Well-established in the AV industry as a valuable, free, one-day traveling education, training and product showcase for integrators, consultants and end users, the E4 Experience is an experience that is unmissable! On September 10, 2024, the E4 Experience arrived in Boston with a packed show floor and ample education sessions for attendees.
In fact, according to Exertis Almo, the show saw 355 attendees and completion of 240 CTS RUs (in addition to the 1,000 attendees and 1,000 CTS RUs from the spring E4 Experiences). Below are some key takeaways from the E4 Experience in Boston!
Personalized Networking and Education Opportunities
Photo courtesy: Exertis Almo.
According to John Riley, SVP of sales east, Exertis Almo, the E4 Experience places more emphasis on education and new products in a localized format. “We had over 650 integrators at our show in Chicago, and it was our best ever,” Riley enthuses. “A lot of companies are cutting back on sending their people to bigger trade shows. However, they see more value in sending their engineers and other staff to interact with integrators and manufacturers to the E4 events for a more personalized, nuanced networking experience,” he adds.
For Riley, the networking is a crucial aspect of why the E4 events are successful year after year. “It provides such an opportunity for integrators to sit down and discuss challenges and establish great relationships,” he explains. In some cases, integrators also work together on projects where there is shortage of labor or even products.
Pointing to the “Educate” aspect in the “E4,” Riley underscores how each session is deliberately tailored to meet customers’ needs and interests. “We truly value our engagement and interactions with vendor partners and customers, and so we try to create sessions that are more relevant to the market trends,” he adds. Riley then reveals, “For the Boston event, we have a packed session on enhancing AI in collaboration spaces,” According to him, this session is especially beneficial as companies are now figuring out how to tap AI into different applications. “Although it’s just two initials, everyone is still learning how to use it properly,” Riley remarks.
Increased Focus on Service Offerings
Along with networking opportunities, Exertis Almo has also expanded its service offerings to partners and customers. Cory Allen, VP of services, Exertis Almo, states that the new offerings stemmed from in-depth, technical conversations with customers regarding programming services, especially in the design build phase. “While some integrators and customers may have expertise in one control system,” he begins. “There may be times where they need to serve and support other control systems but they may not have the required skillset or the design/support phase to perform it on their own.”
According to Allen, not only is Exertis Almo providing the programming services but is also educating customers on the different programming capabilities and control systems. Moreover, the expanded service offerings also includes remote installation support. “So, we offer remote support where we walk [onsite customers] through the entire process,” Allen says. He underscores that this remote support is available to customers at all times. “They can call us over Teams, TeamViewer or the phone, and we help them get the system up and running,” remarks Allen.
Bringing in Drafters
Besides these, Allen also expresses his enthusiasm for providing drafting services for clients and partners. Noting the resource constraint within the AV industry where hiring drafters is not only difficult but also expensive, Allen proclaims that Exertis Almo is looking to fulfill the demand as well as bring in the level of expertise required on different projects. “If a customer has that resource constraint, then our drafter can be employed by them for an extended period of time,” he says. “It’s a one-on-one engagement where they are contracted on the basis of the project needs, be it a month or two or even six months.”
Allen also emphasizes that there is no turnover as it is the same drafter for the project which further adds to the reliability and consistency of the services. “We’re really excited about this one as we’ve seen an incredible need for it from various integrator partners,” he enthuses.
Celebrating Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
According to Morgan Glandorf, director of services, Exertis Almo, and recipient of CI‘s 40 Under 40 Class of 2024, being recognized as someone who values women empowerment has continued to be a motivator to keep growing as a leader. “It’s super important for me to be somebody that supports other women — younger or older — especially as a mother of a three-year old daughter,” she begins. “Once you have access to the rooms and can hold your own, then you can elevate other women and [balance] the scales of women executives.” Glandorf, along with Allen, note that having recognition outside of the organization itself helps achieve a bigger impact beyond what they currently do.
The journey to director of services has also played a major role in shaping Glandorf’s perspective in the AV industry. She remarks, “I love learning about the drones and emerging technology, and now getting to see how AV is constantly expanding from how we currently define it is [amazing].” She hopes to continue her trajectory at Exertis Almo and continue growing as a leader. “I’ll also be part of a one-year program called Nexus to elevate women [and their careers],” says Glandorf.
Why ADA Compliance Matters
Photo courtesy: Exertis Almo.
At the E4 Experience Boston, one of the most compelling sessions was led by Rob Voorhees, director of business development, Exertis Almo. The session stemmed from the journey of his autistic daughter, Samantha, and their shared experiences. In this session, Voorhees highlighted the importance of integrating ADA-compliant devices and spaces.
“The importance of acoustics and lighting lies in making people feel comfortable and that includes those on the autism spectrum,” says Voorhees. “For example, when you have audio of varying levels or extremely bright lights, [the experience] continues to get worse, not better.” Such experiences not only affect those on the spectrum but everyone present in the space. From Voorhees’ perspective, following the ADA compliance rules can help eliminate such spaces as well as protect the rights of people with disabilities. As an example he points to LED lights which are still not common as it is a cost prohibitive measure as compared to fluorescent lights. “However, it is a lot less harsh which helps employees feel comfortable while also conserving energy,” he explains.
When referring to ADA compliance, it also comes down to the installation and provision of technologies versus the actual hardware itself being ADA compliant. “According to ADA compliance standards, mounts should not be more than four inches away from the wall to protect the visually impaired,” says Voorhees. “Similarly, providing noise-cancelling headphones for employees on the spectrum helps reduce the sensory overload and allows them to focus on their tasks.”
Voorhees also spoke extensively on hiring practices for neurodivergent people as well as Exertis Almo’s own dedication to uplifting the values of diversity, equity and inclusion. For a more in-depth feature on Voorhees’ session at E4 Experience in Boston, check back for part 2!
