Training is another key indicator. An installer who has graduated from a reputable mobile electronics school has been grounded in the real physics of car audio rather than the wild ideas that float around Internet forums. In addition, the weeks of hands-on skills training is equivalent to a year of do-it-yourself trial and error that an untrained installer would need to experience to come close to a real education. A new installer that has learned on the job without the benefit of formal training is like a chair missing a leg - a bit shaky. With costly airbags, serial data networks, integrated electronics and many other technologies in vehicles today, your first question should be, "Can I see your certificates?"
You may think that an installer who builds competition sound-off cars is at the top of the talent pool. It's true that his skills are serious, but this type of installer is into big challenges and finds basic and mid-level systems uninspiring. To this day I continue to receive inquiries from individuals who want me to do a custom install on their cars, but I get a lot more enjoyment out of teaching car audio. Typically, exceptional installers move up the career ladder very quickly, so your favorite installer may not be around forever. If the installers are good, they will get poached or promoted. Count on it!
Installers are technically excellent, but often less capable in discussion skills. These "men of action" are more interested in getting things happening rather than talking about it. But we do need to talk. Until what you want is clearly understood by the installer, the results may be unexpected. Make sure that you ask questions to confirm that you are on the same page and be ready to follow the installer's recommendations over your own - the installer knows what to do.
The No. 1 problem that causes a customer to lose confidence in an installer is simple communications. If you wind up with an installation that doesn't reflect what you wanted in the first place, the blame falls incorrectly on the installer as either being dishonest or incompetent. In some cases, the level of work you want and the amount it really costs is not made clear in the discussion. We never remember paying too much for exactly what we wanted, but we always recall how much we wasted when we didn't pay enough for quality results.
Finally, be aware that you can buy the identical product at a variety of stores, so lowest price rules. I believe the choice of installer is more important than the brand of product. Installation is all custom, all the time, so never debate the value of the work required. You should find out what your money is buying from the installer, but if you grind out a cheaper price, you may get unanticipated "shortcuts" in the installation. When installers know they're receiving a fair labor rate, they respect you as a customer. There's a reason that "free installation" is free. Knowing that the guaranteed low price of the product can't include a cent of installation money, how does the installer get paid? You won't like the answer.
With today's vehicles, never before have we needed professional, trained and certified mobile electronics technicians as we do now. Don't forget to trust your intuition. If an installer doesn't seem right, keep looking for one who does.