Why Switch AV Providers?

Here are our thoughts on why you might want to make a switch from your current AV / event technology provider

As you know, successful event planning is all about surrounding yourself with partners that align with your vision for your event.

We can also agree that there are fantastic companies throughout the country filled with talented AV professionals. They may have been your partner on past events that were executed perfectly.

If you have a partner that you enjoy working with and have been successful - congratulations! We’re honestly happy to hear that.

Though we’d love to discuss what we can do, we’re happy to know that your events are in great hands.

Unfortunately, if any aspect of your extended team does not meet your standards or exceed your expectations, the rest of your event could become at risk.

While we’re sure there are more than listed below, here are a few reasons that we’ve found clients switch from their current provider. If any of these feel familiar, please contact us for a reliable partner that exceeds your expectations.

• Unprofessionalism: Meetings, events, and conferences often have a certain level of expectations among the attendees, event organizers, and all vendor partners. Many AV companies fail to realize that while technology is important, our industry is all about service and hospitality. Ensuring that your AV partner meets that level of professionalism is important so the “tech team” in the back of the room doesn’t stand out in the worst way creating an odd juxtaposition among your attendees and your vendors.

• Cost: Event technology doesn’t have to be expensive. In truth, value is the most important aspect of the budget discussion. If your AV team isn’t matching your needs to the correct solution, you may be paying top price for aspects of your meeting without seeing the benefit. Further, taking your budget into consideration is crucial at the design phase of your event planning. Many in-house teams have to pay a commission to the hosting venue which means that you are paying more for very similar services by using their default team.

• Lack of experience: There are many aspects of the event planning world that you just have to experience to understand. From last minute changes to unforeseen obstacles, there are so many opportunities that are not covered in any training manuals. You’ll want to choose a partner with years of problem solving experience along with the knowledge of what to look out for in the hopes of avoiding common mistakes on your events.

• Bad reputation: If you are hearing horror stories about your current provider but you are still happy with your team, that may be a red flag. It is great that you have been having good shows so far and keeping familiar partners close can be a great thing. However, it may only be a matter of time before you see what others are saying. Some companies may be stronger in some regions than other. Some of your events may have luckily gotten top talent. Either way, if your trusted colleagues are not as confident as you in this team, it may be worth looking around for an alternative.

• Not Keeping Up with New Technology: While we know that technology is continually changing. But that also means that your attendees’ expectations are continuing to change as well. Even repeat events that may feel similar to prior years see that attendees are expecting more. While this doesn’t mean having to spend top dollar on the latest technology straight out of the Super Bowl, it does mean that keeping up with the latest and great (while keeping your budget in mind) is crucial to provide you the options that you need. If your provider is continually offering the “same old”, it may be time to look into other providers and see what resources that have available to suggest.

• Poor service: Hospitality has to be at the core of the event industry. WIthout great service, your AV provider is just a rental service where you never know what you are going to get. We believe that event technology is “90% hospitality and 10% tech”. If you think that you are forced to deal with sub-par service and a lack of a hospitality mindset, consider talking to different providers and specifically mentioning this point.

Finally, above all — finding the right AV provider for your event is all about ensuring your AV provider listens to you and learns what your needs and expectations are for your event. It is their job to interpret this to professionally provide the appropriate options to you and then execute the show using experienced talent and technology…and to do so within budget.

We’d love an opportunity to discuss how we might be that right provider for your next event. Please click the “Contact Us” button below for more information or email us directly at info@equinoxaudiovisuals.com.