Commercial Integration Blog

Running an organization presents complex, precise challenges.  Technology, as a whole, has mitigated and eased many of these challenges; however, at the same time has created new ones.  With communication and collaboration at the forefront of every successful business, any obstacles that hinder either carry tremendous consequences.  Again, today’s technology has created unprecedented opportunities and abilities to make these objectives easier than ever.  But it only works as well as it’s designed, implemented, and managed, combined with the financial constraints of owning and operating these platforms, this can create a new host of issues.  This is where AV-as-a-Service comes in.

With competition on the rise and efficiencies at an all-time high, a lack of communication, hurdles to collaboration, and downtime are more costly than ever before.  While the technologies that we leverage are allowing for unprecedented growth, businesses and organizations are still very much at their mercy; especially when it comes to usability and reliability. 

With resources becoming more valuable as the pace of business increases, it is vital to prioritize your efforts to make communication more efficient.  However, when it comes to work space design, the logistics of an effective AV platform often go ignored.  Whether you are building a new facility, or simply remodeling; your audio/visual needs should be considered before construction begins.

If you step in to a kitchen inside of a restaurant you’ll notice that the appliances probably look a lot different from the ones in your kitchen at home.  The huge refrigerators, large ovens, stoves, and sinks all serve a very distinct purpose; to prepare massive amounts of meals on a daily basis.  Now this would probably be overkill at your house, but allows a business like a restaurant to perform at the level it requires.  And vice versa, a full-scale restaurant couldn’t operate with a single oven, normal refrigerator, and a microwave.  The same is true when it comes to audio and video equipment for your home and your business.

Video is playing a larger role than ever before, both from a consumer standpoint, but also as a business and organizational initiative.  With networks becoming more affordable, and video becoming the preferred source for knowledge and communication, internet protocol based deployments of video offer a number of benefits compared to traditional delivery methods.

You can have the best guitar player in the world play your favorite song.  Be it Prince, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, anyone.  But if you give them an out of tune instrument, it won’t sound very good.  And, if you were to provide a meticulously engineered, handcrafted, finely tuned guitar to a toddler; you also won’t get the results you intended.  The same is true for the design of your organization’s conference room and work spaces.  The best design and construction possible will be lacking without the appropriate technology and integration; likewise, a state-of-the-art platform will be held back by lackluster design and acoustics.  This is why you need both.

Today we use a number of devices for a number of different things.  However technology has continued to evolve making it easier to do more with less.  While these developments have created opportunities to be more efficient and effective than ever before, it also poses some new challenges; specifically when it comes to people using their own devices for work purposes.  However, there are several benefits that come along with implementing a BYOD policy for your company, as well as ways to mitigate the accompanying challenges.

When things aren’t working well it isn’t just inconvenient, it can be detrimental.  If you’re on the golf course and crushing the ball off of the tee, but can’t make a putt, it can really ruin your round.  Your business’ audio conferencing can have the same effect.  If you have a great strategy to share but can’t hear, or can’t be heard, communicating and collaborating is nearly impossible.  Here are a few things you can do to improve your audio conferencing to get the most out every meeting and collaborative session.

Today more things are connected to a network than ever before.  Sure this is how things have been done for years when it came to computers and printers; but now everything from your thermostat to your refrigerator can be connected.  The same is true for AV devices, platforms, and applications.  So what does your organization need to understand about this advanced connected state of AV that puts many of the devices you already use on your network?

The trade association the represents the professional audiovisual and information communications industries, Infocomm International, is now known as AVIXA.  Established in 1939, Infocomm’s membership has exceeded 5,000 members, ranging from manufacturers, dealers, integrators, consultants, programmers, and more.  Infocomm International is also the founder of the largest annual conference and exhibition for AV buyers and sellers, Infocomm.