PSNI Global Alliance has reinforced its mission for the highest worldwide standards with the introduction of its Strategic Account Specialist (SAS) Certification.

The SAS certification is the third accreditation developed by the Alliance and involves a comprehensive process to ensure its Certified Solution Providers (CSPs) meet PSNI’s criteria for pre-installation practices—including customer relationships and engagement, deployment practices, and future growth strategy.

Chris Miller, executive director for PSNI Global Alliance explained the importance that this new Strategic Account Specialist Certification will deliver for customers, “The SAS program is a business transformational model that focuses on teaching CSP account managers the critical skills that utilize common value enablers provided by being part of the Alliance. In a world where everything is quickly being commoditized, it is how you engage with customers and connect with their real needs that is the differentiating factor. PSNI’s Strategic Account Specialist Certification has undoubtedly enhanced our customers experience already.”

Covering several areas—including customer experience, proven best practices, and relationship building—CSPs are required to train and complete a strategic account management workshop, as well as present to a PSNI panel and build a suitable account plan to earn their accreditation.

“Professionalism and preparation are the keys to understanding, meeting, and exceeding customer expectations—locally and globally,” added Miller. “By reinforcing the best practices of universal professional account management strategies, we are developing a sustainable approach that benefits our CSPs as well as their customers’ experience. This latest certification from PSNI is a big help in reinforcing those practices.”

To date, 10 PSNI CSPs across the globe have officially earned their Strategic Account Specialist certification, applying their learnings to customers worldwide.

Kulip Kamat, CTS, managing director of All Wave AV, spoke of the benefits that the new certification brings to PSNI’s CSPs: “The certification will be useful for the customers that have a global footprint as they are migrating or thinking about the solutions and integrators that have a global footprint and a roadmap, as well as the ones that are very strategic about the way they operate. We are seeing a lot of opportunities open up for longer-duration plays. And the SAS certification will help customers who genuinely see the value in long-term business transformations using technology.”

Kamat concluded: “So far, the AV system integration industry has been very tactical. The SAS provides very long-term thinking, which enables the companies to think more strategically and more profitably about the integration business. The certification and the process of certification also help owners and senior management to reflect on the fact that the integrator truly exists in the business and provides a lot of value to the customers well beyond price.”