Editor’s Note: This story about Lencore and MDC originally appeared on the Commercial Integrator website on August 3, 2023. We updated it as of December 8, 2023.
Soundmasking is an unobtrusive, yet highly effective, technique that helps to eliminate all kinds of noise distractions. This, of course, makes soundmasking an essential component of various environments, especially those that prioritize speech privacy and security.
A leading company that specializes in soundmasking is MDC Low Voltage Systems (MDC), a California-based contractor. According to Mark Mahoney, who is CFO and managing partner, MDC has been involved in soundmasking installations for nearly two decades. Drawing on his vast experience, Mahoney states that, following the pandemic, soundmasking has become more critical than ever. He explains it this way: “We’re experiencing a two-fold transformation in corporate spaces. First, people are returning to the office; second, there is an increased need for hybrid-working spaces and open-office design.” According to Mahoney, that means that some organizations are outfitting only certain operations centers, as opposed to entire spaces. He continues, “We’re starting to see an uptick in soundmasking projects, which is exciting for us.”
Lencore and MDC: Forging a True Partnership
As MDC continues to pursue opportunities to integrate soundmasking and improve client outcomes, the contractor relies on its longstanding partner: Lencore Acoustics (Lencore). The venerable soundmasking leader helps MDC deliver the ultimate experience for its clients. In fact, the two organizations have collaborated successfully for 18 years. “I had never worked with soundmasking until a Lencore representative contacted me,” Mahoney reveals. “However, the more I began to interact with them, the more I realized the need for soundmasking in different environments.” Ever since then, Mahoney and the team at MDC have been working with Lencore.
For Mahoney, Lencore, based in Huntington, N.Y., manifests its most valuable capabilities when providing seamless and easy-to-install systems for installation projects. “Our first choice for soundmasking projects is Lencore,” he declares, “because of the familiarity, pricing and relationship that it offers to not just us but also our clients.” With Lencore’s invaluable assistance, MDC can ensure a holistic, one-time installation for clients, thus increasing their rate of success. Mahoney commends Lencore for its innovative soundmasking technology. Moreover, he praises Lencore has the go-to choice for making complex installations more manageable. “From a contractor’s perspective, that is what I want to provide for our clients,” he remarks.
According to Mahoney, the ability to seamlessly integrate Lencore’s technology helps safeguard and futureproof installations. Thus, the team only needs to occasionally step in for fine-tuning and system updates. He adds that MDC provides additional support by giving clients the in-depth training they need to keep systems running smoothly. “By leveraging Lencore’s technologies, we can deliver a user-friendly and futureproofed system that satisfies our clients’ needs and expectations,” Mahoney enthuses.
Delivering Client Expectations
What lies at the heart of MDC and Lencore’s remarkable partnership? Their closest bond might be tightly aligning on their clients’ needs. In fact, the two companies recently collaborated on a major project involving hundreds of speakers across a space. The client, the University of California San Francisco (UCSF), had constructed a new research and academic building, located adjacent to the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center (ZSFG) campus. Soundmasking was essential for ensuring speech privacy across the entire building. “We had to outfit a 175,000-square-foot, five-story building with soundmasking technology,” Mahoney reveals. “It was, by far, the biggest project we had commissioned in conjunction with Lencore.” In Mahoney’s opinion, UCSF’s clear choice of Lencore technology for the new, expansive, high-profile research facility attests to Lencore’s commitment and capabilities. “They deliver each and every time,” he enthuses.
Lencore and MDC Secret Sauce: Stellar Customer Service
Mahoney notes that, beyond delivering on clients’ needs, MDC prides itself on its top-to-bottom engagement with clients. Here, providing dedicated customer service is part of MDC’s fundamental DNA. “We believe in ensuring extremely quick response times when getting back to our clients,” he adds. “And Lencore helps us achieve that.”
According to Mahoney, it is paramount to have a partner who is willing to pick up the phone at any given time and answer any question that a client might pose. He explains, “Support is really important. That’s essentially what integrators and contractors strive to bring to any project.” In Mahoney’s opinion, it is customer service that truly helps retain customers and build relationships. “It’s why they keep returning to us, and it’s why MDC keeps returning to Lencore!” he declares.
By partnering with Lencore and leveraging its stellar reputation among end users, MDC can elevate the entire experience for all its clients. Thus, Mahoney concludes, the partnership is a two-way street that has ensured longstanding success for vendor and contractor alike. He sums things up this way: “It means something to both of us. Lencore has essentially become a part of our own value proposition.”
