I used this system on several surround sound installations with much success. While the Standard CITS kit didn't have everything I needed, that's not something likely to happen when a custom installer places their initial order. During actual use I found the kit to be extremely handy, though a tad on the large side. I went back and forth between my desire to have everything I needed and my need for smaller, more portable cases. In the end I realized that the system is flexible enough for me to order smaller cases if it was really that important to me. The thing that makes it so usable is the whole auto-replenishing aspect of the inventory scanning process. Each install was easy to manage and I received more than a few comments about how cool it was to have a complete installation kit at my disposal. Let's face it, pull up to a house with a couple of these and a van full of bulk cables and tools and you're going to be perceived in a whole new light by your clients.

The Catch

There's not really a catch, but if you want to use the system to its fullest, you'll find you must continue ordering parts from Custom Install Supply. Based on our research this isn't so bad, as CIS seems to have some very excellent pricing in the industry. On some parts they prefer to supply name brand over generic for quality control reasons (having had experiences and feedback from customers regarding some generic brands of products.) An example would be Leviton & ICC brand keystone binding post inserts which cost $4.85/pair on the CIS website and whose generic counterparts can be found elsewhere for around $2.78/pair. When I brought this up to Custom Install Supply they let me know that if they were to carry the cheaper generic part it would come in around $2.65 - 5% less than the cheapest price I found for it online. The advantage of ordering from CIS, of course, means that you can fully use the system to track and replenish your inventory on a "per-installer" basis. When parts come in, you won't have to sort them out to figure out who needs what and you'll never run low, provided you set up rules for how and when products get re-stocked. This can all be handled by a dedicated office staffer and may be well worth it to avoid the added hassles of managing inventory separately (something that would really lower the usefulness of the kit).

Conclusion

Custom Install Supply has a compelling system that will appeal to a lot of custom installers - especially any of the many companies who already use CIS as their supplier. The physical system seems to work well and with appropriate training I feel that it could truly help many companies to eliminate several profit-killing gremlins: inadequate inventory that results in return trips, and overall efficiency. This is a system that will change the way your installers do their work, and for anyone who has lost control of their inventory - it's something that simply makes too much sense to pass up.

Custom Install Supply Standard C.I.T.S. System
$3295

Custom Install Supply
2825 Stockyard Rd #D4
Missoula, MT 59808
(866) 4MY-CITS (469-2487)
www.custominstallsupply.com

About Custom Install Supply
Custom Install Supply (CIS) is dedicated to providing system parts & installation solutions to the Electronics Systems Contractor. CIS continuously examines evolving industry trends and the needs of the Custom Installation Industry. As a result CIS provides unique solutions for dealers to maximize efficiency, complete system installations and increase their bottom line.