Improving Project Registration Guide

By Brian Karas, Published Sep 29, 2017, 09:41am EDT

Manufacturers want integrators to register large projects. Integrators want the discounts that come with registration, but not some of the other terms. Both see the other as making registration programs less effective than they could be.

IPVM analyzed responses from 150 integrators and 100 manufacturers on project registration pros and cons. In this report we outline some of the most common problems, and proposed solutions for addressing them.

Topics covered include:

  • Registration qualification criteria
  • Approvals process
  • Discount program confusion
  • Fears of lead sharing
  • Manufacturers lack of faith in integrators
  • Lopsided benefits
  • Integrators losing out after specifying product

Top Problems With Project Registration

Responses from both integrators and manufacturers highlighted a variety of concerns around project registration, but the following 6 items stood out as the most common:

  • Registration qualification criteria are not clear
  • Approvals take too long
  • Project registration discounts are confused with other discount types
  • Integrators fear manufacturers or distributors giving registration details to their competitors
  • Manufacturers do not believe integrators drove the deal
  • Registration discounts do not benefit integrators equally
  • Integrators feel slighted when they get a product specified, but do not win final bid

Make Registration Criteria Clear And Simple

******* ***** ** ** ******** for **** ******* * registration *******, *** ******* manufacturers ********* ****** ******** over ****, *********** *** often ******* ** * given ******* ***** ******* for * ************ ******** or ***. ******* ********* registration ********, *** ****** it ****** ***** ** websites ** *******, **** help integrators ********** *** ** benefit **** *** *******.

**** ***** **** *********** would **** ** *** clearly ******** *******:

  • ******* ******* **** ** qualify *** *********
  • **** **** *** ********** need ** ** ** prove **** ******** *** project ** ********** *** customer
  • *** ******* ********** ** awarded **** ******** *********** may ** ******** ** the *******
  • **** ******* *** ****** discount ****** (*.*.: ********** higher ********** *******, ** combining ******** ******* *****)
  • ** ******* ********* ** the ******** **** ** be ***** ******** ** the ************
  • *** *** ******** ********* to ***** ************ ********* and **********
  • ******* **** ** **** take ** *** ************ approved

********** ******** ********** ***** concerns ********:

  • "**** *** ************ ******* well ********** *** ***** the **** ** ******* the *******."
  • "**** *** ************ ******** process **** *******, **** us ********* **** ** approval *** **** ** online ****** ** ***** all **** ************* *** the ********* *** ****. Having * ****** ************ number *** ******* ** ensure **** *** *** get *** ******* ************ would **** ** *******."
  • "******* * ***** *** of ***** ********* **** project ************ ** ********. Often ** ***** ** be ** *** ********** of *** ************* ******** sales ******* *** ***** people **** **** ********* so *** ******* ** not **********."
  • "******* ***** ************, ***** benefits ** ************, *** a ****** ***-********** ******. "Up ** **%" ********* are *********** ********* ********** that ** *** ****** me ** ***** ******** data **** * ************ whose ***** *** *** last *-** ****** ** their ***."

************* **** **** ***** that ******** *** *** always **** ** **********:

  • "****** *** ******* **** consistently *** ***** ******** players *** ** ******** the **** *******"
  • "*** *** ** ***** rules."
  • "********** *** *******. **'* always ** ********* ** how ** ********"

Speed ** ******** *******

******* *** ********* ****** integrators **** ** ****** how ** ******* **** the ******* ****** *** quoting. ******** ***** **** approval ****** **** **** of ******* *********.

  • "********* *** *******! ******* have * *** **** that **** ********* *** then ** ******** ************** by * ************'* *** within ** *****?"
  • "**** *** ******* ******. Currently ** ***** *-* days (**** **'* ******* well) ** *** **** the *******."
  • "* ***** **** ************* to ***** ** *** manufacturer ************* *******."

Define ********* ******** ********

******** ******** ****** ** clearly ****** *** *******, in ***** ** ****** that *********** ********** **** to *** **** ******** type. Some ************* ***** ********* discounts, *** ************* ********, for ************* **** *********** bids, ** ******** ********. This *** ***** ****** ** confusion **** ** ********** is ****** ** ****** a ******* ************ ******* when **** **** ****** want ** * *********** bid ******** *** ** urgent ***********.

*** ************ ******* *********** *** discount ******* ********* *** be ***********:

******* ************ ****** ** a **** **** ***** a ****** **** * competitive ********* **** ***** dealers ******* ********* *********. Project ******* ** *** all ******* ** **** win ** ** **** bid *** * ******** manufacturer. ** **** *** understood *** **** ********, that ** ****** ***** be * **** ***********.

Alleviate ***** ** ******** **** *******

*********** **** **** ************* will *** ******* ************ information ** **** **** to ******-**** *********** ** the ********** ********** *** registration. *********, ******** *********** attempt ** ******** *** same *******, *** *** do ** ******* ******** channels, ****** ** ********* to ********* *** ********** the ******* *****, ** who *** *** ******** influence ** *** ********.

**** *** ** **** difficult ** ***** ** policy ** ******* *****, however ****** *********** * way ** '*****' **** and *** **** ********** the ******* *** **** instill **********. ****** * policy ** ** ****** reviews ** ************ ******** (ideally ** * ******** day ** ****), *** providing ***** ******** ** integrators *** **** ********* some ** ***** ********.

