Whether you’re looking to kit out a corporate office or put on a temporary event, finding the right AV company for the job often leaves you with more questions than answers. From their experience, previous clients and support, to technology, training and maintenance, there’s a lot to consider when choosing a supplier.
To help, we’ve put this short guide together based on our 30 years speaking to clients and listening to their questions. It will help you choose not just the best AV company on paper, but the right one for what you need to achieve.
No doubt their website will cover a lot of this, but don’t be afraid to drill into more detail over the phone or in-person. Ask them if they’ve completed any work similar to yours or handled jobs of a similar size. Enquire how long they’ve been in business, how many projects they’ve completed in the 12 months and how many years experience the team members have that will be working on your project. This should give you an idea of their credibility.
Again, you should see some well-known logos, case studies and testimonials on their website, and that may be enough to reassure you. If not, ask for more reviews from previous clients, talk through specific projects similar to yours and even go and visit their clients to see the AV installation in action.
The quality of the team you’re hiring is important, so be sure to ask about qualifications as well as specific experience on your type of project. Also ask them how many employees they have and if they bring on addition temporary help for events or big jobs. It’s not about using size to identify the best AV company (as that’s not always reliable), it’s about understanding how well-resourced they are to complete your job on-time.
Some audio video companies will provide you with all five elements of AV – consultation, design, installation, project management and maintenance (like us). Some will just design systems, some just install. It’s good to get an idea of how much an AV specialist can deliver in-house, how much they’ll outsource and how much you’ll need to arrange on top.
Clearly there are benefits to having one team work on the whole project, not least the intimate knowledge they’ll have of your needs and the solution as a whole. But there’s also the strong relationship you’ll foster, and having one single point of contact for all updates and questions.
Will they provide a customised solution?
A lot of AV companies provide off-the-shelf solutions from their set list of suppliers. If your needs are met by a mass-market system, then that’s fine. But in order to maximise the potential and productivity of your space, it’s often best to have a bespoke system designed and installed. This way you can spec your individual requirements, get the best from your space and be as innovative as you like with the tech.
Before any piece of equipment is put together, and way before installation, the best audio video companies will take you through their solution, either in situ, on paper or as a 3D render. They should arrange, or at the very least attend, meetings with their ideas laid out, along with implementation plans and price estimates.
Also ask if the specialist you’ve dealt with through the consultation and design phase, can be present at installation to ensure an efficient and accurate install.
This is a big one as your new system should increase productivity and deliver a high ROI. If people are struggling to use it or if it’s not working, they’ll become frustrated and won’t use it. Even worse, they’ll spend working time trying to make it work.
Good design and installation will eliminate most of this, but you should ask all audio video companies if they offer support after installation. Whilst you may understand the system, as you’ve been involved in its design, your colleagues may not, so the AV company should be happy to offer user guides, demo the new system in a meeting or workshop, and be on the end of the phone if needed.
As an AV company with over 30 years experience, international clients and expert staff, we’re ready to listen to your needs and show you how we’ll bring your space to life. Get your questions ready and call us on +353 (1) 620 0900 or drop us a message.
