In this first-ever D-Tools "What's the Buzz" podcast, Tim Bigoness and Jason Knott of D-Tools run through the best practices for establishing a profitable and well-run service department for an integration company. Recently, D-Tools collaborated with OneVision Resources, the industry’s leading provider of service solutions for integrators, on a special report on the keys to success for a service department. To dig into the dos and don’ts of service and give everyone a bit of sneak preview of the special report, Joey Kolchinsky, founder and CEO of OneVision Resources, and Jason Griffing, Director of Product with OneVision, joined Tim and Jason as guests on the What's the Buzz podcast.

A very successful integrator once said: “Anybody can do an installation of residential or commercial electronics, but not everybody can service that system afterwards.” He, like many other integrators, sees service as his company’s major differentiator in the market.

The benefits of quality ongoing service are numerous.

• It paves the way for future upgrades at the same location with those customers because you are in touch with them.
• It opens the door for additional future projects with those customers at a different location such as their new home, a second home or office.
• It produces more chance of getting referrals from those customers to their friends.
• It brings much-needed cashflow to the company in the form of service contracts
• It adds long-term value to the integration company that has an exit strategy.

In the podcast, Kolchinsky and Griffing of OneVision Resources discuss how and why OneVison was founded, and then outline important service department elements such as how to set up tiered service plans, how to price them appropriately, and how to staff them. If you are looking for ways to either establish or improve your service department profitability, this podcast is a must-listen-to event.