Are you looking for an audiovisual company?
Choosing the right fit for your next project is crucial. Here are five steps that will help you make the decision.
This is pretty straightforward, but it’s made a little bit confusing by the fact that a variety of companies will brand themselves as “AV companies.”
Some audiovisual companies only do residential installations. Some specialize in AV equipment rentals for events. Others primarily focus on commercial AV integration.
Make sure that the partner you’re considering a) offers the service you need, and b) is focused on that service. For instance, if you need commercial AV installation, you should probably narrow your search to companies that focus specifically on that, even though companies that offer residential installation may come up as well.
Aside from ensuring that a potential partner actually has the capability to serve your needs, industry expertise is one of the most helpful and easiest things to verify.
The bottom line: Make sure the AV company has expertise in your space.
For instance, if you’re representing a school, you should opt for a partner who understands educational AV solutions. If you’re representing a museum, you should search for vendors that excel at experiential AV solutions. If you’re with a government organization, you need a vendor that has the right certifications and contract vehicles.
Most often, vendors will communicate this clearly on their website. If they don’t, you should ask for examples (more on that shortly).
Expertise in certain technology solutions can also be important. If you’re looking for a particular brand or a particular type of solution, you’ll want to ensure that the company you choose has familiarity with it.
As with industry expertise, many companies will feature the technology brands they use on their website, but some won’t disclose their preferences until the proposal stage.
The best way to verify that a potential AV partner has applicable industry or technology expertise is to view case studies and contact references.
It’s common for AV companies to display case studies on their websites; often, though, these aren’t detailed enough to get an idea of what the project was actually like. More detailed case studies may be revealed during the proposal process. If they aren’t, it’s worth asking to see more.
And ask for references, too. As you evaluate AV companies, references are perhaps the most powerful way that your potential partners can build credibility. Ask for two or three contacts who have completed projects similar to yours in your industry using relevant technology.
If a company has solid referrals, it’s proof positive that they’ve provided quality AV project experiences in the past – and that’s a good sign for your future engagement.
Finally, ask potential partners about their processes. We recommend asking questions around three things:
How communication works during the engagement.
Will you have a dedicated point of contact? How often will you receive updates on project deliverables? What platforms will communication happen on? Obviously, the more proactive and accessible communication is, the better.
What documentation will be provided on solutions.
There are a couple of stages to consider here – the design / proposal stage, and the delivery / commission stage. The more comprehensive documentation is over both stages, the more control you’ll have over the project and your technology. That tends to be a good thing.
Whether the company employs third-party contractors.
Many vendors – and especially larger vendors that serve nationally or internationally – use outsourced contractors to perform installation and integration work.
That can be fine, but it also introduces more complexity and risk into a project. When contractors come in, there are more logistics involved, quality assurance becomes more difficult, and you, as the client, are one step farther back from the process. In general, we recommend choosing a partner that will perform work in-house.
And, for all of these considerations, a good rule of thumb is that the more transparent a company is about their process, the better.
Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of what to look for as you’re evaluating audiovisual companies in the Denver area.
If you’re ready to get your project started with an audiovisual company you can trust, we’d love to hear from you.
At High Country, we serve corporate, education, and government clients with commercial AV solutions. Our process has been proven in organizations like Alteryx (a NYSE-listed software company), the City of Denver, the United States Airforce, and leading Denver-area school systems. We communicate proactively and all of our work is done in house.
If you’re interested in bringing your AV vision to life, schedule a free consultation with our experts. We’ll discuss your vision and requirements, then begin crafting an ideal solution. When you work with us, you’ll take the complexity out of AV, minimize issues, and save time. Get in touch with us today to get started.