We heard the other day that one of the larger integrators in the area has fallen upon difficult times and recently laid off about 90% of their staff.  Clearly the integrators landscape is constantly changing as does the local business climate.  We have seen these events occur over the years with many integrators.

1. Sometimes it’s a downturn in the overall business climate.
2. At other times an unsustainable rate of growth will catch up with an integrator during a downturn.
3. Having a business which is too industry specific can cause a problem as well. When things are good everything is lollipops and sunshine. When things go bad the layoffs occur.

We are constantly amused when customers point to these large integrators with a sense of confidence because they have a “known” entity at hand.  As an insider in the business we know firsthand the types of overhead these large firms must deal with as an ongoing part of their business, and ultimately pass to their customers.