We have a builder client who wants Savant. We don't sell it currently but would add it for this customer at least. He brings us a lot of business and I'm afraid he'd go somewhere else and get it if I decline. Is it a line worth carrying? We currently do Crestron (not a lot), Elan, and URC.

I checked IP and not much discussion on the topic. Any thoughts? Also, If someone could let me know MSRP's (I can get dealer cost later) - just want to get a rough cost comparison going.

can you afford to lose this builder if he goes somewhere else for all of his business?

Can afford to, but he brings in a good 6 figures a year.

thanks for any info!

We looked at savant a year or so ago before they changed some pricing on tech support and dealer buy in. At the time, it made no sense for our market and out current product (Elan). My understanding is that they improved that. And if faced with the idea of a 6 figure a year builder calling someone else, I would be calling the rep. Because I'm assuming you've already tried to explain to the builder you can do what he wants with Elan.

Yes, I've mentioned it. But as a stubborn guy (aren't all builders), I feel like if I take an opposite stance - he'll just fill out the dealer request form on the Savant website to get hooked up with a dealer.

Hopefully I can show him I can do the same for less with Elan, but I don't know that for a fact yet.

I watched the savant sales pitch. And even factoring out the high cost for training, tech support, and special support hardware (special imac laptops), Elan was the same or less on every option. And that was with HC controllers and the pro apps policy.

That said, if the builder is really set on savant, sounds like it's worth it to you to pick up savant, given his amount of work he brings you.

If they HAVE TO HAVE Savant then give them Savant. Get a quote from a Savant dealer then mark it up and manage it. Isn't that what builders like to do with everything?

I disagree on marking it up. I think if you show their price, vs your Elan price, you'll be at least 10% less. If they still push, then you know to get set up with savant.

Buy a fold up table and chair and sit on site surfing remote central while your savant sub puts money in your pocket.

thats great, but even I have had trouble convincing the boss to keep techs on call to drive my drunk ass back and forth between the job site. Sometimes even I have to do something....



Btw, does anyone have any idea what it costs to get Cameron Diaz to sit on a windshield?

You've been drinking, haven't you?

That's a ridunculously redundant statment

I can understand why he would want Savant over Elan but as a dealer you could make any Crestron system look like a Savant system. Hire out the GUI development and eliminate the added cost of picking up Savant.

No builder really knows what is really going on at that level. He just sees the Apple stuff all over the place.

Savant is a great solution for us.

The new Apps are really slick ( probably what made the builder want it ) and the new products that they will be releasing soon are very nice.

Not to offend, but Elan doesn't compare to Savant.