A good home theater demonstration can be the difference between a consumer who walks out of a showroom empty handed and one who invests in a high-caliber home theater system. If homeowners can experience first-hand how a home theater looks, operates and brings enjoyment to their lives, they will likely give the expense serious consideration.
The larger-than-life imagery presented by a two-piece projection system—a staid amenity of most home theater demos, is typically the piece that convinces homeowners to take the plunge. But at Macauley Technologies’ Austin, Texas-based showroom, stellar audio from home theater speakers from Phase Technology seems to be grabbing the most attention and generating the most sales.
Hearing a Difference
It’s a brand of audio products that the company has carried since it opened for business nine years ago, and has continued ever since to be a top-seller among Macauley Technologies’ clientele of custom and production builders and single-family homeowners.
“We sell more Phase Technology speakers for home theaters than any other brand we carry,” says Macauley Technologies account executive Ian Shaw. He attributes their sales success to two things: the company’s ability to provide consumers with an A/B listening session in its showroom, and “the phenomenal quality of the Phase Technology products.”
Shaw continues, “During our comparison demos, people naturally gravitate toward the Phase Technology speakers. They choose them on their own without any persuasion from our sales team.”
The fact that the speakers feature Phase Technology’s dARTS technology only makes them more appealing to customers, according to Shaw. Once we explain to a customer that we can use dARTS to calibrate and optimize the audio precisely to their specific theater space, they are completely sold on the concept.
“The dARTS technology, which is applied to Phase Technology speakers during production, has become my number one recommendation for a fantastic sounding theater without breaking the budget,” says Shaw.
Streamlined Service Through dARTS
In addition to helping Macauley Technologies move a lot of product off its showroom floor, Shaw reports that dARTS audio equipment is purchased by more than half of it home theater customers; it’s been a boon to the company’s design and installation efforts.
“We are able to call Phase Technology and present them with the parameters of a particular theater we’re working on, and their team of engineers will use dARTS to create speakers that suit the sonic properties of the space perfectly,” says Shaw. “We have developed such a great partnership with Phase Technology, that we have been able to collaborate with them on incorporating dARTS into the company’s new Dolby Atmos speakers. We are on the cutting edge with dARTS, so we are always trying to find new applications for it.”
Streamlined Installation and Customer Satisfaction
The sonic fine-tuning that dARTS supports has definitely helped set Macauley Technologies apart as a top-notch home theater design firm, but the cosmetic appeal of the Phase Technology speakers is another facet on which the company has been able to capitalize. The speakers are available in many different form factors—in-wall, floorstanding and bookshelf, and Phase Technology will customize the cabinets to Macauley’s specifications.
The ability to offer its customers tailored audio and aesthetics has certainly contributed to the overall success of Macauley, but Shaw also credits the company’s ability to maintain a high level of customer satisfaction to Phase Technology’s outstanding customer service.
“If we have any questions or issues, a solution is just a phone call away—which is rare with some of the other speaker manufacturers we have worked with,” says Shaw. “I’ve called Phase Technology many times for advice, suggestions, and help while I was out in the field, and they are always able to help. This level of service is what has helped us to really streamline our installation time and effort.”
Exploring New Applications and Profits
Optimized audio, custom cosmetics, and top-notch customer service has provided Macauley Technologies with the tools to design high-caliber theaters for a clientele of varied budgets, entertainment needs, and home designs. It’s a formula the company has perfected to the point of exploring new challenges and applications for the dARTs system and Phase Technology audio products.
“Multipurpose media rooms and game rooms have become an increasingly popular customer request, and dARTS is ideally suited for these environments because they can be calibrated to adapt to imperfect room conditions that commonly plague these types of media rooms,” Shaw says.
It’s an opportunity that promises yet another avenue for company growth, profitability and customer satisfaction.
