The question at hand before any business decision is, what will be my return on investment? No matter the costs of what is being discussed, buyers want to know their investment will be money well spent. In the world of AV, this mindset is no different. With so many providers out there, how can decision makers make the right call? The cost of technology has steadily risen, and AV deployments are significantly more expensive than they were just 5 years ago. For buyers, it is a matter of partnering with an experienced AV provider you trust — one who will deliver value over the life of the investment.
Who Needs to Invest in AV?
To get right to the point, today’s professional environment requires connectivity and the reliable ability to share information. Work is often done in teams, and most workspaces have become collaborative rather than the siloed cubicles of days past. There is a big buzz around the digital workplace, and this is transforming how people work. Five years ago, AV installations were limited to the boardroom, a couple of specialized conference rooms and purpose built spaces. – depending on the size of the company.
Today’s companies are reshaping their workspaces and building campuses from scratch. With huddle rooms, meeting rooms, team rooms, labs, dynamic training spaces and collaboration offices, there are more space types that require connected and shareable tech capabilities. Team members are now spread across the globe and remote workforces are dictating the capabilities of the necessary technology. Buyers need to find solutions that will match technology to their goals and rapidly changing culture.
How to Choose the Right Partner
The right AV partner will be able to collaborate with your design team to integrate solutions that blend form with function for your spaces, with an eye on longer term objectives. At times, companies tend to prioritize their design investment over the technology investment. But in order to maximize your ROI, they ideally need to be done in tandem for an optimal end-user experience with measurable results. Your provider should understand the marketplace and be very experienced within the industry. The key is to bring in one trusted company for a seamless transition between the aspects of design, engineering, installation and support. Having one unified provider for the entire technology lifecycle will cut down on costs over the long run and ensure the best possible experiences. The right partner will work with you to ensure the solution fits the scope of your budget and aligns with your organizational goals.
Here at AV-Tech, we hold tightly to a stewardship model, ensuring our clients’ best interests are in the forefront of our mind. We must be flexible and creative as your chosen partner. Every client, project and need is different, so we cannot offer a cookie-cutter solution to all. The right partner will anticipate changes in the industry and adjust accordingly. This model of trust and investment avoids unnecessary expenditures and rigid installations which will become obsolete as technology transitions.
Experienced providers can create bespoke solutions that are scalable to the growing enterprise. This offers the best of both worlds and is a great option for large investments. Looking even further, they can provide metrics based on space and tech usage, giving key decision makers full transparency on their budget allocation. This can provide priceless objective data, highlighting what type of spaces and tech are receiving maximum productivity and what AV functions are most utilized. These insights can allow future plans to be adapted so budgets will be spent in the most efficient manner possible.
What to Watch Out For
The biggest red flag in finding an AV provider will be found in the questions they ask, or rather… the questions they don’t ask.
If they do not take the time to get to know your organization; researching what your unique culture is like, what your goals are for today and tomorrow, and desiring to understand your roadmaps for the future, they’ll never be able to create an accurate deployment of technology to match your needs. Your selected partner must be able to commit to a full lifecycle of professional services – from conception to deployment – and then sustainedsupport. If they appear shortsighted, at all, then it’s likely they are focused on the transaction rather than an true ongoing partnership.
Understanding the experience and technical knowledge of an ideal AV provider is crucial. They must be able to work in harmony with internal IT teams and help manage more complex network topologies. A lack of this skillset can be catastrophic for the end-user experience and will lead to major issues with ongoing support and technical evolution.
Overall, even with the fast pace of change in technology, your AV doesn’t need to be a short-term investment. The right partner will make and take valuable time to get to know your company to create a unique solution, blending technology with design, built around the specific needs of your employees and business.
To make a solid decision on your AV investment, you must first make the decision to partner with a trusted expert. Your AV provider should always see clearly… should always be looking ahead… and should always be flexible.
