Using the hotel A/V staff .

When staging for an event, the question always comes up about whether to use local techs.  Don’t be fooled, using a local isn't the issue. The issue is about cost vs. performance. It's about the cost saving of unknown performers vs. using vetted techs, people whose skill level, personality and client presentation have been established as expectable -- known vs. unknown at comparative cost. 

If you use an unvetted tech, someone who does not know your process or SOPs, he's going to require a lot of hand holding at a time when you have precious little time to spare, just to get to even a functional operational level. Further, an unvetted tech leaves you with less resources to manage last minute changes to presentations, loading presentations to the proper equipment, synchronizing presentation transitions and dealing with any abnormalities that require an interaction with the hotel. 

With an untrained / unvetted tech, you are likely to be left with one incapable of dealing with any equipment above a first echelon level and certainly ill prepared to deal with crisis. He's not likely be able to operate more sophisticated gear, i.e. video switching or routing, recording. (audio or video), webex and teleconferencing equipment. For us, a tech at this level is a very real liability.

With all this in mind, let's start the process of planning by establishing exactly what is to be accomplished. Let's establish a benchmark scale of acceptable performance. Let's say that at one end of the scale we have a demanding client who expects everything to go perfectly, including last minute changes and being able to turn on as dime. Let's say that this is a client who expects a 100 percent or more performance. 

At the other end of the spectrum, lets establish a client who runs a very loose meeting, one that is low budget and he doesn't use much more than rudimentary equipment and doesn't expect much in technical ability. Let's say his meetings require 20 percent performance. Having made the distinction of what we want to accomplish, we can access what it will take to meet our client’s needs. 

To this point, cost has not been a consideration. Certainly, there are clients who do not expect much. They'd be happy with a 20-50 percent performance. For them you have room for errors. For others, not so much. 

What counts here is assurance, quality, service and the ability think on your feet (think innovation). Yes, cost is an issue, but not until you've decided on what you want to accomplish -- this must be determined before any decisions can be made -- you can't project without a projector, you can't record without a recorder and it takes planning to know what and when things will be needed. 

Once you've established your goal, accessed the technical needs required to accomplish your goal, then you can access the technical skills and talent required to meet adequate levels of performance. It is then that we can talk intelligently about costs, not before. 

The process is generally pretty much the same for accessing the needs to accomplish any goal and its related costs. There is a logical, systematic, scientific process that has stood the test of time. It must be addressed. 

The process begins with defining the client’s needs and expectations. Then figuring out just what it will take to meet the client’s expectations. Will he be happy with less or does he require more? What level of performance of going to please your customer?

What it Takes to Make it Work

To produce a successful meeting, hundreds of the right decisions have to come together all at once. A single element can derail the entire project. Is the room large enough to seat your guests comfortably and in safety? Is the ceiling height going to provide you with an adequately sized screen? What are the acoustics of the room like? Will your audience be able to hear clearly? These are but a few of the considerations that every successful meeting must address.

And, it takes as much planning and understanding of the restrictions and opportunities to plan even the smallest of meetings. Whether it a meeting of twelve or thousands every word must be heard, every graphic, illustration and all text must be considered. If we can’t communicate the message, there is no reason to host a meeting.

At ZKI Communications, we will take every issue concerning your event into consideration and give you options that make sense.

It’s Like Speaking a Foreign Language

Do I need all of this? It depends. It depends on what you’re trying to accomplish.

Audio/Visual Technician often speak a different language. They talk about XLR, VGA, RGA, db, mbps and Mbps. When you are specifying your Audio/Visual needs, it’s a good idea to discuss your needs with someone who speaks the language.

“The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter— ’tis the difference between the lightning-bug and the lightning.” Mark Twain

It’s to your advantage to speak with a trusted professional (in any field of endeavor especially Audio/Visual) about what it will take to accomplish your goals, someone who knows:

□         How large a screen you will need to accommodate your audience

□         How much sound reinforcement will you need to be heard, clearly

□         How much internet will be enough to meet the needs of you event

□         How big a room you will need to accommodate your guests comfortably and safely

□         What is a fair price to pay

Like so many things in life, Audio/Visual, at first blush, may not seems so complicated, but it is. Audio/Visual production is a blend of art and science that cannot be learned by reading a few good books. It takes years, even decades to understand the nuances.

When it comes to Audio/Visual production, you don’t necessarily get what you pay for. Sometimes your over charged, but more often you are under served. Subject Matter Experts are an integral part of every business. Get to know someone who knows what their talking about, someone you can trust. If you’re going to be in the meetings business, you’re going to need to know someone who knows the score.

