The foundational shift to remote work has been well documented, but a related paradigm shift has been less visible. Level 3 Audiovisual reports that as companies are forced to modernize their on-premise video conferencing technology to accommodate hybrid work models, they are realizing that treating each site as an individual project and not a holistic program is causing issues. By first strategizing with a partner about the entirety of the AV program and building corporate standards, those organizations are able to speed up delivery, reduce cost, and improve consistency in the user experience and in the support models of those systems. Collaborating with a single AV partner is a new best practice and any organization that isn’t implementing a strategic plan to consider the whole of their AV program will miss out on these benefits. 

Level 3 Audiovisual is a leading AV systems integrator with nearly three decades of experience with clients, including leading colleges, healthcare organizations, and national and global brands in finance, healthcare, hospitality, retail, and other areas. 

Businesses in those sectors and others have embraced hybrid workplace models. Nearly three-quarters of businesses are permanently shifting to more remote work, according to the Gartner consulting firm. 

To do so, they are integrating video conferencing technologies like Zoom Rooms and Teams Rooms into their workplace modernization efforts. More than 60% of organizations report that fragmented technology and outdated infrastructure hinder collaboration and productivity, the AV trade association AVIXA found. 

Organizations have realized that it is imperative to stop treating corporate AV infrastructure implementations as disparate projects and need to adopt a holistic approach. As a solution, enterprising businesses are now collaborating with a single AV partner, a paradigm shift that signals new best practices for businesses. 

“Businesses need to collaborate with an experienced AV partner to strategize and execute comprehensive modernization efforts,” said Jeff Bethke, Chief Business Officer at Level 3 Audiovisual. “By treating AV as one interconnected program, businesses can ensure consistency, ease of support, and efficient deployment, ultimately enhancing user experience and productivity.” 

An experienced AV integrator understands and manages the logistics of the entire program lifecycle: strategize, design, deploy, support, and operate. "We excel when collaborating closely with clients who view our relationship as a strategic partnership. Together, we navigate the intricacies of their standards development and meticulously plan the lifecycle of their systems. However, we've observed that traditionally and too often, interactions are limited to singular discussions between clients and AV contractors, focused solely on individual rooms, neglecting the broader scope of the organization's AV program," Bethke said.

The holistic process begins with deep discovery into the organizational needs and success criteria. “We want to know what isn’t working today, what strategic goals and visions exist in the IT and real estate organizations, and ultimately how that organization will measure success with their AV deployments,” said Bethke. The integrator evaluates system requirements, room sizes and types, and hardware preferences across the organization before assessing original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for support and enterprise partnership suitability.  

In partnership with the client, the integrator also budgets system types to optimize resources and deployment timelines. During deployment, the integrator implements the standardized solutions, commissions the rooms to the same quality management standards, and turns over the room for long-term management based on the planning that was done during the development of the standards.  

Tools like remote monitoring and individual OEM cloud management portals provide support for overtaxed IT departments in the new AV paradigm. The integrator works with the client to address the IT team’s readiness for supporting new rooms and devices. Together, they develop strategies for firmware and software management, provisioning, and monitoring.  

The AV partner also evaluates networking requirements for on-premises and cloud services to ensure seamless integration. They establish scalability and future-proofing as key components of future networking infrastructure decisions.  

The result of the holistic approach with a single AV provider is that every conference room performs to a known standard. A quality testing program will yield consistent results across facilities, where sound levels are optimized; voice communications are clear; cameras are positioned appropriately; rooms can easily join conferences; and systems for sharing content (wireless or cable connections) are consistent. 

From an IT viewpoint, the holistic approach means the organization will be able to manage all conference rooms with minimal burden on the technical staff. Remote monitoring can ensure potential equipment issues are resolved before anyone enters the conference room. 

By forging a lasting, long-term partnership with an AV professional, an organization can benefit from their expertise and insights tailored to the organization's unique needs.  

