As part of AV-Tech’s ongoing commitment to professional learning, we’re always watching for top trends and happenings in our industry. This year, two of our top executives were present at two major conferences across the country: Bill Thrasher, Executive Vice President, represented AV-Tech at InfoComm while Leslie Dillingham, Director of Business Development, went to Chicago to attend NeoCon. This article will focus specifically on NeoCon 2023, providing three major takeaways and their implications for both AV-Tech and our industry at large.
Staying on top of industry trends is of the utmost importance, both in serving our clients well and in maintaining and improving the standards we have created over the years. One consistent way we do that? Annual attendance at conferences, seminars and other professional learning and networking opportunities. While we are always present at many of the top AV tech conferences across the industry, Leslie’s attendance at NeoCon is a first for our company. Different from our typical networking opportunities, Leslie brought back a fresh perspective and interesting new insights on the intersection between AV technology and design.
You may be wondering — what exactly is NeoCon and why did we decide to start sending a representative? NeoCon, known as the “Forefront of Design”, features game-changing products and services and access to innovative solutions in commercial design, as well as connecting the design community across many industries. Read on to hear Leslie’s three major takeaways, and how these pertain to the world of AV-Tech.
Connecting Community
NeoCon brings together a wide range of figures who impact the design world, including AV tech companies like ourselves. For AV-Tech specifically, this is an opportunity to interact not only with end-users but also with commercial architects and interior designers. This type of conference also gives us exposure to the all-important project managers, who act as organizers on projects to pull entities together and ensure a project reaches completion.
Channel Market Expansion
There are a multitude of professionals involved in the projects we work on: owner representatives, developers, architects, contractors, interior designers, project managers and more. Attendance at a conference like NeoCon demonstrates that we are present in the industry and interested in what our colleagues are learning, as well as what they are interested in seeing. Meeting these professionals increases AV-Tech’s chances of hearing about, and winning, new business. It exposes us to the many channels of business that are necessary for building new relationships in the commercial real estate sector.
Early Consideration of AV Tech
It’s common, and unfortunate, that audio visual integrators are brought into the design conversation late in the planning process. The results can be that a less-than-ideal plan has been advanced and chances are good that it may not fully meet the clients’ AV technology needs, or budget. Attending conferences like NeoCon provides us insight into what commercial designers are looking for and gives us a chance to enter conversations early to bring powerful solutions.
Building a new commercial building, or renovating one, takes a lot of talented professionals. The sooner all disciplines are in collaboration, the better the result for the end-user and the budget. A conference like NeoCon is a great way to meet new colleagues, and old ones, and advance the message that we look forward to a seat at the planning table as soon as possible in the design process.
Interested in hearing our insights from InfoComm as well? Take a look at Bill’s perspective in this blog.
