out about HTA certification. Home Technology systems have been a point of frustration for me both personally and professionally. Once I heard about HTA certification, I was sold. Without question, your industry needs a quality standard that consumers can trust. I think HTA certification is an important resource for consumers.”
- James Harris, Realtor, The Agency (also from "Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles")
"One of the most vital missing elements in the custom electronics industry is the lack of consumer awareness that high-quality professional integrators exist. CE Pro looks forward to supporting any endeavor that helps lift the veil that currently shrouds the industry from the eyes of the public."
- Jason Knott, Data Solutions Architect & Evangelist, D-Tools
The following was sent to an integrator in Washington state:
"I want to weigh in here, as I have had recent opportunity to engage with Josh Christian of HTA. I must confess, I started as a vocal critic, not really seeing the value-add of HTA. I even told Josh as much. However, over multiple calls with Josh, I have become a believer!
Firstly, they “get” the concept of dealers interfacing with the influencer community. Their goal in this regard is to move home technology integrators up the food chain and to a much earlier seat in the design process. They are driving this by engaging in that community, understanding their needs and angst relative to what we do, and addressing misconceptions. Doing so, they now possess insider info to help you better interact with the design, architect and luxury builder community.
Properly presented, the HTA certification can be a great differentiator versus those without. Plus, because the certification is graduated based on your capabilities, HTA encourages your organizational growth, which increases your sophistication. They can even aid you in the process, by potentially connecting you to outsourced capabilities you don’t yet possess, but doesn’t yet justify a full-time employee.
In addition, they have a really cool tool to help create a budget range for clients. I’ll leave this for HTA to explain, but, in short, it helps open clients’ eyes to costing ranges based on real questions that should be asked on every job.
These folks aren’t a buying group nor are we as reps compensated in any way. However, since your growth is our growth, and I believe HTA provides fuel to your fire, they get my endorsement."
- Craig Face, Principal - Market Share
Interior Designer:
"[The HTA's] presentation on Livable was really insightful and definitely highlights the importance of involving an integrator for projects… As designers we often think that architects & contractors are the only ones that can answer the planning questions. Now on I know I will ask an integrator questions related to concessions that need to be made in the planning phase especially for technology. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and providing a few helpful resources & point of reference for future project needs.I appreciate it!"
- Tvisha Korada Mishra, CEO - White Wolf Interiors & Feng Shui Inc.
Technology Consultant:
"As a professional technology design firm, we design and oversee projects at the highest levels. Project success and our reputation are always top priority when recommending installation firms, which is why we require Home Technology Association certification from potential contractors."
- Justin Rounsefell, CCP-D, Founder + Principal - Stratus Group
Manufacturers:
"The mission of the HTA aligns exactly with the high-end, professional focus we have at Crestron Residential. I am excited that our industry is banding together to get behind the HTA Certification system. As a manufacturer and former integrator, I look forward to a future where consumers choose the right integrator the first time and the "takeover" project is a thing of the past."
- John Clancy, Chief Sales Officer - Crestron
“Quality, integrity and regulated performance standards are critical pillars to ensure a stellar end-user experience with sophisticated home technology products. An industry marque that stands for best practices in design, test and installation along with an established group of best-in-class reference products will help significantly with consumer confidence in our industry. Having an organization such as the HTA to institute a benchmark will pay dividends for the entire CI community in the long term."
- J.C. Murphy, Executive Vice President of Worldwide Sales - Savant
“We support (the Home Technology Association's) vision of elevating the quality and reputation of the installation community through a formal certification process. Lutron has always been committed to quality education, training, and product-specific qualification requirements to ensure we can take care of our mutual customers, deliver an outstanding customer experience, and enhance our mutual reputations.”
- David M. Weinstein, Vice President Residential Sales - Lutron
“As our industry has grown, it has become difficult to identify the individual skills sets of integration companies. There is a clear need for architects, interior designers, general contractors, and affluent customers to have an independent organization evaluate and provide an unbiased review of the particular strengths of a given integrator.”
- Jason Sloan, Chief Sales Officer - Sonance
"I wholeheartedly believe in the HTA and what they are working to accomplish. Meridian designs some of the world’s finest sound systems, but our customer's experience of Meridian is a direct result of installation and setup quality. The HTA will help future customers identify the right home technology professionals to meet their needs, and as a result, delivering a better experience for everyone involved. I look forward to supporting the HTA to help them achieve their goals."
- Ryan Donaher, Owner - Apex Technologies
Buying Group:
“In an industry with no side rails or published quality standards and easy access to products what happens is chaos. I used to teach new salespeople who worked for me three letters QVP. They stand for Quality, Value, Performance. That is what we should incorporate in a sales presentation and embody in the work we execute. HTA has developed standards to move our industry into one which imbues trust, standards, and regimen. It’s about time!”
- Richard Glikes, President of Azione Unlimited
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