The digital age has made a big difference in the way AV companies do business now compared with even 10 years ago. Today, show organizers rely on their AV partners for the latest in technology that exceeds the traditional AV role.

TRENDS IN AV

One-stop shopping: Because technology has advanced, AV companies are no longer about just projectors, lighting and screens. Most have incorporated more IT services to become turnkey resources for meetings and trade shows. Where computer rentals and session tapings were once handled by separate vendors, the AV company may now provide total content management by videotaping sessions for later use on Web sites or broadcasting via the Web for hybrid meetings, supply digital signage and handle all computer needs from cyber cafes to local area networks (LANs) and computers for all meeting rooms so that presenters don’t have to hook up their own laptops.

More AV in product theaters and in booths: Whether in product pavilions or in individual booths, show organizers and exhibitors are using more AV to attract, educate and sell customers. The increased use of plasma screens, touch-screen computer programs and other AV equipment to push new products is an important growth segment for AV companies.

IN-HOUSE VS. YOUR OWN PARTNER

In-house AV providers have the advantage of knowing the facility and its personnel well and should be able to provide timely, well-coordinated assistance. They may not pay a fee to connect to the in-house power and sound systems. However, they generally pay a hefty commission to the facility and this has to be included in the rates. In-house is a good choice if your AV usage is small or if there’s no national AV provider nearby. If you work with a national company, you’ll be assigned a manager who with time will know your show and meeting needs and can anticipate issues. Multiyear contracts should ensure more favorable pricing. The vendor may be less familiar with the facility and the local labor market. (If the company has a local branch, local technicians may not be an issue.) Out-of-house vendors usually will be charged for access to sound/electrical systems, and that will add to the pricing.

COOL STUFF

■ LPD — laser phosphor display — by Prysm, is a flexible, large-format display. Think of a wall of constantly changing video in a convention center hallway to celebrate an association’s anniversary or a sponsor wall for a trade show floor. It uses phosphor-scanning lasers to create brilliant picture quality, while featuring low energy consumption and long-lasting, low-maintenance operation. Touch-screen software engages attendees in everything from directional kiosks to product information in booths and provides speakers with freedom from keyboards.

■ Higher-quality light-emitting diode (LED) productions for shorter distances.

■ Better cameras and displays for 3-D productions (for increased learning advantages in medical training, for example, as well as for creating a wow factor in large-scale events).

■ High-definition and widescreen presentations. Washing walls with projection floor-to-ceiling for exciting atmospheres.

■ E-posters. Electronic versions of posters, typically used in scientific meetings, that can be downloaded and viewed on a Web site.

7 AV NEGOTIATING HINTS

1. Don’t agree to the same number of hours for set up and tear down (strike) labor. Set up takes two or three times longer (because equipment has to be tested, adjusted and retested) than strike labor. Agree to no more than 50 percent of set labor time for strike labor.

2. Watch for and delete a “liquidated damages” clause in your facility or hotel contract. If you’re bringing in your own AV provider, an in-house preferred supplier may want something like 5 percent for “lost opportunity” when you don’t select them.

3. Ask for a schedule of power and rigging fees. These are often negotiable but overlooked.

4. Don’t agree to pay for more than you need. If you need a 5K projector and a 10K is all that’s available, you should still pay only the 5K rate.

5. Ask for a guarantee that the final bill won’t exceed the estimate by more than 10 percent, unless you have authorized changes.

6. Don’t be afraid to ask for trade-offs. If the AV company is making additional money from your exhibitors’ orders, it may be willing to provide your cyber café for no charge or make other concessions.

7. Be realistic. Don’t expect state-of-the-art technology for slide projector prices.

THE GREENING OF AV

Greener AV is a priority of Midori Connolly, CEO of California-based Pulse Staging & Events and an advocate for greener meetings. Although AV is often overlooked in the discussion of greener meetings, Connolly points out:

•LED lighting uses only 10 percent of the energy required by a 60-watt incandescent bulb and has an extremely low thermal output, making it cooler for speakers under the stage lights and saving on air conditioning costs.

• Cutting-edge Class I amplifier technology saves almost half the energy required for traditional amps while increasing sound quality and generating only one-tenth of the heat.

• Video projectors that have a standby mode can save 35 percent in energy consumption in an eight-hour day.

• Generally, the newer the equipment, the more energy efficient it is.

GETTING THE BEST FOR LESS

■ Concentrate on what you want to accomplish rather than what equipment you think you need. Share your strategic goals and a budget range and let your AV partner propose solutions to give you the most bang for your buck. Ask for estimates to include two or three option levels for meeting your goals.

■ Especially where labor union costs are involved, install in the morning if possible for opening in the afternoon, so you can save labor costs. To avoid overtime hours don’t start too early or end too late.

■ Using a company with multiple locations can help save on billed travel costs.

■ Look at “show rates” versus “per day” rates and be aware that you may be able to get better rates in the summer months when demand tends to be lower.

■ Know your program. Schedule speakers with same or similar AV needs in the same room, so equipment can be set and not moved.

■ If you have an audience of fewer than 1,000 people, keep the projection on the floor. It’s much more expensive to “fly” the equipment on lifts.

MORE ON EXPOWEB.COM

Get the Basics

Check out the Convention Industry Council’s Web site (www.conventionindustry.org/glossary) and under “Choose a Category,” select Audio Visual Technology to view a primer of AV terms from acoustics to zoom lens and everything in between.

MEET THE EXPERTS

Vicky A. Betzig, Meetings Industry Consulting, (262) 641-9537 • Noreen Burke, Corcoran Expositions, Inc.; (312) 541-0567, www.corcexpo.com • Midori Connolly, Pulse Staging & Events, (760) 738-0300, www.pulsestaging.com • Jim Russell, Freeman, (214) 623-1344, www.freemanco.com • Paul Wedesky, PSAV Presentation Services, (214) 210-8044, www.psav.com