New Business Entertainment

Technologies Demand Quality Practices

By Lon Troxel
Executive Chairman, PlayNetwork Inc.

System integrators and service technicians who have invested in skills training for new technical tools and equipment have been rewarded by new service opportunities created by advances in audio and video technology.

In recent years, this has been especially true in the business entertainment industry with the introduction of digital broadcast satellite and network based media distribution systems. The industry has seen an increase in demand from the retail, restaurant, and hospitality sectors for highly customized and sometimes very complex audio/video entertainment systems. Retailers and others are turning to new and innovative system technology solutions with the objective of further differentiating their in-store customer experience.

Quality Practices Are In Demand

Some of today’s high-profile audio/video installations incorporate digital signal processing equipment and software, multi-zone digital signal distribution, plasma screens, and liquid-crystal displays — all within single client locations. So naturally there is a growing demand for skilled integrators and service contractors that can support these complex projects.

Industry conferences such as NSCA and InfoComm have helped provide education for

audio and video integrators who want to expand their skill sets. But to become a valued resource for high-profile installations, integrators should also consider aligning their business practices with in-store entertainment providers and integrators that are employing standards based practices that benefit clients.

Better ROI for Clients

For national brands, quality system performance is as essential as quality music and video programming. They also want to ensure that the cost of implementation is balanced by a reasonable ROI and the overall impact on their customer experience.

Entertainment service providers are now being asked by their retail clients to clearly document exactly the performance standards expected for every system design and installation, and to outline how service calls should be conducted in order to save time, money, and ensure consistency of performance from one location to another.

Simply by documenting what system components are provided and what services are performed at each location has gone a long way already in helping retailers save on unnecessary service related costs.

As these and other practices are more widely adopted, audio/video contractors and

service technicians may find the number of their truck rolls reduced as quality designs and quality equipment become more reliable and better technologies allow for remote (via network monitoring) troubleshooting.

The Big Picture for Contractors

Leading national brands are looking to feature complex, better-performing systems that are also friendlier to long-term ROI, especially when their level of performance must be consistent across hundreds of national account locations.

Contractors that can support today’s new audio/video technical requirements will not only associate their businesses with a new source of high-profile installations, but will also better equip themselves for even greater opportunities as technology continues to drive new competitive service distinctions.