better business practices for system integrators-csia presentation
TRANSCRIPT
Control System Integrators Association
CSIA: What we do for systems integrators, automation product
suppliers and clients globally
Bob Lowe, CSIA Executive Director
Indusoft
The History of CSIA & Major Milestones
1990 Executive council formed, by-laws created
1993 First Conference and Membership Meeting
1997 Best Practices & Benchmarks Manual released
2001 CSIA Certified member program begins
2003 CSIA Insurance program begins
2009 New leadership structure
2012 Global Growth Initiative
Today!
297 Integrator members (not certified)
86 CSIA Certified Integrator members
93 Partner members (Suppliers)
The vision and mission of CSIA
Vision: Industries everywhere have access to low-risk, safe
and successful applications of automation technology
Mission: To advance the industry of control system integration
For System Integrators to be more professional
Be a forum for members to network, train, discuss common issues and share best practices
Have CSIA Certification become an industry standard
Increase CSIA’s global presence
System Integrators EverywhereHave the Same Problems!
Competition unavoidable
Price low prices and slow pay
People finding and retaining employees
Marketing how to tell the marketplace
Sales selling effectively
Cash managing finances
Risk project & business risk
Project Mngt. control of scope & change orders
Execution which KPIs to track
CSIA Key Initiatives
• Growth in Latin America, primarily Mexico
• Growth in Europe
• Brand Awareness (CSIA certification recognition)
• The Exchange
• Project Management Training
• Best Practices Revision 5, incl. Cybersecurity
Value of Membership for System Integrators
• Annual Executive Conference
• Best Practices Manual
• CSIA Certification
• Connected Community
• Educational Webinars
• Business Insurance
• Marketing Support
• Statistics and Benchmarking
• Business Documents
• Peer Groups
• Surveys
• Relationship Building
• Automation Industry Reports
6 most used services
1. Annual Executive Conference
• 500+ attendees from around the world
• 20+ business education sessions over 3 days
• Networking , relationship building
• Table top exhibits by our Partner members
• Awards dinner
2. Best Practices Manual
• 300+ best practices for managing a SI company
• Updated every 3 to 4 years by our BP committee
6 most used services
3. Connected Community
• Open Forum discussion board
• Library of documents, templates, surveys, marketing tools
• Conference presentations, webinar and newsletter archives
4. Webinars for system integration companies
• Business topics for managers
• Technical topics for engineers and programmers
6 most used services
5. Business Insurance, available globally
• Public and Products (General) Liability
• Professional Liability
• Cyber Liability
• Our insurance carriers understand the SI industry
6. Industrial Automation “Exchange”
• Excellent marketing tool
• Linkage between integrators and product suppliers
• Post whitepapers, case studies and videos
NEW! Industrial Automation Exchange
New tool for end-user clients to
find:
the right integrator
the right product
the right answer
Best Practices Manual
Table of Contents
1. General Management
2. Human Resources Management
3. Marketing, Business Development and Sales Management
4. Financial Management
5. Project Management
6. System Development Lifecycle
7. Supporting Activities
8. Quality Assurance Management
9. Service and Support
Best Practices Manual
1. General Management
Organizational Structure
Computer Systems Management
Risk Management
Emergency Management
Management Transition
2. Human Resources Management
Recruitment
Personnel Performance Evaluations
Training
Compensation
Retention
Job Descriptions
Best Practices Manual
3. Marketing, Business Development, and Sales Mngt.
Marketing Plan
Sales Strategy
Contract Documents
Risk Assessment
Forecasting
4. Financial Management
Measures of Performance
Financial Planning
Billing Procedures
Tax Policy
Cash Flow Forecasting
5. Project Management
Contract Management
Project Management Plans
Risk Management
Scope & Change Management
Resources and Schedule Management
Budget Management
Communications Management
6. System Development Lifecycle
Specs (Requirements, System, Functional)
Internal Kickoff
Design
Program Development and H/W Assembly
FAT, Commissioning, SAT
Best Practices Manual
7. Supporting Activities
Standards and Templates
Procurement Management
Configuration Management
Reuse Library Management
8. Quality Assurance Management
A QA system
Project Quality Assurance
Continuous Measurable Improvements
Client Surveys
9. Service and Support
Organizational Structure
Service Methodology
Service Management
Best Practices Manual
The Basis and Process of the Auditto Become CSIA Certified
Understanding the audit process is key to understanding its value!
The process of becoming CSIA Certified
• The Best Practices Manual is
the source of the audit
questions
• The manual has 300+ best
practices
• 79 of the 300+ best practices
are considered most critical
for the operation of a SI so
they are the audit questions
• The integrator prepares for the audit by implementing the 79 Best Practices, and others too
• The integrator contracts a CSIA auditor. Documentation and evidence of compliance with the Best Practices is required
• With a passing score, the integrator member is CSIA Certified!
The Value of being CSIA Certified
(INTERNAL) Improved business operations:
• Accountability
• Peace of mind for top managers and owners
• Improved sales
• Sustainable growth
• The probability of increased profitability
• Attracts and retains good employees
• Improves vendor and client relationships
(EXTERNAL) Business Development advantage! CSIA Certification is a differentiator for clients.
• More clients are preferring CSIA Certification
• Be highlighted on the Exchange
• Be highlighted on Partner member websites
• The opportunity to be in the top-tier of some Partner member Service Provider programs
The Value of being CSIA Certified
“Working with certified integrators gives us the
assurance our clients will be taken care of without
requiring our resources to fix mistakes. Following
the best practices creates a better image for the SI
as well as a vendor’s products through a smooth
project implementation.”
Steve Newcomer
Channel Specialist - System Integrators
Phoenix Contact
The Value of being CSIA Certified
The Value of CSIA Certification to Clients
• Reduced Risk
• Convenience in selecting integrators
• CSIA-validated business Best Practices
Experience in my industry and application?
Experience in my technology?
Good business management practices?
CSIA Certification validates
this requirement
The typical considerations by end-user clients:
The Value of CSIA Certification to Clients
Vendor certification
programs answer this
question
The end-user clients
answers this question
The Value of CSIA Certification to
Suppliers - Indusoft
• CSIA Certification focuses on business practices, so it complements the technical requirements of Partner’s service provider programs
• CSIA Certification enables Partners to easily identify the top system integrators
• CSIA Certification is the foundation for long-term integrator viability, so Partners are reasonably sure they’ll be around for a long time
• CSIA Certified integrators increase the probability of the Partner’s technology being represented properly
• CSIA Certified integrators reduce the risk of project failure
Return on Investment for Annual Dues
Learn ONE thing from
Apply it to your business
Save or Earn
Annual Dues will be Paid!
• The Best Practices and Benchmarks Manual• A Monthly webinar• The Online Community
• In Human Resources• In Business Development & Sales• In Financial or Project Management
• 10 billable hours in a year from what was learned
• At $100/hour
Contact Information
QUESTIONS? COMMENTS!
Robert Lowe
CSIA Executive Director(717) 626-8012
Skype boblowe52
www.controlsys.org