Small Meetings . . . Where the Real Work Gets Done

Small meetings, especially during cliental trails, are where the real work gets done. This is where decisions about what’s import and what isn’t are made, what messages are essential and must be conveyed are. While these meetings are usually small and informal, they are the back bone of the business at hand.

Yet, all too often they are treated as insignificant. Budgets for these meets are minuscule. Too often technical support for these meetings are simply overlooked. Audio reinforcement, such as speakers, microphones, and recordings aren’t even considered. The information of the people who are unable to attend is ignored when a simple WebEx could bring vital information to the fore. Text and graphics are too often projected or delivered with substantially less than adequate attention.

At ZKI we understand the significance and important of these smaller meetings. We put as much effort and attention in to these meetings as we do for the plenary sessions. Every consideration is made to make the message easy to understand and memorable. It is our responsibility to see that the message is delivered with the highest quality possible. We take that responsibility seriously.

How to Manage the Cost of AV – Addressing Sound Reinforcement

It's difficult to write about this topic without offending someone. Yet, I can assure you that is not my intention. My goal to share some thinking about the investment in your meetings. Borrowing a few sentences from a Forbes article, I'd like to establish the thought to be considered: Why technology is vital to your meetings.

“The meeting was held for a compelling business reason in the first place. The investment was made to drive an expected outcome (or you’d never host the event at all).  The big picture here isn’t just the costs, it is the return-on-investment and overall gain (or loss).”

Facing the challenges of dwindling budgets, the scrutiny of costs and the need to communicate with your audiences, the challenges can be overwhelming. However, here are a few things consider when budgeting your next event.

First address the purpose of your event. In a word, it usually boils down to communication – delivering a message to your audience. And if your purpose is to communicate, anything that gets in the way of that communication is the enemy of your efforts. Accuracy is the paramount issue. If you’re communications fail, your event is a failure – simple when you consider it

So, let’s look at just what it takes to deliver your message. As the title of this article states, I’m going to confine those elements during this conversation to the Audio/Visual needs of your event.

Essentials

First and foremost, you must be heard. In most cases that means that you’re going to need a sound system adequate for your audience to hear you clearly.

Addressing the Sound System

Just because your audience can hear you speak, it doesn’t mean that you are communicating. To get your message to the audience, it’s imperative that it is high quality sound. Every word needs to be hear clearly. How many presentations have you heard that the presenter sounded like he was mumbling, that though you could hear him speak, you couldn’t understand most of what he was saying. Those are the effects of a poorly designed sound system.

It’s important to spend enough money to insure your message is heard. One of my biggest complaints about event planners is that they’re willing to spend a fortune on coffee breaks and dinners while skimping on the sound reinforcement. If you need to move some money around, start here.

Microphones Are Essential

When you consider how important it is for your audience to be able to hear you, don’t think for a minute that a microphone isn’t necessary. While most conversations take place within five feet of each other, consider how much louder you’re going to have to speak when addressing someone twenty, thirty, fifty, even a hundred feet away.

You might be able to do it a few minutes, but few can do it for very long. Also take into consideration the effects of turning to the side and not directly facing your audience. Microphones are your best bet for being heard and understood.

Then there is the issue of the audience questions. You want to be able to hear the questions clearly and you want your audience to hear the answers to the questions. Make sure you have plenty of microphones available to questions and answers as well as healthy discussions.

The Technical Aspects of What It Takes

Audio is a mixture of science and art, it takes years, sometimes decades of practical experience to get good at it. But, it isn't voodoo.

At its most basic level the first thing you want to do is measure the sound pressure of the ambient sound in the room. This is easily done with a free app for your phone.

Once you know with what you are competing you have a benchmark with which to work.

The rule of thumb is that you want 20db of sound reinforcement above the ambient sound of the room. With that information, you can design a sound system that will assure your voices will be heard loud and clear. (Of course, it's a little more complicated than that, but it is where you start.)

For an advisory board meeting where dozens of people are seated around a "U" shaped conference table, speakers will often be seated more than thirty feet from their audience and a microphone

is certainly a good investment. As such I would recommend one microphone for each of two seated at the table, another for the moderator and one for the presenter.

While this, at first blush may sound excessive, it isn't. When the message is important enough to call of meeting of decision makers, insuring that every word is heard clearly is the most important consideration.

In Summary

I have written several articles concerning technical aspects of planning of events. However, in this article I’ve only addressed the need for a high-quality sound system and the use of microphones. Look for my other articles that address the need for visuals and how to manage those costs.