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AMX Midwest Residential

glr-ftiglr-fti Posts: 286
in AMX General Discussion
As of 1/1/08 Visitec is no longer the rep for Midwest Residential. Is there anyone else out there that is having problems getting support for issues like disgruntled clients with poor performing products (IE DMS Pinnalce) who would like some other options, or approvals for demo equipment? I send emails and leave voice messages to the contacts within AMX that I was provided and don't hear anything back. I have way too much invested in AMX at this point to have to start looking at another manufacturer for future projects plus I generally like the AMX products. This is obviously making me look bad and it is rather hard to make a proposal without confidence.

Comments

  • DHawthorneDHawthorne Posts: 4,584
    AMX changed their distribution model recently; our rep dropped the line recently too. Not having anything to do with purchasing, I can't say for sure, but my impression is that everything is now direct with AMX. I, for one, have not seen a jot of difference in support or product availability; if someone hadn't told me, I wouldn't have noticed there was a change.
  • GSLogicGSLogic Posts: 562
    I've been hearing very bad rumors about the future of the resi side of AMX. I can't say I beleive them, why would they build a new resi web site and have new resi products developled. I sure hope they are just gearing up for the fight!
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
    AMX Midwest Residential

    AMX has chosen to go direct in the residential space, in order to better serve the Midwest marketplace. Visitec did a great job, and continues to work the commercial side for us. In the Midwest, Dave Cesar and Deb Mills handle the territory. Dave can be reached at david.cesar@amx.com, 312-513-3561. He is based in Southern Wisconsin, just started in January. (It's great to have the former C-tron rep on board with AMX; and Dave also worked with Visitec in '07). Deb Mills is our business development expert, working with builders and developers to drive opportunities to the channel. Contact info for Deb is: deborah.mills@amx.com, 312.523.7669.

    If you still don't get what you need, contact me directly: 469.624.7403, chris.westfall@amx.com

    AMX is serious about residential, and if you want to know more about what we are doing, let me know. GSLogic, yes, we are gearing up for the fight. If questions about other territories, strategies, etc. please don't hesitate to reach out directly.

    What do you know about AMXhome? Have you heard about this initiative, and what do you think it will mean for your business?
  • GSLogicGSLogic Posts: 562
    cwestfall wrote:
    AMX is serious about residential, and if you want to know more about what we are doing, let me know. GSLogic, yes, we are gearing up for the fight. If questions about other territories, strategies, etc. please don't hesitate to reach out directly.
    This is what I wanted to hear!!!!! Change is always a great time for rumors.
  • jjamesjjames Posts: 2,908
    GSLogic wrote:
    I've been hearing very bad rumors about the future of the resi side of AMX. I can't say I beleive them, why would they build a new resi web site and have new resi products developled. I sure hope they are just gearing up for the fight!
    On the contrary - I've heard very good things. I've heard that they really are gearing up for the fight, and they're gonna open a can of whoop-a** on you know who. ;)
  • viningvining Posts: 4,368
    I met my REP last week and he didn't metion any of this. In fact he showed me the new AMX programming package geared towards the residentiol market. For a one time fee of $x,xxx.000 you get a completed configurable system program as long as your equipment and number of zone falls with in the framework of the program. This was supposedly deveolope by another dealer/programmer and recently bought by AMX. The code can be modified and added to but by if you stay with in the limitation of zones and equipment you can create a finished program in a day or less. Supports all your basic residential components from HVAC to cameras.

    I guess my REP thought I needed help in this regard and require some basic programming aide or maybe he just whats me to sell more jobs.

    This is supposedly better than VA but I know nothing of VA so...
  • DHawthorneDHawthorne Posts: 4,584
    vining wrote:
    I met my REP last week and he didn't metion any of this. In fact he showed me the new AMX programming package geared towards the residentiol market. For a one time fee of $x,xxx.000 you get a completed configurable system program as long as your equipment and number of zone falls with in the framework of the program. This was supposedly deveolope by another dealer/programmer and recently bought by AMX. The code can be modified and added to but by if you stay with in the limitation of zones and equipment you can create a finished program in a day or less. Supports all your basic residential components from HVAC to cameras.

