Why it pays to engage a professional audiovisual consultant
The most ardent audiophiles spend countless hours obsessing over every minutia of their audio system, right down to screws, shock absorbers and the impedance of the cables.
Admittedly the journey of self-discovery is part of the charm, but sometimes all we want is to kick off our shoes and have Sir Duke serenade us after a long day at work.
To that end, a professional audiovisual consultant is essential. The multifaceted nature of their skillset is such that experienced consultants are worth their weight in gold.
Modern audiovisual systems are complex and often require competency in other areas – even a simple matter of establishing a stable Wi-Fi connection for your speaker system can be more convoluted than it seems.
Andy Kennard is the founder of AV Intelligence, a professional audiovisual consultancy and retail store. With over 11 years of experience handling clients from all walks of life, including commercial projects with private clubs like 67 Pall Mall and 1880, Kennard is more than well equipped to handle a little grilling from us about what to look for in a professional audiovisual consultant. And like the consummate professional that he is, Kennard was happy to oblige.
“I do find it really interesting that in the years that have gone by our heart is AV equipment but now most of our products involve elements like acoustic treatment and automation, CCTVs and really high-grade Wi-Fi,” he muses.
One thing hasn’t changed for him though – it’s not uncommon for visitors to pry information from him and his staff and then attempt to do it themselves. Likewise, it’s not unexpected for these same people to seek help after a few months when something goes wrong.
Disassembling your faulty set-up, then driving down to a service centre located in an obscure industrial park on a weekend morning does little to improve your mood, and spending the rest of the afternoon trying to get the service staff to understand the crux of the problem makes for a rather bitter icing on an already sour cake.
The hassle of handling complex audiovisual systems is reason enough to leave the chore to professionals – especially when they offer on-site servicing as part of their after-sales solutions. And this is where Kennard and his firm offer value in a competitive market – big or small, they will take care of all of your audiovisual-related issues.
Furthermore, a consultant’s willingness to offer such seamless assistance implicitly suggests that their solutions are fairly robust to begin with. “Because that’s our level of service, and with our customer service promise, you can imagine that we’re more careful to make sure that these components work well together,” he explains.
Regardless of whom you approach for your hi-fi needs – be it Kennard or his peers in the industry – you need to be confident in the knowledge that they are always looking to offer solutions that work best for you.
When working with a trustworthy and capable consultant, they help you see past the pleasures of gear that offer superficial gratification; they’ll ask the right questions focused purely on the solutions that matter. And when required, they’ll come up with creative solutions for your ambitious projects.
This is especially so when working with an interior designer, where there’s a need to balance aesthetics with function. And that’s where seasoned professionals earn their salt – respecting the principles of design and through their wealth of experience, and finding a creative solution so the client enjoys the best of both worlds.
More so than just technical nous, Kennard is of the view that good consultants should impress on people that they are helpful as well, even if it means having to refer a potential client elsewhere if necessary. “I want you to be happy, and one day you’ll come back and buy something from me; or you’ll tell your friends about the good experience. Yes, it’s about knowledge, but I think it’s really about the mentality.”
This story first appeared in the November 2021 issue. Purchase it as a hard or digital copy, or consider subscribing to us here
