Sound Advice: Aid Memoire!

Our columnist’s recent articles on assistive listening systems left readers wanting to hear more. He shares some of the feedback he’s received on this important subject, highlighting some of readers’ major concerns pertaining to assistive listening systems.
By Peter Mapp, FASA, FAES

Sign Age: New Year, New Views

The new year is as opportune moment as any to take stock of your digital signage systems and determine if they’re keeping pace with current technology and rising user expectations. We tell you what you need to know to keep your digital signage ahead of the curve in 2016.
By Shonan Noronha, EdD

House of Worship: Business: 2016: The Year of 4K?

When it comes to display technology, 4K is the next big thing. But does it offer enough of an upgrade from HD to justify church leaders jumping on the 4K bandwagon just as it’s leaving the station? Our columnist shares his thoughts.
By David Lee Jr., PhD

The Commish: Trust

It can be next to impossible to do business if all parties involved don’t trust each other. And the best way to build trust in any business relationship is to ensure that everyone is accountable for their work. We offer some suggestions as to how increased accountability can help you build trust among your clients.
By James Maltese, CTS-D, CTS-I, CQT

What Would You Do?: Customer Service

One of the trickiest parts of customer service is knowing how to make things right when you mess things up. Often, you have to strike a balance between making your customers happy and ensuring that you’re not doing too much to make it up to them. Our columnist shares a recent retail experience that made him realize the importance of striking this balance.
By Douglas Kleeger, CTS-D, DMC-E, XTP-E, KCD

InfoComm POV: The Case For Proper Documentation

There’s a running gag in the commercial AV business that some of the best system designs were sketched on a napkin. But there’s a degree of truth to any good joke, and the truth is that documentation is not a major priority for every integration company. We make the case for why these companies should ditch the napkin sketch approach and join the rest of the industry in the 21^st century.
By Ann Brigida, CTS, CStd

NSCA POV: What Will Propel Our Industry In 2016?

As a new year of possibilities looms, everyone wants to know how their company can stand out from the crowd in 2016. With that in mind, NSCA’s Executive Director highlights some of the major trends sweeping the industry and offers advice on how you can help drive these trends over the next twelve months.
By Chuck Wilson

Down To Business: Next Level Help Center

It’s never a good look in business if you’re trying to sell something but you don’t use it yourself. In the commercial AV industry, too many companies that specialize in videoconferencing still rely on good old fashioned phone calls to handle customer service. Our columnist explains how you can improve your customer service by using the technology you sell to your clients.
By Daniel Newman

Consultant’s POV: What To Do?

Today’s most successful companies recognize that our society is transitioning from a transactional economy to an experiential economy. These companies offer their customers an experience they can buy into, rather than simple commodities or services. Our columnist highlights some of the strengths of certain companies that have been quick to adapt to this changing business climate.
By John Mayberry

Industry POV: Are They Smarter Than A Fifth Grader? The Audio Edition, Part 2

As part of a continuing series, the Business Development Manager for Almo Professional A/V tells you everything you need to know about how microphones work in language so simple a fifth grader could understand it.
By Rob Ziv, CTS

Serving Colorado

The Colorado State Emergency Operations Center recently underwent a major AV overhaul, replacing its aging video projection system and barely audible audio system with videowalls and a state-of-the-art sound delivery system. Integrator CCS Presentation Systems was tasked with completing this high-profile installation in 30 days. We show you how they pulled it off.
By Dan Daley

Life Systems

The University of Florida in Gainesville’s George T. Harrell, M.D., Medical Education Building uses the latest AV technology in its training rooms, patient and manikin simulation spaces, student and faculty lounges, meeting rooms, and experiential theater to train the next generation of medical students. We got the inside scoop on this tech-savvy learning center from LMG, the Sextant Group and Education Management Solutions.
By Jim Stokes

Take Command

Network operations control centers provide vital security and monitoring services and rely on the latest video and networking technologies to accomplish these tasks. In this column, the Vice President of Business Development and Solutions for NEC Display Solutions explains how command centers of various types use these technologies to keep us safe and keep our businesses running.
By Richard Ventura

AVent Horizon: Whither Wireless Goes…

The specter of the upcoming FCC wireless spectrum auction has left integrators and manufacturers alike unsure of the future of their wireless systems. Our columnist examines the possibilities presented by the auction and attempts to presage what your wireless systems will look like once the auction is all said and done.
By Pete Putman, CTS, ISF