August 31, 2020 - Welcome to the Catalyst Distributor Spotlight. Here we would like to shed some light on our awesome distributors who always go the extra mile. This month we talk to Audio Video Warehouse out of Scottsdale, AZ and Las Vegas, NV.

What is the name of your company, and what do you do?

The Audio Video Warehouse. We are a value-added distributor of audio, video, security and IT products.

Where are you located?

The Audio Video Warehouse has branches in Scottsdale, AZ, and Las Vegas, NV.

How did you get your start in audio-video distribution? 

We started as Innovative Consulting and Marketing, a manufacturers rep group. We were one of the original Zenith television reps back in 2001. When LG bought Zenith, they requested their reps to start distributing the product and we set up a separate distribution company. Over time, many other manufacturers decided they did not want the administration and credit risk that doing business with smaller dealers required. We have grown from there.

How are you different than other CE distributors?

Because we started as manufacturers reps, we start by understanding the customers' needs and then offer them products that fit those needs.  We are more active on the sales side that the typical distributor because we have more people outside.  We do not try to be everything to everybody.  We leave that to the big national distributors.  Instead, we focus on high-value products and know them inside and out.  AVPro Edge is a perfect example of this.  All of our staff know the products very well and can design, install and support them.

You seem to have very specific offerings as far the brands you carry, what is that a brand selection process like?

We are very specific in the brands we distribute.  We do not want to carry the same lines as every other distributor.  We like to distribute top brands that are enhanced by education and training.

What makes your company stand out from others?

AVW spends a lot of time in pre-sales with the customers and we also do things like job walks, delivery and training.  We back that up with outstanding support and a customer first mentality.

Where do you see the industry going over the next 3 years?

We see the industry becoming more and more cloud based over the next few years.  Control systems will become more commoditized and the sub systems will be much more integrated.  The trend will be toward a secure, energy efficient home with the proper IT infrastructure in place.  It will be easy to add on ancillary products from there.  

How does this industry look 10 years from now from the distributors perspective? 

There will always be a place for the giant low priced commodity distributors and there will always be a place for specialty distributors.  The distributors that are stuck in the middle will have a tough time of it.  People like to buy from people they know, like and trust.  So, we will always have a place in the distribution landscape.

What steps have you taken to ensure safe and continued business during the COVID19 pandemic? 

OCD type cleanliness, wearing of masks and distancing.

What are your goals over the next 5 years?

Our goal is to continue adding value to the products we sell, deepening relationships with our vendor partners and integrators and to continue to grow.  

What is a common issue you find in Audio Video Distribution, and how do you overcome it as a distributor?

Most distributors have too many lines to know everything about each product they sell.  We prefer to have fewer products and know them intimately. We also try to out educate and train the other distributors in our territory.