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News Archive >> CEDIA responds to SmartHouse News comments
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31 May, 2007
Mr David Richards
4Square Media Pty Ltd
Suite 503, 100 Mount St
North Sydney NSW 2060
Dear David,
In 1993 a group of like minded professionals in Australia joined forces to create the first chapter of an association that had begun only a few years prior in the U.S. The purpose for starting such an organization was to heighten businesses expectations with best practices in our industry based on a charter of Professional Conduct and Ethics. That organization was CEDIA.
As time has moved on that small group has help generate a vibrant industry and an exceptional training ground for budding electronic system installers and well qualified professionals re-skilling in modern methods and new technologies. Either way CEDIA stands proud in Australia as the only association in our industry that offers such opportunity.
Today and no doubt into the future the membership of CEDIA has looked to the association to provide something else beyond the education, training and maintenance of professional standards. It has looked to it to provide guidance on a marketing level to help the member stand out from a crowd that continues to build. With a healthy membership of roughly 200 but only a small annual fee to electronic systems professionals of $1000 it could be said that perhaps the marketing expectation is one that requires some moderation, particularly given the exceptional service and cost of providing the highly acclaimed standards of CEDIA education.
Nevertheless despite funding challenges for marketing I am pleased to announce the distribution of 47,000 DVD’s in the coming month displaying “The Heart of Every Home and Office™ ”, CEDIA Australia’s slogan trademark and one that will continue to grow significant relevance in the general public eye and relevant trade domains. It serves multiple purposes, the first of which is to drive greater crowds to Expo. It will be cleverly placed on your oppositions’ magazines to reach the target demographic and supported by advertising in each publication directing trades to our Expo. Additional DVD’s will be provided free of charge to CEDIA members in the very near future to support in house promotion of CEDIA and the member. Following Expo it is envisaged a similar amount of an additional 50,000 would be delivered direct to a high profile demographic via a potential highly credible partner of CEDIA. The confidential potential partner of CEDIA and proposed marketing programming was backed by the unanimous support of CEDIA’s ESP membership for whom it benefits. Further DVD’s will be available for purchase by members at a subsidized rate by CEDIA following the initial campaign also.
At EXPO 07” with this targeted promotion, 91% of the show floor already sold and many more new exhibitors than ever before, we expect the EXPO to break all previous records that already has grown each consecutive year. Despite what you may write and contrary to your solicited opinion the biggest crowds and unwavering support remains for the Gold Coast.
Long ago CEDIA began negotiation with Foxtel to enable CEDIA Member ESP’s the ability to complete Foxtel installs. This successfully completed agreement reported to you some time ago but not deemed interesting enough for public view means that CEDIA Member ESP’s will be able to receive the decoder box prior for integration into the client’s system saving valuable time and
ensuring a reliable service for the client. Foxtel will also recognize their high end clients and refer them to CEDIA.
Unfortunately rather than supporting such positive information you warrant it not news worthy and instead create typically antagonizing comment on your Smarthouse website as follows:
“COMMENT: When you compare Foxtel to the likes of Sky TV in the UK or the many pay TV services in the US or Canada, consumers are being right royally screwed by an organisation that is failing to deliver the most basic of services.”
Other positive news not yet reported by your organization although you had been informed following a recent meeting at DESIGNEX includes CEDIA’s new Continuing Professional Development (CPD) course aimed at building the relationship with the construction industry and approved by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). Entitled "Designing Integrated Future-Ready Homes", CEDIA's CPD course aims are to ensure that homes are usefully connected internally and externally to electronic and data services for the foreseeable future; to provide an understanding of the basic techniques and the terminology of Custom Installation; to reveal what's possible in home electronic design; and to ensure that architects, designers, specifiers and developers know who to ask when they need help in a particular area.
In recent times you have set about reporting on the apparent woes and dismays of some of CEDIA’s members, reporting their opinions on the matter of relevance, awareness and the location of Expo. As you can see David whilst I and others have been busy working hard to create something better for our industry, you have been spending your time and energy admonishing our efforts and destroying a goodwill that has been built over many more years prior to your arrival. What you think is in the best interest of the industry is actually only self serving for David Richards. You have been kept well informed of PR developments so you know there is exceptional work going ahead but all the while aim to create a ground swell of negativity based around issues that you know are already covered. You are fully aware of opportunities to attend meetings to express opinion on Expo issues but have never once bothered to attend and offer input. Your rhetoric is tiring, your articles have often misquoted our staff and our comments are constantly spun in a manner that suits you and your agenda. Could we be bothered our advice is there are grounds for a “please explain” from our lawyers. No wonder we stopped talking to you.
I work as a volunteer in my role on the board and have served three years and look forward to completing a fourth. I receive no remuneration and no favour other than a satisfaction that I attempt to perform something positive for my industry and my colleagues. As I look forward to the future I see our association growing stronger, brighter and wider, and together with our members joint efforts, the only question of relevance to all of us in the future will be YOU.
Yours truly,
Rob Sanders
CEDIA PR Chair
Managing Director
TotalQ Pty Ltd
Date
Monday 04 Jun 2007
