The workplace as we know it has changed drastically since the beginning of 2020. Through the end of this year, and moving forward into 2021, we expect to see organizations embracing more remote work and relying heavily on AV systems to nurture communications and collaboration for a dispersed workforce of in-person and at-home workers.

Now is the time to take a second look at the audiovisual equipment in your business’s conference rooms and meeting spaces. As your business adapts to new challenges, your technology should adapt too. Keep reading to discover three signs that indicate it’s time to upgrade the equipment in your Tempe, AZ, meeting spaces.

When you hear the word “start-up,” you might think of a small group of people toiling away on a protype in a basement or garage while they live off noodles and energy drinks. But in today’s market, rather than being lean basement operations, technology start-ups are consistently ranked among the best places to work, thanks to high salaries and competitive perks. Many tech start-ups also have high valuations with capital to spend—the enterprise tech market, for example, is projected to reach $3.8 trillion this year. Investing some of that money in powerful AV technology can help successful tech start-ups stay at the top of the heap.

Most people are familiar with the motto “reduce, reuse, and recycle,” but some things are easier to re-purpose than others. While anyone with a pair of scissors can turn an old pair of jeans into a hip pair of cut-offs, for example, re-purposing an older building for a new use is more complicated. Known as adaptive reuse, this can require a careful balance of preserving historical elements while introducing modern technology and improving accessibility. Working on AV projects in older, historic buildings often requires creative problem-solving, and that makes choosing an integrator familiar with preservation guidelines a very important step in the adaptive reuse process. Here are three things to discuss with your integrator before you tackle an AV project in a historic building.

Audio visual technology and integration standards are changing fast, so keeping technology personnel up-to-date on training and product knowledge has become a significant challenge. Lack of training can lead to problems like miscommunication over technology needs, inadequate system testing and fine-tuning, delayed AV installations, and increased costs to fix or replace poor quality systems. As a technology manager, you want to ensure your organization gets the right AV systems, that they perform as intended, and that they’re installed and integrated following industry best practices.

If you’ve ever bought a house, planned a wedding, or organized a large corporate event, you’ve probably consulted a list of preferred vendors. Preferred vendors are service providers who have been vetted by a realtor, a wedding planner, or a venue—for example—and are recommended for superior service—and because of their partner relationships they often offer superior pricing as well. For large entities such as state and local governments, universities, or corporations, using preferred vendors has the added benefit of amplified buying power. By purchasing a large volume of goods or services from a preferred vendor—for example, laptops for every city employee or catering for every university event—the price comes down as the volume goes up. Governmental and educational entities in the state of Arizona can realize the benefits of doing business with preferred vendors by soliciting quotes and proposals from companies through the State Purchasing Cooperative.

If your presentation system stops working four days before an in-house conference, you likely have better ways to spend your time than digging up warranty information and troubleshooting the source of the problem. Researching technology investments can be a hassle, but managing and maintaining them for years can be a big commitment. How do you ensure that your audiovisual (AV) equipment, in particular, runs smoothly for years to come? You don’t have a crystal ball to tell you what’s going to go wrong, but the next best thing is to partner with a service provider that will make sure you have the right plans and agreements in place. When a customer purchases and installs new technologies, they will receive warranty information and offers to maintain their new system. The customer, the manufacturer, and the service provider are three sides of the triangle that will keep your equipment running optimally. However, “that triangle is sometimes difficult to understand,” says Mark Teifert, Director of Service and Support at Level 3 Audiovisual. Buyers may not know what’s included in warranties or who will be responsible for what. Here is a simple breakdown of terms to make sense of it all and feel confident about the long-term care of your audiovisual investments.