Providing Service, with a Name that Fits: What the Crestron Program Name Change Means for Us

• April 29, 2013
• Steve Greenblatt

After more than ten years, Crestron has changed the name of its certified third party programmer’s affiliation from CAIP (Certified Authorized Independent Programmer) to CSP (Certified Service Provider).  As the owner of a company with a CAIP designation since the program’s inception and having been in a leadership role in the CAIP community, I am particularly excited about the new name change.  In particular, I feel that the heart of the name speaks to the core of the work that we do: service customers.

While programming is our means to delivering a solution, it is the knowledge, method, and complementary skills that make our solutions most effective.  Our method involves expertise in many disciplines of the industry including client needs analysis, functionality development, system design, system commissioning, field troubleshooting, and documentation to name a few.  Our ability to understand the end user and create customized solutions based on identified and perceived needs as well as past experiences leads to our acceptance and success.

As the discussions in our industry has turned to the relative merits of programmable and configurable systems, of mobile technology for control and usability, and the future opportunities that exist in building management systems, for Control Concepts and our CSP colleagues, this dialogue about trends and change reflects the importance and impact of control systems and control solution providers in our projects.  For our company, the new CSP name and the CSP program changes that accompany it more accurately reflect the flexibility and diversity of services that we offer our customers.

Beyond the traditional expectations of programming, we work directly with end users to identify needs, define functionality requirements, and propose solutions that fit their organizational culture and daily operations.  Additionally, we regularly provide system design review, consultation, onsite commissioning, troubleshooting, training, and documentation to ensure that the system meets the defined user needs and expectations.   As Steve Samson, Crestron’s Director of Business Development, describes it, “[i]t is time to adapt to the new realities of today’s marketplace, both commercial and residential.”

Moreover, designating third party programmers like us as a community of service providers speaks to the connection and commitment that we have to all of our customers, as well as to our colleagues and project partners.  Focusing on service allows the Creston CSP community to continue to provide creative solutions across the Crestron platform.   Being a Crestron Service Provider makes it clear to our customers that the ways in which we add value are essential to solving problems and maximizing system potential and that we are poised to continue to provide solutions and services over time as needs and technology change.