While D-Tools Systems Integrator v20 is making its presence felt with our users, we thought it would be interesting to take a step back from discussing its new features and instead address how SI can help teams with AVaaS.
What is AVaaS? AVaaS is an acronym for audio visual as a service. While most of you have heard of AVaaS and its relative “SaaS” (software as a service), more in our industry need to explore “AVaaS” as a method of selling to supplement their AV/integration business.
As a result, we’ll explore some of these possibilities within SI to help you assess if this usage is an ideal scenario for your team (assuming of course your team is not already engaged in doing so).
But don’t forget our recent offering on the fundamental change in SI known as “Labor Types”. This enhancement merits thorough examination so for those of who missed this prior entry on the aforementioned “Labor Types”, please click here to “catch-up”. It is definitely worth your while.
“AVaaS” – What is it?
For those of you who have not yet encountered this selling model, AVaaS gives you the opportunity to put your clients into technology that they perhaps would not ordinarily purchase.
Meaning, you construct the same offering they are seeking but, instead of the price being at sale for purchase amount, it’s more like a “lease” or perhaps even a “lease to own” opportunity for the client. The later of course being a unique scenario that may not be an option for all teams.
How does this work in SI?
Payment Terms
For our users that are essentially interested in the billing presentation alone, you will then simply populate a BOM (bill of materials) in an SI Project just like you always do, and then set your “Payment Terms” for the appropriate length of the AVaaS time period.
For a 12-month term, you could have something like this in your report presentation:
For longer periods, you simply add the appropriate number of payments and adjust your percentage accordingly. In this 12 month example, your formula would be 100%/12 months = 8.33% per month. You will need to adjust that last month’s percentage so that the percentage total equals 100%, as SI requires:
Some teams may prefer to use variations on this payment structure to capture more revenue up front especially if there is no consideration for renewal or “auto-renewal” of the agreement.
Here, use a fixed amount as the first payment option and then adjust your monthly formula accordingly.
As of yet, there isn’t an import or cloning option for the number of payment in the Payment Terms within in SI. However, once you’ve created the necessary length, it is available for repetitive use. Therefore, like many other options in SI, once you create them, you can use them repeatedly.
Which leads me to your next consideration…
Project Templates
Let’s say you want to ease the burden on your team when in need of creating an AVaaS quote for your clients. SI Project Templates can thus be created and utilized towards this purpose.
Once you have your necessary Payment Terms per your length of AVaaS offerings, you can then create corresponding templates for each such instance. This may be easier than you think considering that, once any project is created, it can then serve as the basis for any such Project Template (For tips on creating Project Templates click here.)
For example, if you want a Project Template for a selection based on the length of your term, you could end up with choices like this:
Your team needs to only select the necessary term length and the appropriate Payment Terms will load automatically:
You will then see the Payment Terms all ready to go:
As mentioned earlier, while you do need to take time to create your desired Payment Terms per your length of commitment, as well as creating corresponding Project Templates, they will work together synergistically to save your team time as well as ensuring your success with your AVaaS offerings.
Just like the next suggestion will…
Packages
While regular Catalog items can work well with AVaaS in mind, an SI Package could be ideal for your team’s use. Especially if you are wanting the Package to serve as a quantity selection method for your SI users.
Speed of purpose is the usage scenario here. This should encourage your team to create Packages with corresponding accessories with this quantity selection value in mind.
With a thought towards the ultimate outcome of your AVaaS quote, all required entries such as Payment Terms, Packages, as well as items with appropriate quantities and pricing can all be preloaded per your template. This type of utilization will require your team to merely select the client, add any taxes (if not already present), and then run the appropriate report for presentation to the client.
A Perspective
I am often asked about best practices and preferred methods with regard to the use of SI in order to achieve greater organizational success. I cannot recommend highly enough the use of SI Project Templates. Pre-configured Payment Terms, Packages, as well as selling into the AVaaS market sector are also corresponding practices that will lead to your team to greater success with SI’s v20.
Now ultimately your team will need to evaluate whether or not an AVaaS approach to selling, and thus increasing your revenues, is in-line with your company goals. That is to say, if you are not already using this model for an enhanced revenue stream.
Either way D-Tools SI can contribute to your team’s success within this ever-growing market sector. We also have an integration with a GreatAmerica Financial Services to help you provide financing options and achieve AVaaS that way. To learn more about this integration, watch this on-demand webinar here.
Also, don’t forget about adding a corresponding Service Plan to your AVaaS proposal offering. More on that option in subsequent entry.
Happy selling!
In Summation…
-Get into the AVaaS business if you are not already and it makes sense for your team.
-Structure your SI Payment Terms accordingly per the period of the desired agreements.
-Use Packages and Accessories to your advantage.
-Consider the use of Project Templates and/or the cloning of projects to speed your team’s AVaaS quoting along.
-Use the above suggestions to increase your revenues via AVaaS.
With all of that said, there’s still plenty more in store for you with SI and forthcoming product releases so keep an eye out for future updates.
As always, we are reviewing your Feature Requests to determine our best step forward and next course of action with future SI product releases so…“keep’em coming”!
In closing…
For more information on these and other features of SI v20, please see this link: D-Tools v20. You can also review our other videos and our usual support documentation.
You can also get more detailed information about v20 via our upcoming webinars and by enrolling in SI training with our PSG team. Please see this link here for our recent “What’s new in v20” webinar.
And don’t forget, that’s why we are here…to ensure your success with our product! Be sure to check back here next time for more on v20!!!
