I keep hearing that Control system sales are going to ‘explode’ - good luck with that idea when there are more sales guys than system programmers! I can pull in Freelance programmers in 101 disciplines just as complex/more complex than Crestron and can find a pool of folk who have gained accreditation in their particular choice of speciality and then got out there and learnt on the job working for multiple clients! Last time I looked we were talking about an AV control system and as complex as it can be its not usually life or death (though it can feel like that some days) and different systems require a different level of programming skill! If the Training is good enough and includes multiple layers of accreditation where is the problem with having a 'pool' of Freelance programmers (with no affiliation to any sales channel).
'The point is, you cannot just decide you'd like to be a freelance or want to be a programmer, and suddenly "add" Crestron to your toolkit fresh off of the street.' - Why not? But at the end of the day, this is all why it IS difficult to simply "get training" as a normal person, or even as a skilled person in a non-dealer. We can volley all day long about bad dealers, bad programmers, vs. Most other systems are wizard based in many aspects. It is unique in that the system and home is a blank canvas, up to the programmer and dealer to create. Crestron in particular requires a high skill level due to it's open architecture methodology of programming. This dialog really speaks to the level of difficulty and skill it takes (and rightfully so) to properly deploy something like a Crestron system (or AMX, or Control4, or Savant, or Elan, etc., etc.). People arrive, become skilled, leave and try to do it themselves under their own control. Same as hiring anyone else, sales or otherwise in your company. But then that is up to you as a business owner to filter out who you hire or not.
Or, join a current dealer (or CSP company) and go through the training.Īnd yes, you are correct it is a tricky proposition to nurture folks who may ideally want to become something like a CSP. You must be a legitimate business in the A/V world, go through a process and training to become a dealer, and then feature it. The point is, you cannot just decide you'd like to be a freelance or want to be a programmer, and suddenly "add" Crestron to your tool kit fresh off of the street. Not perfect by a long shot, but I think the Custom Installation industry as a whole could probably use more procedures and official requirements to participate. I believe in this model, and appreciate the effort put in place to make it work. It all starts with getting your teeth cut in the real world as part of an entry level tech at a legitimate Crestron Dealer and being trained, A-Z. CSP's specialize in the programming and specification of a system, not the sales of the electronics. Hired guns if you will, but with a legitimate company. These companies (yes, you must present a business plan and have a real company to qualify) can be hired by dealers if jobs are too large, or directly sought out by end users who need help. They are Certified Programmers with a history with Crestron, and have taken an extensive process to become officially supported. These programmers are called CSP's, or Crestron Service Providers. There IS a pool of "freelance programmers", in case you did not know. Crestron also supports these dealers right down to directly getting actively involved when needed. And for every bad dealer, there are many many good ones. I realize this fails, to your point, but there has to be a start somewhere. And to require those dealers to be trained and then manufacturer supported. The first step is to REQUIRE those involved to be actual dealers.
There must be standards and controls of how this is done. The ONLY recourse a manufacturer the size of Crestron has is to standardize what it takes to specify, install, and program a system with their name on the devices. I have seen the same issue with any custom installed electronic device, right down to basic name remotes and home-theater-in-a-box systems. This is NOT unique to Crestron, lets be clear on that. You are correct, just as in ANY industry, the Custom Installation business has it's share of dealers who are not as good as they should be, or advertise to be.
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