It seems as though the space for satellite radio -based solutions for commercial services (e.g., on-hold music, background music, etc) is continuing to grow at a decent pace. Companies like AMTC and Dynamic Media are acting as further competition to services like DMX and Muzak, which have had a stronghold on the business for a long time.
Enter TurnKey Media Solutions - a newly renamed business media services company. Previously known as Satellite Radio Commercial Services, the company has been in business since 2005, offering national sales, installation and support to businesses in the US. Its roots stem from even further back though, as its founder Matthew Moffett actually started off in the satellite radio business back in 2001, selling both retail and commercial satellite radio (before there was even a commercial program from XM Radio). Later, Moffett and his wife started Satellite Radio Superstore in 2003 (Note: Satellite Radio Superstore is an Orbitcast sponsor).
Earlier this year Satellite Radio Commercial Services decided to change its name to TurnKey Media Solutions and started offering additional services including XM, Sirius, Dish Network, DirecTV, on-hold/overhead messaging, installation and support.
TurnKey currently manages XM commercial partner accounts like GM, Honda, Acura and Burger King - offering sales, service and installation of audio systems and XM commercial equipment. Pretty impressive.
And as resellers for both XM and Sirius, they now offer direct billing for commercial establishments of any size or industry. This allows them to be a full service operation for digital media solutions (that's a fancy term for audio, video, and messaging). All of their services include the necessary fees for paying royalties to ASCAP, BMI and SESAC.
So what's the big news?
Matt explained to me, "With the launch of our new web site we will be the first online retailer to offer the online sale of commercial satellite radio equipment with real time activation and account setup." This essentially means businesses will be able to order equipment and service without having to pick up the phone. It also allows them to access their account in real time and make adjustments accordingly. This has been in testing and is ready to go live very soon.
TurnKey has also spent the last couple of years building their network of installers throughout the country including Satellite TV installers, data techs, and custom audio/video installers. These installers are contracted directly and not through 3rd party companies (though they do use a 3rd party to fill in the blanks in areas they don't cover). TurnKey also manages their installer network online, so national rollouts for franchises and chain store accounts can be managed internally, while still providing the flexibility to manage localized installs for smaller accounts.
Another interesting differentiator is that TurnKey has created industry specific solutions for industries such as coffee shops, fitness facilities, hospitals, casinos, hotels and others. Here's an example of a marketing site for those specific industries (for a coffee shop).
The thin-slicing of the music packages to appeal to specific industries is a brilliant, and ridiculously simple, approach to the business.
Combine that with the upcoming online management capabilities (apparently they can manage on-hold messaging content online as well - so you can adjust everything remotely via the internet), and the in-house installers, and you've got a winner.
Smells like musak