Azione Members Seek Profitability, Education

Press Releases - July 30, 2012

New buying group hosts first national convention

July 26, 2012 – Custom electronics installers who attended Azione Unlimited’s first national conference this week in St. Louis, Mo., said they joined thenewest buying group on the block for better product pricing, deeper networking opportunities and to learn new ways to increase profitability.

Richard Glikes,
Executive Director,
Azione

Richard Glikes, Azione’s executive director, ensured the members, which include both dealers and vendors, that the group would deliver those benefits and more. Aziono’s goals, he said during an overview session, include:

Deliver exceptional profits to ensure members’ long-term success
Create a cohesive national network of leading edge entrepreneurs
Provide an ongoing dialogue on ideas, interaction and execution excellence
Foster focused support for all members

“The most important thing we’re trying to get across is to give the members a sense of belonging,” said Glikes, the former executive director of the HTSA buying group, following his presentation.

“We’re focused on profitability for the members (both dealers and vendors), but they’re already more profitable by joining the group because we have the vendor programs that are different that anything else.”

Dave Daniels of ESC Thul, a custom integrator based inDenver, Colo., has never belonged to a buying group. But after 36 years in the business Daniels said he was ready to mine outside resources.

“I felt it was time to get off the island and back in the industry,” he said. “ I want to start learning from other dealers about things like business organization and processes. You learn from other people’s skill sets, and you need the right environment to do it in.”

Eric Thies of DSI Entertainment in Lake Balboa, Calif., chose Azione for its strong line card and disciplined focus on the custom installation business. “And Richard’s a closer,” he said.

By joining the group, SondraLee Orengia, owner of Custom Audio in Erie, Pa., is also looking bolster her bottom line and to tap intoGlikes’ expertise. “Profitability is so important and more difficult to come by,” she said. “Richard is such a great sales person, I thought I could learn a lot from him.”

Russ Pritchard of Audio Warehouse in Charleston, S.C., said the dramatic changes in the custom installation industry during the last several years prompted him to seek new ways to increase profit. Pritchard, a former member of the Home Entertainment Source buying group, hopes to do that with Azione by partnering closely with its dealers and vendors. “Being able to collaborate with all the members is a good opportunity,” he said.

Richard Glikes can be contacted at:
Azione Unlimited
35 S. High Street 2nd Floor
West Chester, PA 19380
610-344-7477
richard@azionegroup.com