| Lutron QED Shades - Pricing Discussion | | | | the food for its dealers. It has excellent kitchen facilities |
| Lutron's proprietary motorized shades, called Sivoia | | | | and chefs that are proven. Its dealers then simply |
| QEDs (QED = Quiet Electronic Drive) are an excellent | | | | serve this delectable food to their client. Other |
| product. They are very well made; from the shade | | | | motorized shade solutions are more like parts of the |
| material and bracketing components to the quiet | | | | meal and the dealer must prepare (or at least |
| motors and reliable controls. No other company | | | | combine) the food and serve the meal to client. |
| provides a comparable 'end to end' solution like Lutron. | | | | Typically, the Lutron dealers pay more for a |
| Lutron makes the motors, the shades, the controls and | | | | pre-cooked meal and charge more for this product in |
| even the wire for its products. Most motorized blinds | | | | absolute terms (not necessarily in percentage terms). It |
| & shades are made by combining motors from | | | | is fair to say that if price is was not such a driving |
| one company, brackets from another and shades | | | | factor in many if not most cases, clients would switch |
| from still another. Introducing multiple vendors leaves | | | | to Lutron's cooking. |
| more room for product variability and specifically can | | | | Lutron has perfected the sales and presentation of its |
| mean that the overall look is not as 'finished' as a | | | | products for its dealers. To extend my analogy, they |
| Lutron solution. (to be fair, frequently, shades are | | | | help their dealers by preparing and printing the menus |
| mounted in locations where much of this cannot be | | | | for them. Their quotes are done with a custom |
| seen, but the 'finished' look concept extends further to | | | | designed software program called the Shade |
| Lutron's offering, as I will explain below) | | | | Configuration Tool (SCT) which provides useful |
| In terms of performance, Lutron's motorized shades | | | | diagrams and details other non Lutron solutions do not |
| offer more features than other products. First of all, | | | | match. Lutron provides food samples that are known |
| they are very quiet - hence the 'Q' in QED. Other | | | | to entice diners. Lutron marketing pieces are excellent, |
| motor manufacturers have since closed the gap on | | | | both visually appealing and informative. Lutron provides |
| the quiet issue, but not totally. Lutron's QEDs also | | | | quality sample binders that are complete and |
| have intelligence (a microchip) in the motor which | | | | professionally assembled. Lutron has upgraded the |
| allows the control to 'know' where the shade is at any | | | | motorized shade selection experience and removed |
| given time (this is called feedback). Other motor | | | | much of the possible variation out of motorized shade |
| companies have similar capabilities but only in certain | | | | purchasing. |
| applications. Feedback enables two things, first the | | | | Other articles discuss the rationale behind Lutron's |
| controller can show in percentage terms exactly | | | | unique sales approach and business model. This article |
| where the shade is located, even if it is in a different | | | | addresses only the rationale for pricing differences. |
| location than the control. This is a bit gimmicky, I agree | | | | Lutron does cost more in most cases - this article |
| but the second feature is quite impressive. Namely, | | | | attempts to explain why. Some of the key differences |
| multiple Lutron shades can be almost perfectly aligned | | | | that result in the product commanding a premium price |
| (something they call 'intelligent hembar alignment'). In | | | | may not be sufficiently important to a client depending |
| rooms with multiple shades on different size tubes, this | | | | upon their needs, wants and budget. |
| offers a very 'finished' (there's that word again) look. | | | | Finally, it is very important to note that with any product |
| (to be fair, not all people care if there shades are | | | | that requires installation, the best product can |
| perfectly aligned and non Lutron systems can come | | | | dissappoint if the company installing is not competent |
| very close but like the quiet feature, not quite as close) | | | | and professional. Meaningful depth of installation |
| An analogy may (perhaps) be useful here. Lutron | | | | expertise and high standards of customer service are |
| procures and combines the key ingredients and cooks | | | | the keys to any successful motorized shade job. |