Tips for planning an AV installation project in 2021
Worcester | 2021
Soaring demand for AV technology to install. Production delays. Supply chain issues. Labor shortages. These are all part of the current, pandemic, business landscape. Sure, these topics are all over the news – parts aren’t being produced, shipping boats are bottlenecked outside of port, there’s not enough people to unload the cargo or truck drivers to deliver the goods. Warehouse and retail shelves are empty because supply can’t keep up with demand. As a result, prices are rising on just about everything.
Take a closer look at the back story to understand how the current economy comes into play when you’re in the process of planning for an AV installation…
Soaring demand
The increase in demand for live streaming equipment has skyrocketed as organizations and churches have attempted to accommodate desire for in-home event viewing. Avoiding close contact and in-person events has been the norm in accordance with CDC pandemic guidelines, so with most organizations converting to virtual, almost simultaneously, the supply system became severely strained. Throughout the pandemic, it’s been a rarity for items such as cameras, controllers, and switchers to be in stock, ready for purchase. Now, the shortage has spread to include other electronic items, such as audio, video, and lighting equipment.
Production delays
Many of the parts required for production of AV equipment originates out of places like China, who, like many other nations, have also been hit hard with the pandemic. With sickness and quarantine mandates overcoming so many manufacturing facilities, production lines have slowed or come to a halt altogether on some items. Without these critical components and parts, product assemblies for other items can’t move forward to be shipped. In fact, some major AV manufacturers have stopped taking new orders all together until they can get caught up. Some of the lead times are expected to be up to a year away!
Supply chain issues
Issues with the supply chain involve getting finished products to the market. Trucking, shipping, receiving, stocking are all suffering from delays. Hours of operation for many businesses have been shortened to make time for sanitizing, or simply as a result of people being unable or unavailable to work. The prices of fuel have increased, driving the costs of propelling product to the market more expensive. In turn, the costs of the products have increased because of the inflated charges incurred from shipping and scarcity of parts. Some retailers may have been impacted by the rising product costs and are unable to carry certain items any longer.
Labor shortages
The pandemic has caused a mass shortage of labor across the board in all industries. Labor shortages are resulting from many different reasons, including but not limited to COVID illness, layoffs, strikes, family care needs, alternate job paths, and choice unemployment. These labor shortages translate to not enough workers in manufacturing, trucking, shipping, delivery, sales, installation, and service.
One example of the labor shortages is evident in the event production industry. Millions of event production laborers and skilled AV technicians suddenly had no jobs when the event industry came to a grinding halt at the beginning of the pandemic. Those people still had bills to pay and families to support, so they sought employment elsewhere, leaving behind a gaping void when events resumed.
So again, what does this mean for you, planning an AV installation for your organization?
Here are some tips to help set expectations…
Schedule in advance. Expect that an Integrator may not be able to make a site visit to your organization for a few weeks. Don’t put off making an appointment if you have a set timeframe for your project.
Plan ahead. If you’re going to want a demonstration of any specific technology, request that demonstration for the same day as your site visit. Otherwise, you may have to wait again for another appointment to be available.
Ask questions. Ask how long your price quote is good for, given the rapidly changing prices of product and labor. Ask if certain items are in stock and available before committing to ordering. Ask what the lead time is expected to be on products not in stock.
Be flexible. A flexible schedule will allow the Integrator to schedule more fluidly as time permits, possibly getting your project done ahead of the planned time. The more people’s schedules that have to be involved in the process, the more difficult it could be to settle on a timeframe.
Pay promptly. If you’re planning an AV project, you’ve also planned for the funds to pay for the work. Prompt payment will allow the Integrator to order necessary product in a timely manner, assuring that what was quoted as being in stock is still available for you.
Keep in mind that the Integrator is only one cog in the operation. Other factors influence the Integrator’s ability to provide the chosen products on the desired timeline. In short, the quicker you are to act and the more flexible you can be will result in a better overall experience for your AV install project.