    I guess my REP thought I needed help in this regard and require some basic programming aide or maybe he just whats me to sell more jobs.

    This is supposedly better than VA but I know nothing of VA so...

    It's to compete with the big C. They have always geared themselves to the market of non-programmer developers, and AMX wants a piece of it.
  • a_riot42a_riot42 Posts: 1,624
    DHawthorne wrote: »
    It's to compete with the big C. They have always geared themselves to the market of non-programmer developers, and AMX wants a piece of it.

    I am pretty sure that C4 doesn't offer a non-programming solution. Any C4 system will require programming.
    Paul
  • RicardoSiqueiraRicardoSiqueira Posts: 373
    I've done Landmark (Phast) jobs for years and now I've been doing Netlinx jobs since 2003. As a residential dealer/programmer from the beginning, it was very scary when I needed to switch from Landmark to Netlinx, but now I am very comfortable with Netlinx Studio and think it is a great tool, which can save a lot of time from the old drag n' drop style of the Landmark days. On the other hand, I believe that AMX will only be fully successful in the residential market if they develop a tool that brings back the old drag n' drop with behind the scenes code editing. I would suggest a name like ?Visual Netlinx Studio? or ?Netlinx Studio Interactive?.

    Unfortunately, all the AMX Wizards, including VA fell very short on its capabilities for customizing a large residential project, which may have many TPs, multiple masters and etc. In some cases, the wizards make it almost impossible to do serious editing and upgrades without knowing deeply the Netlinx language, what requires a very experienced AMX programmer. I looked at the AMX Home and also think that it is more of a band-aid solution that a true final solution for the residential market. Have you guys tried fixing a project done with the wizards by someone else?

    Again, AMX needs to create an application using the old Landmark concept, which can be easy to use and most of the programming can be done by simply drag n' drop. This way, the new residential dealers can easily adopt the AMX brand. I've done very large jobs with Landmark, which can not be done with VA or AMX Home. Of course, AMX needs to keep developing and improving Netlinx Studio, which in my opinion is the only serious AMX software for large residential projects.
  • jjamesjjames Posts: 2,908
    RicardoSiqueira wrote: »
    On the other hand, I believe that AMX will only be fully successful in the residential market if they develop a tool that brings back the old drag n' drop with behind the scenes code editing. I would suggest a name like ?Visual Netlinx Studio? or ?Netlinx Studio Interactive?.
    .....
    Again, AMX needs to create an application using the old Landmark concept, which can be easy to use and most of the programming can be done by simply drag n' drop. This way, the new residential dealers can easily adopt the AMX brand.
    Ricardo - I always enjoy reading your posts, and respect what you have to say, however I have to strongly disagree with you on this. Bringing a drag'n'drop solution to the table would be one of the worse things AMX could do. Look at "C", how much do you have to write in order to get a "C" system going? And how often do you hear of a "C" system being replaced by an AMX system? I know we've done a few. I understand AMX needs to "cater" to the smaller guys in order to get them going, but I look at it like this.

    Do medical schools, or law schools make it easy on the students just so they can do what they want to do? If it were easy, everyone would be doing it; you don't see just anyone cutting someone's heart open and fixing a valve, or arguing a lawsuit and winning do ya? It takes a certain kind of person with a great desire to learn and be the best in order to be successful. You really don't want to turn the keys of an 18-wheeler over to a kid who just got their license yesterday, do you? You'd have an amazing amount of systems just put together and left for a real dealer to come in and fix. Systems have become more complicated over the years, so I don't think a drag'n'drop solution would even scrape the surface of what needs to be done nowadays.
  • a_riot42a_riot42 Posts: 1,624
    jjames wrote: »
    Bringing a drag'n'drop solution to the table would be one of the worst things AMX could do.

    I agree. The domain changes far too much for a DnD solution. DnD immediately limits the system unnecessarily.
    jjames wrote: »
    You'd have an amazing amount of systems just put together and left for a real dealer to come in and fix.

    Indeed.
    Paul
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