******** **** *********** **** reflect ***** ********:

  • "*** ************ ******* ** obviously * ******** *** manufacturers ** ****** *** end *****."
  • "** ***'* ******* *** end **** **** *** manufacturers **** ** ***** business."
  • "** ***'* **** ** register *** ******* **** distribution *******, ***** ** are ********* **** *** tell *** *********** ** the ******* - *******: we ** ** & don't **** *** ********* all *** ******* **** in ***** ** *** the ***** ********."
  • "***** ** **** ********** to *** ******* ******* registration, *** ** * history ** "*******" ***** internally, *** ********* ******* to ***** *******."
  • "* **** **. * find ** **** ** the ************* ******** *** my ******* *** ** I ******* * ***** gathering *** **** ** poach **** ******** **** the ****."

Provide **** *** *********** ** ***** *****

************* ** * **** hate ****** ******** ** unneeded *********. *** ************ summed ** *** **** view ************ ********: 

"******** *** * ***** about *** **** **** the "****** *****". *********, I *** ******, "*** is *** *********?" "*** can ******** **** **** been ******* **** ** my ******?" *** **** important...... "*** *** ** physically ** ***** ** the ******** *****?" ** you **** ** ******** a *******, **** ** that *** **** ** work *************** **** **."

*********** ****** ** ******** with ********** *********** ** who **** *** ****, how **** ********* *** end-user ** ******* ***** preferred ************ (*.*.: *** on-site ********, ******** ******/**** equipment, ******** ********** ** tours ** ******** *************) and *** ***** *********** that *** ************ ***** they ********** *** ****. Doing **** ***** ** easier *** *** ************ sales ****** ** ********** how * ********** ********** influenced *** ******** ******, and ***** ** ********* for ******* ********** ** claim ** *********** ******** on *** *******.

Ensure ********* ******** ******* ********

*********** **** **** **** project ************ ******** *** not ******* ********** ********* to ********* *********** ** utilize ****. ** **** cases **** *** ** "greedy" ***********, *** ** other ***** *********** **** that *** ********* ****** did *** ********* **** to ******** *** *******. If ************* ***** *** registration **** **** *** want ** **** **** into *************.

  • "****** ********** *** *** product. **** *** ** they **** ***** ******* about *** ***, ** still **** * "***********" advantage **** ****."
  • "****** *********. ****** ********."
  • "******** ****** ********* ****** 5%"
  • "********* ******* ********* ***** be ** **** ****, especially ***** ********** ************* are ************* ***** ******."

************* *** **** **** to ******** ******* *** registration ******** ******** ** the *********** ******** ********, providing ****** ************ ********* to *********** **** *** smallest ******** ******** ** help **** ****** ***********:

*******: ** ********** *** ******** a **% ******** **** a ************, ************ ********* a *******, ******* **** the ************* **% ******* registration ********. ** **** integrator ** ********* ** the ***** *** **** another ****** ********** *** qualifies *** * **% discount **** *** ************ as ******** ********, *** integrator *** ********** *** project *** ***** **** the ***.

***** **** ************* **** it ** *** ***** responsibility ** **** *** integrators *****, ** **** have * **** ** driving ******* *************, **** disparity ***** ** ** carefully **********. ******* *********** may **** ****** ************ discounts ** ****** **** have * ** *********** at ******* *** ***** bid, ********* *********** **** to ****** **** ****** projects, ***** ********** ******** both *** ********** *** manufacturer.

Reward ***********, ********** ** *** **** ***

*********** *** ***** ********* about ********* **** ** truly ********* * *******, and **** ****** ** a ********* ********** ** the ***** *** ***** (for *******, ** *** registration ******** **** *** give **** ** *********, as ** *** ******** above). *** ********** ******* the ********* ********** *** this *********:

***** **** ********** ** giving *** ********** ** way ** ******** ** future ****** **** *** specifying ********** **** *** end ** **** *** job... ** ***** ***** one ****** ** ***** ********.

******** *********** * ******** (kickback) ** * ****** job ** ** ** determined **** ***** ***** a *******, *** **** the *** *** ***** reasons, ***** ********* *********** to ****** **** ******* a ************ **** * project **** **** ***** about ***** ******* ** winning *** ***** ***.

************* ****** **** ******* with *** **********/******* ********** the *******.

*** * ************ ** accepted *** ******** ** an **********, *** ************ should **** ******* **** that ********** ********** *** entire ******* ** **** aware ** ***** ******** requests, ******** ***********, ***. ************, if *** ************ *** been ******* ***** **** the ********** **** *** initial ******, ** ******* to *** ******** **** the ********** *** *** full ******* ** *** manufacturer.

Comments (2)

Avatar

Boris Bronstein

CCTV.Net | 09/29/17 10:34pm

Speed Up Approval Process

I would add: do everything through project portal, not on paper. It should be transparent for integrators, distributors (if any), and inside sales team.

See Arecont and Axis as good examples.

Undisclosed #1

09/30/17 01:14pm

Previously a manufacturer -

You'd be surprised how bold integrators would be claiming they drove a spec when another integrator already had you in the doors, doing presentations and demos. Usually the integrators that complained, never drive any business with you. Distributors were 100x worse.

Even better was when you did all the work, every integrator calls you when the bid request hits. They all claim to have done you such a big favor, oblivious to the work you started 18 months ago. One of the few results you make from 100's or maybe 1000's of cold calls.

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