The AV industry is evolving, but several business tactics haven’t caught up yet. The strategies, sales models and development cycles that worked a decade ago are showing real strain in today’s environment. As systems become more complex and user expectations continue to rise, doing business as usual simply isn’t enough. Now, business leaders need fresh ideas, modern business methods and new approaches to product development, strategy and collaboration. Moreover, innovation has to go far beyond features and specifications. Today, it needs to be reflected in how we think, build and serve across the board or we will not survive.
As the AV industry looks ahead in 2026, independent advocacy is no longer a “nice-to-have” element. According to Kevin Case, founder of AV Agents, this shift has been years in the making; however, recent industry changes have made it unavoidable.
Why Independent Advocacy Matters
Case originally envisioned AV Agents as an advocacy firm back in 2016 after overseeing global AV deployments on the corporate side.
“I saw firsthand the value an unbiased lead could bring. Cost savings, cleaner execution and far less chaos across multi-site projects,” he explains.
Early realities, however, required adaptation. Like many growing firms, AV Agents evolved into fulfillment, installation and subcontracting to meet immediate market demand.
However, the original vision is finally returning to center stage. Over the last 12 to 18 months, Case has watched complexity accelerate at every layer of AV. AV-over-IP has matured; AI-driven features are becoming mainstream; cloud management is expanding; and platforms are converging at a rapid pace.
“Even experienced professionals struggle to stay current,” he notes. “For organizations that only refresh systems every few years, one design mistake can cripple productivity for months.”
At the same time, shrinking hardware margins paired with rising sales quotas have created pressure across traditional procurement models. Case points out that systems that once cost twice as much are now far cheaper; yet, the expectations on sales teams haven’t eased. As a result, the imbalance can quietly shift priorities away from education and toward speed. This then leaves clients most vulnerable during high-stress buildouts and refresh cycles.
Independent advocacy steps in at this moment, ensuring that decisions stay client-centered and that outcomes are designed for long-term success, not short-term transactions.
Where Traditional Models Fall Short
Misaligned incentives remain one of the AV industry’s most persistent challenges. Manufacturers often use rebates, spiffs and tiered pricing to influence product preference, which can shape system designs in ways clients never see. “Different integrators are rewarded differently for the same products,” Case remarks. “That uneven playing field impacts decisions far more than most end users realize.”
Having worked on both sides of the table, Case understands how these gaps appear and how costly they become.
As a senior project manager at an integrator, his role extended beyond timelines into filling scope gaps, sourcing missing funding and keeping delivery teams aligned.
Later, as an internal AV leader at a major financial institution, he experienced the client-side consequences: Inconsistent pricing on identical SKUs, poorly defined scopes, vendor-owned code and millions spent without leverage.
“We were paying premium prices without extended warranties, discounts or strategic alignment,” he recalls.
AV Agents Redefines Its Philosophy
Over time, Case rebuilt procurement processes, negotiated direct manufacturer relationships and created repeatable systems from budgeting through site activation.
The result was as follows: Clearer forecasting, stronger budgets and AV environments that actually served the business.
Those experiences shaped AV Agents’ philosophy today. “True advocacy only works when you operate fully inside the client’s sphere,” Case emphasizes. “You have to hold the trust of the person writing the checks. We show up. We fight for you.”
Designing for the Long View
Among AV advocacy’s four pillars — procurement, validation, ecosystem alignment and delivery oversight — Case believes ecosystem alignment is where organizations struggle most.
Unlike procurement or installation, alignment requires stepping back and planning three to five years ahead in a rapidly changing industry.
Organizations often lack the bandwidth or neutral expertise to answer hard questions about standardization, platform longevity, vendor lock-in or even cross-team alignment between IT, facilities, real estate and end users.
Without that big-picture ownership, decisions become reactive. For instance, firms end up refreshing one space at a time, inheriting fragmented systems and paying heavily later to correct avoidable mistakes.
“The cost of poor alignment shows up years later,” Case says. “By then, remediation is far more expensive than a proactive strategy would have been.”
Looking to the Future
Looking ahead, Case sees independent advocacy accelerating a broader industry shift. Manufacturers are already paying closer attention to consultants and advocates who influence specifications. Traditional sales roles are evolving as buyers become more informed and comfortable purchasing through digital channels. “For an industry built on innovation, we’ve been slow to innovate our own business practices,” he observes.
Final Thoughts
Independent advocacy isn’t about disruption for its own sake. Instead, it is about restoring balance and placing unbiased expertise directly alongside the client. When that happens, projects improve, partnerships strengthen and the entire AV ecosystem moves toward transparency, efficiency and outcomes that truly work. Many of us are ready for a change because what formerly worked just isn’t the answer any longer.
Are you open to independent advocacy? Let’s chat about it over on LinkedIn. I can’t wait to hear your thoughts!
Alesia Hendley is a multimedia journalist and content creator.
