Along with our annual Top 50 Systems Integrators feature, we polled a selection of leading firms on industry topics.
SCN: What vertical markets and/or technologies exhibited the most growth for you in 2016?
Spike Jones, VP, sales and marketing, CEI
This has been a great and exciting year for AV technology, especially with the accelerating adoption of IP backbones. Every one of CEI’s new large-scale designs (50-plus rooms), down to even modest room requirements has moved to IP. Our customers are also eager to try new beam-forming microphone systems from Shure and ClearOne, accommodation for growing BYOD demands from AMX and Crestron, expanding use of interactive display technology like Surface Hub and Mersive [Solstice], and the consolidated control and monitoring systems from companies like Utelogy, plus many others. It’s a long list this year.
Rich Diperstein, account executive, Advanced AV
Healthcare: the competitive boundaries between our healthcare clients have been rapidly dissolving as partnerships form. Such partnerships are born out of the necessity to provide comprehensive services to their patients that deliver on a better overall patient experience. Our role is to provide the tools that facilitate the collaborative effort between these institutions that ultimately enhances their partnership experience.
Jeff Irvin, principal, Spinitar
We began to really focus on our federal government practice in 2015, and that investment has paid dividends in 2016, helping facilitate extraordinary growth in revenues this past year. Through our federal government practice, our reach has extended worldwide, as we build and support government facilities in the far reaches of the globe.
John Steinhauer, executive vice president, sales, Whitlock
We have seen significant demand from enterprises as they look to deploy unified communications and integrate their existing AV into a single managed platform. No surprise that Skype for Business and Cisco collaboration deployments have helped to drive growth, as has the adoption of new technologies such as Microsoft Surface Hub. We have also seen technology companies invest heavily with us in customer experience centers; Verizon’s award winning center in San Francisco is a great example.
Jim Scalise, general manager, Avidex Industries
During 2016, we have seen a huge growth in sales of ceiling microphone technology in the conference space.
Dale Bottcher, senior VP of sales, AVI-SPL
Our largest growing vertical markets in 2016 have been the professional services and financial verticals in the enterprise space, as well as state and local government, education, and federal.
Jim Ford, president, Ford AV
Ford had good growth across all verticals. Although sales in the energy sector were lower, there were several good opportunities we were able to secure. The corporate market continued to be strong and healthcare, entertainment, houses of worship, and sporting venues had moderate growth.
Tim Hennen, president of sales and engineering, IVCi
Throughout 2016, IVCi has experienced substantial growth across many industries and technologies. Education, and specifically higher education, is one area where we’ve witnessed significant expansion. Using collaboration technologies to build dynamic and innovative “classrooms of the future” is a primary growth segment. Also, there has been a major boost in the development of huddle rooms and new collaboration spaces.
Bill Warnick, CEO, Solutionz Conferencing
Most organizations are recognizing that AV integration is essential to creating an efficient and functional environment for their customers, partners, and employees. Over 2016, Solutionz has successfully designed and deployed scalable conferencing systems and collaboration spaces for organizations across the United States. When bundled with our service offerings, including grant services, security, structured cabling, and managed services, we are able to successfully meet the needs of Fortune 500 companies, law offices, healthcare providers, government agencies, school districts, and universities.
Shane Parkes, CEO, Anderson Audiovisual
The corporate market continues to show strong growth for us, in multiple geographical markets/verticals, and I see this growth continuing into 2017. Unified communications remains a high priority for our customers with an emphasis on collaboration, both internally and externally.
