Sometimes the dealer knows best. Being in the field means you know the challenges and solutions needed better than anyone else. To get what they need a dealers must either pressure vendors for better solutions or come up with their own. Invostar, a systems integrator based in West Palm Beach, Florida, did the latter, but in a move not often seen, is offering one of these solutions to other dealers as well. 

Out of Invostar comes ihiji, a separate company—though run by the same people—that is offering a new home monitoring product called invision, a web-hosted platform that allows dealers to remotely monitor, service and maintain client's home entertainment systems, as well as their home networks, HVAC and lighting systems. If anything breaks or fails, a dealer can be alerted to the problem and have it fixed, possibly before the client is even aware that there is a problem.

According to the company, "A standalone device (appliance) installed at the client site reports system deviations to ihiji’s back-end server. invision monitors critical aspects of system components as well as equipment that commonly requires servicing in the form of resetting, repair or replacement."

Dealers' pay for the service under a monthly fee and then can charge the client back with service contract fees, marked up to whatever they think the market or clients will bear. The new company is targeting dealers like themselves, who service high-end clients who have multiple homes with complex A/V and home automation controls.