IT professionals are notoriously busy as more tasks and technologies sneak their way under the umbrella of IT’s responsibilities. In fact, according to this Spiceworks survey, 40 percent of IT pros said they plan to switch jobs because they’re burnt out. As an IT manager, you could use a sidekick of sorts to make your work easier—but who can help you meet the challenges of too much work, too little budget, and increasingly complex systems?
An often overlooked solution is the audiovisual (AV) integrator. IT management and AV integration are complementary fields, as they are now interconnected in many environments. A big misconception is that AV is under the IT umbrella. AV is a distinct specialty trade, and integrators are highly trained professionals, knowledgeable in video and audio technologies and how they can all work together. AV integrators provide services that include:
- Technology selection
- Solution design
- Equipment installation and integration
- Control and automation
- Project Management
- Collaboration and communication solutions
- Support services
- Managed services
But what does that mean for IT? It means they can help you combat some of your biggest headaches. Do you face any of these five challenges? If so, there are ways an AV integrator can assist.
1. Are you overworked?
IT responsibilities are wide ranging and cover a slew of complex technologies. This results in constant demands for your time. When your workload is unpredictable as well as heavy, you could use some way to offload and simplify tasks.
How a qualified AV integrator can help:
AV integrators can oversee the installation, troubleshooting, and management of your AV solutions. They can also incorporate centralized control and automation of those technologies so you spend less time managing them.
2. Concerned about going over budget?
Almost half of IT projects go over budget. Managing AV projects is a lot to ask when you also need to manage everyday tasks as well as work on long-term goals and initiatives.
How a qualified AV integrator can help:
Experienced AV integrators help ensure that technologies are integrated to maximize efficiency and user productivity. This means you not only get a higher return on investment, but integrators can help ensure projects run smoothly from the start. If AV integrators are involved from the get-go, they can help ensure that technologies are integrated, standardized, and easy to control and manage—cutting down on long-term costs.
3. Are you worried about breaches and breakdowns?
Security and unexpected support issues can weigh heavily on the minds of IT pros. The more solutions you add the equation, the more you expose your organization to security risks and operational failures.
How a qualified AV integrator can help:
Bringing an integrator into the mix adds an extra layer of security. They know where the weaknesses are in collaboration and communication systems, and they can offer security services. They can also offer support and managed services so you don’t have to drop everything when equipment needs servicing, repair, or replacing.
4. Are your AV systems complex?
AV integrators can help you simplify. They can ensure technology consistency and standardization, and they can help you control it all from one interface.
How a qualified AV integrator can help:
A qualified AV integrator will know how to interface with various solution providers. They specialize in making all parts of a system work as a whole, so they also know how to work with other professionals, like manufacturers, designers, engineers, architects, facility managers, contractors, etc. Their ability to see the big picture and make everything function well together simplifies your job and the user experience.
5. Do you know where to find help?
If you decide you would like to learn more about AV integration services, you may be wondering how to start.
How we can help:
PSNI can help you identify elite integrators and manufacturers all over the world. PSNI (Professional Services Network International) is a global alliance of elite technology integrators, manufacturers, distributors and service partners. PSNI’s integrator members view their relationships as partnerships.
Like any good partner, a superior integrator will place priority on its relationships. Consider reaching out to your local PSNI integrator to see if working together makes sense for your organization. They can answer your questions or offer ways to make your work life easier.
