Prepare For a Successful AV Deployment With These Five Site Readiness Tips
Abraham Lincoln once said, “If I only had an hour to chop down a tree, I would spend the first 45 minutes sharpening my axe.” This statement is extremely important to the Radiant Technology team. In fact, this sentence is so important itis one of several mantras that live as a reminder to us on our office wall.
We take the same approach to project orchestration and deployment. We coordinate with our customers to prepare all teams (ours and yours) for onsite work but unexpected issues have the potential to arise and lead to change orders and delays. With the help of our project managers, we have compiled a list of the top ways customers can prepare for successful AV deployments:
Most AV equipment requires network compatibility to function properly. By including IT stakeholders in the design process, you alleviate many problems during project deployment. IT staff help navigate security concerns and create network/product alignment. End users also provide valuable insights during the design phase. Understanding how people regularly use collaboration systems in an organization ensures operational outcomes are met. End user inclusion also helps solidify training and user guide needs after deployment.
Allocate the necessary funds and time required for a successful AV deployment. Quality AV solutions do not translate to lowest cost, and saving money up front does not guarantee the installed system will work as you expected in the long term. It’s important to establish a budget up front, so our designers can create a solution that meets your operational goals within your spending boundaries.
It’s also important to consider the amount of time needed to successfully deploy an AV system. When AV is part of a construction project, the installation team is expected to be onsite and complete the work around the other trades. This approach can be problematic because AV solutions cannot be properly installed if the space isn’t ready. Valuable installation time is often lost because the ceiling hasn’t been installed or because the paint on the walls is wet.
Time can also be wasted onsite when network access is not available. Since AV equipment requires network access to work as intended, network connectively must be available when the AV team is onsite to install the systems. Your IT team can assist by supplying network login information, IP addresses and security information prior to project installation. The AV programming team requires enough time to thoroughly test and commission systems to ensure proper functionality. If the testing and commissioning phase is rushed, functionality may be compromised. When functionality is impaired, your return on investment suffers because end users won’t use a system that does not properly work.
At Radiant Technology, we take the time to truly understand how your teams collaborate and communicate. We design and deploy AV systems to help you meet and exceed your operational goals. When we send a project proposal to your team, we are looking for alignment. It is our hope that all key stakeholders review the proposed solution and ask questions.
Our knowledgeable business development managers and design engineers work to answer any questions your team may have. We want to get it right the first time, so getting clarification during the proposal review helps to avoid change orders during the installation process. Gaining alignment before you sign off on a proposal ensures all parties understand which components make up the solution and how the system will function after installation.
Sometimes a change must occur even after all parties have gained alignment. Change orders may increase the overall cost of the project, but they can also impact the time required to complete the deployment. Scope/functionality changes could require additional programming time, and changing equipment means ordering and waiting for new product to arrive. As industry-wide supply chain issues persist, many AV products are on back order, which also extends the deployment process.
Delivering products directly to jobsites will not improve delays. In fact, delivering AV equipment to the jobsite does not allow our team to pre-build and test the products in our Centralized System Build process. Rather, when delivered onsite, you are adding steps that create work delays in other areas of your deployment.
Before installation, your assigned project manager conducts a site readiness visit to ensure the space is ready for our installation team. We send teams of 2-4 technicians depending on the size and scope of the deployment. Our team then communicates with your point of contact throughout the deployment process. When issues arise, the point of contact should be available to answer questions, address concerns and make decisions when necessary. By having open lines of communication, we can ensure a smooth, successful deployment.
Do you have a trusted audio-visual partner looking out for you? We have 20 years of experience and will use Our Proven Process to help you navigate the complexities of your collaboration projects. Tell us about your next project and start the conversation to see if we are a good match.
