TECH TRENDS
2020
Vision
Custom Integrators Can
Seize Growth Opportunities
with a Proper Assessment
of this Year’s Tech Trends
Technology integrators must constantly adapt
to new trends, products entering the market,
and shifting customer demands. To maintain a
thriving business and serve the needs of clients,
custom integration businesses must continually
re-evaluate their practices to adjust for coming
growth, changes in demand, their current
inventory, and new opportunities in their local
market. As a new decade starts, tech
professionals will benefit from additional
growth planning in advance.
The smart home market has evolved and
come a long way in the past 10 years. New
technologies, devices, and brands have
impacted the average integration business, as
28 Residential Tech Today | Jan/Feb 2020
homeowners and small businesses are
demanding smart, connected, secure, and
reliable systems. These changes will continue to
impact the custom installation model into 2020,
which will help dealers plan for growth through
the new decade.
According to the recent Worldwide Quarterly
Smart Home Device Tracker from International
Data Corporation (IDC), connected device
acceptance is rising, and consumers are seeking
upgraded experiences.
Smart speakers have sparked growth within
our industry by boosting desire and awareness
for home technology. While the sale of smart
speakers is expected to slow, the devices will
continue to advance market opportunities.
After beginning with a few connected devices,
the average consumer may want more advanced
smart home experiences, such as an upgraded
network, security cameras, thermostats,
lighting, audio systems, and more.
As consumers have added DIY devices to
their homes, they’ve learned how complex and
time-consuming setup and troubleshooting can
be. On top of the device challenges, consumers
are increasingly concerned for the security and
reliability of their systems. These factors are
contributing to the shift from the DIY model to
do-it-for-me (DIFM), which will also help grow
the customer bases of tech professionals.
By Dennis Holzer