|
Printer-friendly | Download PDF | del.icio.us | Digg
InfoComm debuts Certified AudioVisual Provider Program
| STEP 1 10 Sandards of Excellence: Become "AVolved" through the AVolution Campaign | STEP 2 | STEP 3 | STEP 4 |
In conjunction with the AVolution Industry Awareness Campaign, the International Communications Industries Association, Inc.® (ICIA®) has announced that its Certified Member Program will become the Certified AudioVisual Solutions Provider (CAVSP) Program.
Companies that are already ICIA Certified Member Companies have now transitioned to become Certified AudioVisual Solutions Providers (CAVSPs). Those companies that are interested in obtaining certification status are able to do so when their technical, sales and/or customer service staff obtain individual certification (Certified Technology Specialist or CTS) status.
ICIA is reaching out to AV customers everywhere to educate them on the importance of obtaining AV solutions through the AV channel. This outreach program is the AVolution Industry Awareness Campaign, which uses the tri-color logo shown above. See www.avolution.info for more details.
“We are grateful for the guidance of both ICIA and ICIF Boards of Governors as well as that of the Certification Subcommittee of the Professional Education and Training Committee on this important initiative,” said Randal A. Lemke, Ph.D., ICIA’s executive director. “Now there is a clear path for companies to achieve a competitive advantage when selling their services. Through the AVolution Awareness Campaign, they will agree to ten Standards of Excellence. Once they have done that, there are three levels for company certification, depending on the number of staff who have achieved certification.”
The redesigned Certification program is connected to the AVolution Campaign in order to help market certification. When companies sign up to join the Campaign, they agree to 10 Standards of Excellence (see Step 1, above) and can then use the AVolution logo on all materials. Companies that certify their employees to become CAVSPs are also "AVolved" companies, and can display both the AVolution logo and one of the three levels of CAVSP logos shown above (depending on number of employees who have achieved their general or specialized certification).
The AVolution Awareness Campaign, developed by ICIA and its foundation ICIF, is sponsoring a high level of support to the AV industry by marketing the industry to AV customers and prospects. This is achieved through magazine and online advertising, editorials, television, public relations, the AVolution website at www.avolution.info, and other methods.
The AVolution and CAVSP logos are expected to become widely recognized as these are heavily promoted to more than 20 different vertical markets, including business, education, government, health care, worship, retail, entertainment, meetings, sales, architects, engineers, contractors.
The CAVSP Program features new logos (seals) for basic, silver and gold certified member companies. The seal indicates that companies have achieved a level of certification among staff, a status that CAVSP companies can use to promote themselves to technology managers and business clients. Individual certification is known as the Certified Technology Specialist (CTS) program, and consists of general certification as well as specialized certification in design, installation, rentals or sales.
Companies eligible for CAVSP status include businesses that manufacture, sell, integrate, design, provide consultation on or rent AV equipment, systems and services.
Existing ICIA Certified Member Companies will be grandfathered into the CAVSP Program at the basic (general) level for one year to allow them time to increase their certification numbers to meet the new criteria. If these companies wish to apply for a higher (silver or gold) level at the beginning of the new program, there is no application fee.
An organization may apply for a higher level CAVSP certification at any time. The application for CAVSP certification will be available online beginning August 2003. It will require a listing of employees with CTS and specialized CTS status; the number of applicable employees in the specific job categories at a particular location; a signed copy of the organization’s AVolution Standards of Excellence indicating participation in the industry awareness campaign; and a fee of $200 for ICIA members and $500 for non-ICIA members.
General or Basic CAVSP certification (Step 2, above) recognizes that 25 percent of all sales, customer service and technical staff at a company location or in a department have and maintain general or specialized ICIA certification.
Silver certification (Step 3) recognizes that 50 percent of staff have and maintain ICIA certifications (or 25 percent general and 10 percent specialized certifications).
Gold certification (Step 4) recognizes 75 percent of staff have and maintain ICIA certifications (or 50 percent general and 15 percent specialized certifications).
The CAVSP certification is awarded for a period of three years. The participating organization is required to reapply at the end of three years. Certification is awarded on a location-by-location basis and does not extend to an entire organization unless all locations qualify based on the published criteria.
If your company hasn't yet signed up to join the AVolution, join the 200+ companies that have done so in under 2 months! And go one step further by certifying enough employees to become a CAVSP. For more information on how your company can become CAVSP certified, or to determine status of certification in your company, please contact certification@infocomm.org.
