Editor’s Note: This article about Panasonic and its voice of the customer philosophy springs from an in-person conversation at the Almo E4 Experience that took place in Chicago this past fall.
For decades, the Panasonic name has been associated with high-quality, reliable projection technology. As a market leader in projectors 5,000 lumens and up, the company has built an enviable reputation. Under the new moniker Panasonic Projector & Display Americas (PPNDA), the company is broadening its focus, advancing from being a projection specialist to becoming an even more comprehensive provider of visual solutions.
This evolution is driven by a simple yet powerful philosophy: Panasonic listens to the voice of the customer every day. The company showcased this integrated, diversified approach at the Almo E4 Experience in Chicago earlier this fall, when Commercial Integrator’s editors had an opportunity to connect with the team.
The strategic shift was a key theme during the event. “We went there and basically we showed one static projector and everything else was our new integrated approach to the business,” Karl De Manss, senior manager, customer experience, Panasonic, explains.
This approach encompasses a wide portfolio, including offering about 60 display models across four series. The goal is to allow integrators and end users to go deeper and wider with a brand name they already know and trust. “We aren’t just a projector company,” De Manss emphasizes. Here, we’ll explore all the technology that the company offers.
Panasonic on Entering the Direct-View LED Market
A cornerstone of Panasonic’s expanded portfolio is its new direct-view LED (DVLED) solution. Although De Manss acknowledges that the company is “very late to the market with this product,” he emphasizes that the entry is directly responsive to customer demand. “We have a lot of customers that came to Panasonic and said, ‘Hey, listen, guys. You guys are great in projectors; you’re great in displays. We would love to make this an all-Panasonic house, so I don’t have to go out the additional manufacturers,'” he said.
Instead of creating a “me too” product, Panasonic leveraged its extensive engineering expertise to create a truly differentiated offering. A key benefit for integrators centers on ease of installation. The DVLED models, which will be available in 137 and 165 inches, feature a module-based rail design that significantly reduces setup time. “Our set up is, I’d say, half the time — probably less than half the time — than other competitors,” De Manss notes with pride. This efficiency translates directly to boosting integrators’ bottom line, allowing them to complete jobs, faster, with fewer people onsite.
What’s more, Panasonic’s DVLED offering inherits anti-aging technology from its celebrated plasma displays, thus ensuring image quality and product longevity.
All-in-One AV Cart Simplifies Deployment
Another innovation that Panasonic highlighted during the fall E4 Experience in Chicago was a new all-in-one AV cart, a product co-developed with Artome and that was born from customer feedback. This solution addresses the growing need for flexible, plug-and-play AV experiences in spaces ranging from corporate training rooms to university libraries. “The concept with the cart was to simplify it for our customers,” De Manss says.
Designed for ultimate usability, the cart features projector auto-adjustment for keystone, zoom and focus, inbuilt 2.1-channel audio and a built-in 2RU rack for adding components like PTZ cameras, PCs or switching equipment. “Literally, you wheel it in a room; you set it up in a couple minutes; [and] you’re done,” De Manss enthuses. “You’re ready to go.”
De Manss continues, “You don’t have to bring that AV tech onsite a day in advance to get everything up and going. It’s plug and play.”
Angie Greene, business development manager, brand solutions, Almo Pro AV, adds that the cart also facilitates better end-user experiences, particularly in education settings. “In today’s world, in classroom environments, they need to be able to walk around,” she says. “They want to be able to walk around the whole facility. So, this gives them that ability, and that’s huge.”
Panasonic Voice of the Customer: A Commitment to Partnership
Throughout the discussion, De Manss returned to the voice of the customer as the central pillar of Panasonic’s strategy. This philosophy extends beyond product development and into its channel partnerships. The company works closely with distribution partners like Almo Pro AV to streamline processes for resellers. “Because of the feedback from resellers to both Almo and Panasonic, we have established a registration process where they just call up Almo, and Almo will do the registration for them,” De Manss explains.
This deep collaboration is what makes the Panasonic/Almo Pro AV partnership highly effective. And Panasonic, for its part, is intent on further leveling up the renowned brand, not only developing hardware but also building an ecosystem of products, software and support. It’s all designed to address customer pain points and foster long-term loyalty.
As Panasonic continues to evolve, its core commitment remains the same: delivering the quality and reliability the Panasonic name is known for. In delivering on this ambitious commitment, Panasonic and Almo Pro AV are working shoulder to shoulder as collaborators and friends. Greene summarizes this spirit, saying, “I get to work with family is how I feel.” With a smile, she adds, “And that’s a blessing.”
