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The Top 5 Automation Questions You should ask your Integrator before you accept their Project Bid

 


1. Has the System Design been Certified for Automation?

AV System Designers are like General Practicioners, they are good at over all system design, but they are not Specialist. You should always have an Automation Expert (ie Crestron CAIP) review the design prior to acceptance. Generally this service is provided at no cost when the Designer has a relationship with a Crestron Software Developer.   

2. Can you review a similar system the Integrator has completed?

This practice serves a number of purposes; 1.) It gives you additional foresight into capabilities for your system that you may not have considered. 2.) It lets you confirm the integrator actually has some experiences in your type of system.

3. Will Remote Managment be included in the system (TCP/IP connected)?

As we move to a connected world you will want to access your system from another building, down the street or across the world. Get this connectivity now (and the additional programming).

4. Does the Integrator have a Certified Programmer or installers that pull double duty?

For many of the same reasons you would use a medical Specialist you should always ensure a certified programmer is writing your automation software. Inexperienced programmers will take longer to compete the project, They often write less stable software that needs more support and They have a limited vision of what features could be added to the sytem.

5. Will Source Code be provided as part of deliverables?

When you commission an A/V project you are generally paying for custom one of a kind software to run the system. You must have this software in the future if you are to make modifications. But what if the integrator is no longer in business or too busy to take on your needs? You will need the source code to pick up where the project last stood.