$300 seems a little cheap but it depnds on what you are doing (interface wise), with what (what type of gear and level of integrations), and for who.
Personally I have always squarely aimed at Crestrons. I looked at what they were able to do and was shocked at the crap interfaces I saw at job sites. The best part was the $5000+ price tags. And that was for the lousy ones. (now in all seriousness.. I have seen some really great work too... but the crap is for too common.)
Being a true geek and really wanting to do a good job I spend hours and hours coming up with interfaces and working out how to use gear before we even decide to carry it. But the pay off is that when i came on board the bussiness model of the the company changed. Jobs had to be spec'd for a minimum of 5 return trips just for client education. That eats a company alive.
Now when I started here they never used anything higher than a MX500 and those did not give the customer a feeling of confidence. They only sort of understood the remote and had to understand too much about the gear they were controlling. My opinion of a remote like that for a full blow theater... lights, projector, lifts, DVD, receiver,Surround Processing, etc... if they can control that whole system using a remote that is litterly like... NOW YOU NEED TO GO TO THE FUNCTIONS FOR THIS DEVICE. NOW PICK UP THAT DEVICE REMOTE... If they could do all that... they they don't need a custom install company. Sell the people the gear and be done with them.
Now custom jobs involve people who want the stuff to work and don't care or what to know how it works. they want to pick it up and use it in a few minutes. MOST IMPORTANT>>> "IT MUST WORK THE SAME EFD!"
The time spent to make sure this happens is the most improtant thing of it. People don't care how pretty, nice, much, what ever... when it doesn't work THEY HATE THE SYSTEM AND THE PEOPLE WHO PUT IT IN.
This is why service calls are handeled quickly and nicely. :)
I digress.
Since my arival the company actually looks at factors like useability and control of devices. Suddenly we manage to turn out better systems. Well better to the client... clients get a hi degree of reliability. I can't tell you how many systems I have seen that look and sound like crap... but THE CUSTOMER CAN USE IT. That is what 90% of the people care about.
Think OZZY OSBORN sp with his remote.
Taking the time to match up the gear with the programming... there are VERY HAPPY CUSTOMERS that have seen us all of once.
The real point. When you are looking at your program fees.. look at what it costs to go back several dozen times to teach the customer... "No for DVD first you got to flip this to Component 3 by pressing this button 4 times, then you pick up this remote and start the disc and finally use this one to control the volume."
Look at the price of the completed system and charge enough so you feel you are getting paid fairly... but also enough that it is worth your time to service the unit QUICKLY if need be.
