Coffee used to help us burn the midnight oil while putting together events and became a point of concern when coffee breaks started to take place at 1 am instead of 1 pm. Knowing meeting planners have much more to worry about than when their next coffee break will be, Martin Production Group thought it best to offer some insight on selecting an audio-visual provider that may assist in taking a load off your plate and getting a little bit more sleep! Below are six points to consider when choosing your audio-visual partner for your next program:
Attendee Experience
Over the course of our careers, we have found that if the attendees walk away with a happy attitude, everyone wins. Every production company has equipment and technical labor, and while those are all important stepping stones in hosting a great event, you can’t forget the true make it or break it, the attendee experience. A question to ask yourself before signing that AV provider is, “can they talk in terms of the attendee experience?” and “do they know the ins and outs of customer experience?”
Build Relationships
We believe the best way to grow a relationship is by working with our clients as often and as consistently as possible in order to better understand their expectations. Imagine what it would be like to not have to restart, refresh, and recap production expectations. Imagine how great life would be if training a new audio-visual company for each event became a thing of the past. Can there be a long-term sustainable relationship with the company you are selecting? Your answer could be the difference between a good show and a GREAT show.
Take Ownership
One thing Martin Production Group is sure of, it’s putting pride and their name on everything they work on. On the other hand, high-volume production houses make so much money that they can afford to write off some losses and still make a profit despite service failures. We truly believe treating the success of your program like your name and reputation depends on it is the right way to run a business. Although it may not be a high priority for some large audio-visual companies, it’s important to take trust in an AV provider that shares your same values.
Create Partnerships
Having a partner approach that is grounded in open and honest communication has been immensely valuable for our team. When all parties involved are working toward the same goal, programs tend to run smoother, on budget, and create lasting impressions that lead to the best attendee experience possible. Will your prospective audio-visual provider truly view you as a partner or will they look at you as a paycheck? Knowing the difference can be crucial to putting on a successful show.
Finding the Right Price
Every program has a budget and although it ranges from production to production, some audio-visual companies can work within your budget and some cannot. Implementing an apples-to-apples comparison with all responses to your requests for approvals can help you weed out the car salesmen from the perfect partner you’re looking for. If you need assistance in doing a comparison, call us as we are always happy to help. Be proactive and don’t wait too long because finding out at the event that you’ve paid more than what you’ve received could lead to disaster.
Be Confident
Remember you are the face of the production. Everything is negotiable…hotel contracts, F&B contracts, audio-visual contracts, etc. In the hotel world, nightly rooms and F&B are the money maker, audio-visual makes nothing but peanuts in comparison. To make it more attractive to the company they sub-contract to, a clause will often be written into a hotel contract that states you will have to use their audio-visual provider, don’t fall for it. Whether you know you are going to use the “in-house” audio-visual provider or not, have that clause removed from the contract for the “just in case” moments. Fully explore your options before making a decision and try to not be tricked into making a decision on the spot. Keep in mind that although hotel, F&B, and AV are important, they are not the only stakes in having a successful production.
Hopefully we have given you some insight that will reduce your worries and have your production going off without a hitch. The experts at Martin Production Group are here to help you spend more time enjoying the show and less time wondering about those midnight coffee breaks. Call us today at (407)973-3372 for all your AV, consultant, and event management needs!