Managing Growth

In the face of increasing complexity, managing growth is a top priority for systems integrators

The systems integration industry has become increasingly complex. Twenty years ago you didn’t have to focus on business processes in order to be successful, but you do today. “We have evolved beyond the days of three guys in a van,” says Brad Malone. “But the AV industry is full of integrators that started out this way.”

Successful integrators are adapting to this new reality, but managing growth is not always easy. An integrator should expect to face challenges as it grows into a mature company with professional development for its people. That is the topic of this week’s video.

It all starts with culture, according to Malone. “What I run into all the time, is companies that are still trying to keep this attitude alive, ‘if we get her done overnight, it’s all good.’ And they are also promoting their lead tech as lead tech, just because they have been there longest.”

“Training should also be a priority,” says Steve Riley. “Unfortunately, the AV industry doesn’t typically train well or against standards. You and I are both standards hounds. So, we want to set the standards, then train to the standards, but also you have to have a grid to show people progression. Because otherwise it’s kind of like Amway, and you have to wait till the person above you dies, or the President’s brother leaves, before you get promoted.”

“In the grid there is an apprentice, lead tech one, lead tech two, these are the standards you have to do and we’re going to test against those standards,” Malone reports. “The second piece about standards is, we spend so much time in America fighting against process and standards. We need to use our people, or their youth, their intelligence, their creativity to improve the standard. And I think what often happens is managers write standards where the people need to write the standards. And they need to own the standards.”