We know some of you click on every pro AV article we post within seconds of when it goes live on our site.
But, if you can believe it, some readers out there occasionally miss one or two of the stories we post on our site, meaning they’re not able to garner the wisdom we’re dispensing several times a day.
The good news for those who may have missed a few pro AV articles at some point this year is we’ve gathered some of the dark horses into a single post for you right here.
Let’s take a look at some of the most underappreciated pieces we’ve published this year and make sure everyone makes the most of their second chance to check them out.
Pro AV Articles on Going Global
If you’re not at least considering a global expansion strategy, you’re falling behind your competitors. Even if your strategy is finding overseas partners who can meet the needs of your domestic customers when they decide to dip their toes into waters outside the confines of North America, do it now.
Speaking of international phenomena, ISE 2018 attracted more than 80,000 people to the RAI in Amsterdam in February, including a record-setting number of end users. That growth has led to ISE announcing a move to Barcelona in 2021.
The growth in end user numbers is becoming a common trend at some of pro AV’s biggest shows and many integrators are wondering why they have to share trade show floor space with their customers. The savvy ones, though, are inviting them to join them.
Articles on Handling the Future
There are plenty of successful companies out there at various stages of growth and we’ve obviously seen a flurry of mergers and acquisitions in the past few years. One of the keys to ensuring your company enjoys decades of success is being ready to sell from the first day you open the door.
Also, if you haven’t thought about some sort of recurring monthly revenue stream—and based on everything we’ve heard from you, many of you haven’t—you’re going to run into a serious problem soon, as product margins continue to shrink and labor rates continue to go up.
Everyone knows Alexa is taking over everything they do at home and soon Alexa, Watson and other voice control devices will be part of every corporate meeting and classroom study session. Control, for those who don’t know, is different than automation, but both are important concepts to understand.
Why are so many AV integrators afraid to work with digital signage content creators? Because of that fear, they’re missing out on extra opportunities to work closely with their clients and forcing them to find another company do something they could offer with some creativity.
Why Pro AV Needs More Young People and Diversity
The sad reality of the world these days is school shootings have become a far-too-common part of life in America these days. That means AV and security integrators can play an important role in helping school officials protect themselves, their students and teachers from becoming the next school that’s attacked.
For the past few years, AV integrators have complained about the lack of young talent in the industry, but we’re finally starting to see some serious turnaround in that area, from AVIXA’s grant program, the NSCA Ignite initiative, EnventU’s now-annual trips to InfoComm shows and Maverick Technical Institute and other programs like it.
Another major issue that took center stage this year was the lack of diversity across the AV industry. AVIXA is trying to do something about that by launching a Diversity Council at InfoComm 2018. While the effort certainly has its detractors, members of the council believe it’s necessary and will be fruitful.
Pro AV Articles on Training and Certification
Training and certification is becoming more important for customers who are trying to make sure the work they’re getting done will not only be done within the budget they’ve allocated for it, but will be done right the first time so they won’t feel the effect of downtime in today’s fast-paced environment.
Many companies go to as many classes and training sessions as they possibly can cram into their schedules, but they don’t think about protecting themselves and their businesses from hackers or others who are looking to bring them down in a single mouse click.
Want more pro AV articles with business advice? Click here
Success Stories
Unified Technology Systems, formerly known as Unified AV Systems, decided to rebrand this year to reflect the fact its offerings have expanded well beyond AV integration. With most AV components now on the network, IT skills and aptitude have taken on increased importance for everyone in the space.
ET Group in Toronto is taking an entirely different approach to AV integration than many others in the space and it’s one that’s garnering a lot of attention among their competitors. I
n fact, NSCA gave ET Group an Excellence in Business award in February for its self-management approach that strips away silos and leadership teams to give everyone an equal voice in every decision.
Our Integrator of the Year, Ford Audio-Video, has spent the past 45 years building a successful company that’s rooted in a basic tenet of ensuring they always fulfill the promises they make.
They’ve made inroads in a variety of vertical markets and grown steadily on the back of that basic commitment to excellence. It’s a model most in the industry should follow, but few do things quite the same way.