“We encourage businesses to consider their AV needs as an ongoing program, rather than a collection of individual projects. This shift in perspective can significantly transform workplace technology. Additionally, we invite businesses to engage in conversations with us about developing customized solutions for their AV modernization requirements,” said Bethke.  

To learn more, visit https://level3av.com/ 

Level 3 Audiovisual is a leading AV systems integrator with nearly three decades of experience with clients, including leading colleges, healthcare organizations, and national and global brands in finance, healthcare, hospitality, retail, and other areas.

Businesses in those sectors and others have embraced hybrid workplace models. Nearly three-quarters of businesses are permanently shifting to more remote work, according to the Gartner consulting firm.

To do so, they are integrating video conferencing technologies like Zoom Rooms and Teams Rooms into their workplace modernization efforts. More than 60% of organizations report that fragmented technology and outdated infrastructure hinder collaboration and productivity, the AV trade association AVIXA found.

Organizations have realized that it is imperative to stop treating corporate AV infrastructure implementations as disparate projects and need to adopt a holistic approach. As a solution, enterprising businesses are now collaborating with a single AV partner, a paradigm shift that signals new best practices for businesses.

“Businesses need to collaborate with an experienced AV partner to strategize and execute comprehensive modernization efforts,” said Jeff Bethke, Chief Business Officer at Level 3 Audiovisual. “By treating AV as one interconnected program, businesses can ensure consistency, ease of support, and efficient deployment, ultimately enhancing user experience and productivity.”

An experienced AV integrator understands and manages the logistics of the entire program lifecycle: strategize, design, deploy, support, and operate. "We excel when collaborating closely with clients who view our relationship as a strategic partnership. Together, we navigate the intricacies of their standards development and meticulously plan the lifecycle of their systems.

However, we've observed that traditionally and too often, interactions are limited to singular discussions between clients and AV contractors, focused solely on individual rooms, neglecting the broader scope of the organization's AV program," Bethke said.

The holistic process begins with deep discovery into the organizational needs and success criteria. “We want to know what isn’t working today, what strategic goals and visions exist in the IT and real estate organizations, and ultimately how that organization will measure success with their AV deployments,” said Bethke. The integrator evaluates system requirements, room sizes and types, and hardware preferences across the organization before assessing original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for support and enterprise partnership suitability.

In partnership with the client, the integrator also budgets system types to optimize resources and deployment timelines. During deployment, the integrator implements the standardized solutions, commissions the rooms to the same quality management standards, and turns over the room for long-term management based on the planning that was done during the development of the standards.

Tools like remote monitoring and individual OEM cloud management portals provide support for overtaxed IT departments in the new AV paradigm. The integrator works with the client to address the IT team’s readiness for supporting new rooms and devices. Together, they develop strategies for firmware and software management, provisioning, and monitoring.

The AV partner also evaluates networking requirements for on-premises and cloud services to ensure seamless integration. They establish scalability and future proofing as key components of future networking infrastructure decisions.

The result of the holistic approach with a single AV provider is that every conference room performs to a known standard. A quality testing program will yield consistent results across facilities, where sound levels are optimized; voice communications are clear; cameras are positioned appropriately; rooms can easily join conferences; and systems for sharing content (wireless or cable connections) are consistent.

From an IT viewpoint, the holistic approach means the organization will be able to manage all conference rooms with minimal burden on the technical staff. Remote monitoring can ensure potential equipment issues are resolved before anyone enters the conference room.

By forging a lasting, long-term partnership with an AV professional, an organization can benefit from their expertise and insights tailored to the organization's unique needs.

“We encourage businesses to consider their AV needs as an ongoing program, rather than a collection of individual projects. This shift in perspective can significantly transform workplace technology. Additionally, we invite businesses to engage in conversations with us about developing customized solutions for their AV modernization requirements,” said Bethke.

To get started on your AV program, contact us!