Comparing a luxury automobile like a Rolls-Royce to a compact economy car is easy for most people. It's an area that we all have experience in and that helps us differentiate between the two, even though both vehicles have common fundamentals, such as four tires, an engine and a steering wheel. However, if our differentiation criteria were based solely on these fundamentals, it would be difficult to argue that these two products were that different. We would conclude that it was hard to justify paying so much more for a luxury car.
In our industry, the concept of an "Operating Environment" is very new. Synchronization and motion control systems have been around for decades. Isn't ION just another one? No, but unfortunately, unlike the automobile analogy above, most users don't have the necessary experience to differentiate at this time. Competitors realize this, and focus on the four tires, engine and steering wheel equivalents in their products.
Many would say, "Well, all I really need is four tires, an engine and a steering wheel. The compact looks fine to me." With the vast difference in price between a Rolls-Royce and a compact, this valid choice is made every day. But, if you could purchase a luxury car like a Rolls-Royce for not much more than a compact, most would choose the hundreds of extra amenities that the luxury car provides and consider it incredible value.
Similarly, ION has become the new standard in our industry because those with enough experience to be able to differentiate have also seen the incredible value in making it the hub of their operations and the exceptionally high return on investment they realize from the system's unchallenged ability to stay current and not become obsolete overnight. So, the next time a competitor says "It's just like Soundmaster", ask him about these 10 "luxury amenities" that we are sure all can appreciate: