CD units still move in vast quantities in the MOH market, and Joint MD Vincent Leahy is enthusiastic about the sales potential of Serenity as the pendulum swings inevitably towards newer technology. “The MOH marketplace is awash with ‘me too’ CD products” he points out, “but where is the competitive advantage? Same price, same performance, different logo. Tru Serenity is more compact, has higher perceived value, is easier and faster to install, has no moving parts to deteriorate and fits with the lifestyle products which are central to today’s culture. It even comes complete with license free music and reassurance messages so you can truly plug and go.”
He continues, “Another advantage the Serenity has over CD Players is on power fail, most CD Players need to be restarted by an engineer visit, the Serenity auto starts, so it reduces downtime and site visits.”
Exploiting MP3 technology, Leahy and Joint MD Terry Ambrose are convinced the timing of the product is perfect. “Mobile phones, iPod’s, MP3 players, everywhere you look digitized music is in your face. Even during the last 12 months there has been a sea change, from the young, fashionable and cool, the majority of the population is now so much more at ease with MP3 use” says Ambrose. “Digital cameras are universal. SD memory cards are the normal medium for file storage and transfer, so we’re playing here with technologies that people are completely comfortable with”.
As the first release under the distributor’s ‘Tru’ banner, Leahy and Ambrose have been patient in identifying the right inaugural product to venture forth. Having received and moved through four deliveries in less than two months, it seems that the wait has been worthwhile. Roy Parry of Octagon Communications is a convert. “It’s not the first digital MOH unit of its type by any means, but it’s well priced, fast and simple to install, easy to operate, and it’s timed just right technologically. It’s an easy sell now, virtually all our customers listen to some form of digital music media in their personal lives, so this is just a natural extension. The lack of moving parts always appeals too, as it generally means lower failure rates!”
Serenity MOH comes complete with separate USB SD card reader for file transfer from PC or laptop. A 512Mb SD card also comes with the unit, along with mains adaptor, audio lead, phono adaptor and mounting Velcro. The unit is so light and small that it will fit virtually anywhere and needs no screws or mounting bracket, speeding up installation to literally minutes.
As the Leahy / Ambrose success story continues, the launch of Tru Serenity adds an extra dimension to the Trust Distribution ‘dealer dedicated’ philosophy. “We are determined that the Tru brand will be synonymous with core dealer benefits’ points out Ambrose. ‘High dealer margin, simple, fast installation, low to no compatibility issues and tried & tested reliability will all be pre-requisites for new additions to the Tru range. And as Serenity is UK manufactured, dealers can also rely on it being in stock and available whenever they need it – no three month order cycles to contend with!”