What Questions Should We Ask an AVL Consulting Company?
Don't start with, “What brands do you sell?”
Ask how they decide what a church needs.
Ask about the process before the products
Ask what their process looks like before they recommend equipment. Ask who will design the system. Ask who will install it.
Ask how commissioning works. Ask whether system tuning is included. Ask what training looks like. Ask what happens after launch.
Ask how they approach volunteer teams. Ask whether they can work with equipment you already own. Ask how they handle changes during a project.
And ask them to explain why they are recommending something.
You should understand what you're buying.
One of the warning signs we watch for is a solution that appears before anybody has spent time understanding the problem.
An AVL partner shouldn't feel like somebody walking around a car lot trying to move you into the most expensive model you can finance.
We think the better analogy is driver's education.
First, understand where you need to go. Learn how the system works. Give your team the skills to operate it.
Then choose the vehicle that actually fits the trip.
Churches don't need more equipment sitting in racks.
They need Sundays that work.
That's the standard we would use when choosing anybody to help build them.
Need help making Sundays easier?
Identify where the problem starts with Ignite's church AVL evaluation and consulting and build a clear plan for your equipment and team.
Keep reading
About the author
Chris Eslinger is a founder and partner at Ignite Sound + Stage and Creative Production Director at Greenwood Christian Church. A contributor to Technologies for Worship Magazine, he helps churches improve audio, video, lighting and volunteer workflows through practical, hands-on training.
Read Chris's Yamaha DM7 mixing console review in Technologies for Worship Magazine.
Comments