January 27, 2023 | Reviewed by Sam Scott

AV plays a massive role in today's business and education environments. Wherever people need to communicate, collaborate or learn, you'll find AV solutions to aid them.

Audiovisual technology has become an expectation of any commercial facility. It enables the communication of urgent messages with digital signage and paging speakers, provides flexibility with videoconferencing and hybrid workspaces, and generates revenue via meeting and conference room rentals. In addition, many construction projects now feature AV installation crews alongside traditional trades like electricians, drywallers, and painters.

Commercial AV is a fast-moving industry, and it's no longer reasonable to expect an IT generalist, architect, or electrical engineer to understand the intricacies of a complex AV design or the latest available products. You need a specialist to design and specify these systems, identify the right contractor for the job, and provide quality assurance throughout the project.

Hiring an AV consultant to take these activities off your plate will save you time, money, and a lot of stress. 

What Does An Audio Visual Consultant Do?

An AV consultant leads clients through the process of planning, designing, procuring and installing an AV system. We are there to guide you from your earliest concept to the day you sign off on a verified problem-free system.

AV consultants are independent. We don't sell equipment or have any financial relationship with the manufacturers. This keeps us free from bias and allows us to choose the right products for the project. We are compensated solely from the fees we charge for our AV consulting services.

At Chroma, we use a four-step process to ensure you get the right design, infrastructure, and technology for your organization’s needs:

1. Discovery and Planning

2. Design

3. Procurement

4. Execution

Discovery And Planning

The AV consulting process starts with the planning stage. First, we work with your team to gain a deep understanding of your organization's needs and the high-level outcomes you hope to achieve. Then, we’ll put together a conceptual solution and estimate to guide you. We’ll propose alternative approaches and technologies to ensure we land on the right AV solution for your needs.

After a conceptual design is agreed upon, we will refine the solution into a clear technical scope of work. 

AV Design

AV design services are a critical component of any AV installation project and will lower your total cost of ownership. We develop detailed AV system drawings and specifications while periodically reviewing them with your team. As an audio visual consultancy, we’re constantly researching new technologies and will incorporate the most suitable products into your design.

We work with the other specialists on your project, such as the electrical engineer, to ensure things like electrical power, conduit, and backing are distributed appropriately for the AV system’s needs. We will also specify heating loads and ventilation requirements for your mechanical engineer.

Then, we help you procure your equipment and AV installer.

Procurement

When it comes time to procure your AV system, the AV consultant's role is to integrate the technical specifications into your overall construction package and identify the best vendor for the job. We will help you pre-qualify appropriate contractors, invite them to propose solutions and pricing, and evaluate the bids.

Having a contractor design your AV system comes with risks!

AV contractors profit by selling products, and some brands offer a higher margin than others. While you can't fault a salesperson for selling their most profitable product, there's a good chance it won’t be the right product for you. This is why the company that designs an AV system should not be the same one that sells it. It's a clear conflict of interest, and you may not get the best value for money. 

Execution

An AV consultant's work doesn't stop after procurement. Retaining your consultant throughout the installation phase and until AV commissioning will help protect the investment you've made.

As the contractor installs the systems you've purchased, it's essential to have an independent third party review the work. Why? A contractor is typically looking to make the best margin they can on the job. Unfortunately, this means setting up the system in as little time as possible, which increases the risk of defects that may not be immediately noticeable.

With an independent consultant representing your interests, you can trust the installation will be carried out to a high standard. An AV consultant will also ensure the work meets safety standards while the AV install progresses on schedule.

Furthermore, the consultant will review applications for payment from the AV contractor and advise you on which milestones are due. Once the installation is complete, your consultant will commission the system, a process that involves a comprehensive review, validation of testing, and reporting on any project deficiencies. 

We also review the manuals and project drawings your contractor provides. These documents are crucial for future troubleshooting and system upgrades, so they must be accurate and comprehensive.

An AV consultant acts as the facilitator between the AV contractor, your technical staff, and the design team. Having a single specialist that understands the needs of all parties will ensure the job runs smoothly.

The Alternative To AV Consulting Services

It’s every project leader’s worst nightmare when they have an idea of how they want a room to work, spend a ton of money on it, and just don’t get what they paid for. Here are some of the risks of bypassing an AV consultant:

• Deficiencies. What happens when you use your system for the first time… and it doesn't work the way you expected? The invoices are paid, and the contractors are long gone. Who pays to reconcile the situation?

• Reliability. A system that doesn't work consistently has no place in your business. When your employees sit down for a meeting and the system won't start, the delay and rescheduling cost time and money. Worse, if it doesn't perform reliably, your staff will lose trust in the system and may never use it again. The AV system ends up being just a frustrating pile of junk. Expensive junk.

• Usability. Similarly, a system that's challenging to use will not benefit its users or your organization. For example, a poorly thought-out control system quickly becomes an unwelcome distraction when it's time to start a meeting. Conversely, a system designed with usability in mind will get you up and running quickly — with few clicks and little energy burned.

• Flexibility. What happens a year or two down the road when you need to upgrade your AV system? Will the infrastructure support it? Is the technology modular and adaptable? Do you have the documents you need to understand how the system was installed in order to bring it up to date?

An AV consultant’s fees represent a surprisingly small percentage of the overall system budget. At the same time, the cost of risks can be significant — many times fee amount over the short- and long-term. The benefit of avoiding these risks can easily justify the cost of retaining an audio visual consultancy.

Summary

The technical requirements of today’s corporate and education environments indicate that you should incorporate an independent AV consultant into your design team at the start of the project.

Your consultant will work with your team to gain a deep understanding of your needs and present the most appropriate AV solutions. They will also prepare the technical drawings and specifications, coordinate these with the rest of the bid package, and identify the right contractor for the job.

During the installation, your AV consultant will be your trusted facilitator on site to ensure the work is performed as specified and to professional standards. Lastly, they will provide that all deficiencies are corrected before the AV contractor is paid in full.

If you’d like to speak with an AV consultant about your AV project, contact Chroma today.

FAQs

What is an audio visual consultant?

An audio visual consultant is a professional who specializes in the planning, design, and installation of audio-visual systems and technology.

Why should you hire an AV consultant?

It is no longer reasonable to expect an IT generalist or electrical engineer to understand the intricacies of a complex AV design. You should hire a specialist to design and specify these systems.

What does an AV consultant do?

An AV consultant leads clients through the process of planning, designing, procuring, and installing an AV system, generally in a commercial construction project setting.

Should I just have the installation contractor design my AV system?

The company that designs an AV system should not be the same one that sells it. This is because AV contractors are motivated to sell high-margin products that might not be ideal for your system.

What are the risks of bypassing an AV consultant?

Without an AV consultant, you risk paying for an inflexible AV system with unresolved deficiencies, unreliable operation, and poor usability.