InfoComm Releases 2015 Vertical Markets End-User Perspective Studies

Individual studies cover seven different customer segments from corporate and retail to healthcare and education.

CI Staff

InfoComm International, the trade association representing the commercial audiovisual industry worldwide, announces the release of seven research studies commissioned to investigate trends in various customer segments served by the pro-AV industry.

The seven InfoComm 2015 Vertical Markets End-User Perspective Studies offer critical insight into the corporate, education, government, retail, healthcare, hospitality and venue (including house of worship) markets. Each in-depth study is roughly 80 pages and based on secondary research and interviews with technology end users around the world.

“These Vertical Markets Studies paint an exciting picture for AV companies that are looking to grow their businesses and meet the evolving needs of customers,” said David Labuskes, CTS, RCDD, Executive Director and CEO of InfoComm International. “As AV professionals know, every market is different, and every end user brings a unique perspective on what makes an exceptional AV experience. These reports provide you with a direct line of sight into the mind of your prospect or customer. InfoComm hopes that, armed with this information, you can continue to meet customers’ needs and drive this growing industry forward.”

InfoComm commissioned Acclaro Growth Partners, which has worked in the past on the association’s Global Market Definition and Strategy Study (MDSS), to conduct an international vertical markets study. Among the goals was to explore the profiles of people who buy AV goods and services and the decision-making criteria they employ.

According to InfoComm’s 2014 MDSS, the worldwide market for pro-AV products and services grew to $91.8 billion in 2014, from $75.5 billion in 2012. It is projected to hit $114.2 billion in 2016.

“The more you know about your customer, the more successful you’ll be at closing the deal,” said James Chu, Director of Market Research for InfoComm International. “With these insights about end-user product and technology usage, investment, decision-making and more, AV professionals will have a head start in building critical business relationships and providing exceptional experiences.”

Researchers found that in certain segments, end users reported that they were able to deliver considerable return on investment by standardizing on AV technology. Standardization helped drive buy-in across their organizations. “Without exception, the business case leads the investment,” researchers wrote. “End users are not investing in technology for technology’s sake.”

Other highlights from the InfoComm Vertical Markets Studies:

Corporate: The growing influence of consumer products is changing employee expectations of AV technology in the workplace. Employee usage of technology at home in their everyday lives is driving corporations to invest in AV solutions in the workplace.

Education: End users in this market acknowledge that AV technology contributes to delivering greater outcomes. AV is no longer a luxury; it has become a ‘must have’ in order to attract students.

Retail: Most of the growth in this segment is in the high- end of the retail segment, while the low end is more cost conscious and driven by the trend to lower-cost displays and out-of-the-box digital signage offerings.

Government: As in the corporate market, government customers are investing in AV solutions for training and meeting rooms, with a particular demand for mobile and video collaboration. Government remains an influential sector of the global pro-AV market by influencing the purchases of other customer segments.

Healthcare: The goal of many healthcare end users is to invest in technologies that reduce costs while improving outcomes. So far, the bulk of the opportunity is on the enterprise side of the healthcare market, rather than specialized patient-facing technology. There is also a high demand for AV technology in medical education facilities.

Hospitality: AV is in high demand in the hospitality segment, driven by guest expectations. With the hotel and cruise industries growing worldwide, implementing guest-facing AV technologies is of growing importance for brand competition.

Venues: The tech-savvy public has high expectations for their experiences at event venues. Large and small venues worldwide are adopting the latest technologies in order to remain competitive and drive sales.

The vertical market studies are available now for purchase, with discounts for InfoComm members. For more information, visit infocomm.org/verticalmarkets.

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