Interactivity and Collaboration through A/V.

Q&A with Alan Brawn

We sat down with Alan Brawn, principal of Brawn Consulting, for his weigh-in on professional A/V business in the education market. Here’s what he had to say:

Almo Pro A/V: What are some of the current education trends?

The difference today is the growing acceptance of instantly and continuously accessing information from a variety of mobile devices and the realization that these technologies can be used inside of the classroom.Alan: Perhaps the biggest technology trend in education today is interactivity and collaboration among and between the students and teachers. This comes from a student’s life outside of the classroom with their cell phones and portable devices, being a touch away from accessing information, and sharing information with a social network of friends.

If we carry this over to the classroom, we see a proliferation of short throw projectors that produce a large image and are two feet or less from a wall or projection screen. We also see an increase in the use of flat panel displays in the classroom. In both cases, the displays can be used as an interactive white board. Information from a PC can be shown, annotated, and saved as files then can be accessed for future reference or shared online.

Tablets and e-readers are also becoming more popular, taking the place of traditional print materials. This is not only a savings in dollars spent on printing but it is good for the environment as well, and in the process, it allows instant access to millions of documents and books and permits editing and sharing on the fly.

Almo Pro A/V: How do these trends compare with those from the recent past?

Alan: The difference today is the growing acceptance of instantly and continuously accessing information from a variety of mobile devices and the realization that these technologies can be used inside of the classroom. The ubiquitous cell phone has already become the social connection device of choice as well as the first line of collaboration in our everyday lives and in a very real sense has spawned a desire to have all things be just as interactive, collaborative, and touch-sensitive. We have a unique opportunity to expand the use of interactive technologies to help teach our students in a manner that they are familiar with and readily accept.

Our AV version sees short throw projectors and flat panels in a classroom with interactive capabilities and touch sensitivity just like a cell phone or tablet but on a larger scale. We have seen over the last year a proliferation of the e-book readers that are inexpensive, durable, and give educators access to millions of books and periodicals at the stroke of an interactive touch, and we are about to see touch tablets get down to an affordable price. All of these products will be capable of interacting with our AV systems.


Almo Pro A/V: What are some of the greatest challenges that resellers, integrators and consultants in the education market are facing today?

Almo: There are two. First, the “comfort” paradigm, which refers to the natural hesitation concerning change. This tendency impedes progress even when the benefits stare us in the face. Further is making people aware of what technology can actually do in the classroom and overcoming the technophobia that is very real in people of all age groups. The job here is making people aware that technology is their friend and assistant and not a random gadget to be bought and then abandoned because of a lack of understanding about its potential uses.

The second most pervasive issue refers to the commoditization of the educational market from both a sales and a purchasing perspective. Many are reluctant to go after educational business because it is bid business at low profit margins leaving no leeway for true system design and service after the sale. A projector is a projector, a screen a screen and the lowest bidder wins. This short changes the concept of integrating technologies into sophisticated systems where the teacher can take advantage of the tools newly available to him or her. It is imperative for those of us in the AV industry to find ways to demonstrate that a simple display and mount are but the most basic components of a true educational technology system.

Almo Pro A/V: What are the greatest opportunities in education for these AV professionals?  

Alan: The single greatest opportunity is to go in and revive a lackluster business in the educational sector by telling a new story. In this case, the story involves the convergence of application, technology, and price into a unique sales and service opportunity to truly make a difference for educational institutions of all types.

My advice to AV integrators is to collect all the technology tools available and demonstrate what is truly possible. Do not describe…demonstrate! From all-in-one AV/IT technology mobile carts to advanced work stations controlling full classrooms -- let the demos begin. How about showing those short throw projectors with interactive white board capabilities and network collaboration features and benefits? Or the interactive flat panels with built-in computers? Finish it off with software that brings it all together at the behest of the teacher to help make those crowded classrooms more manageable.

Almo Pro A/V: What skills and training do AV professionals need to succeed in the education market?

Alan: InfoComm’s 2010 market survey notes that one of the biggest obstacles in the world of AV/IT is a growing need for an educated and qualified sales force. The good news is that organizations like InfoComm, ISF-C, and DSEG offer a plethora of impartial, vendor-neutral courses to take along with certification programs like CTS, ISF-C, and DSCE to name a few. These certifications are recognized throughout the industry, but more importantly,
 they impart the knowledge of all of the components, design and interaction considerations that go into an AV/IT system while conveying a level of professionalism to the customer.

In addition, most manufacturers today have their own training programs and some have their own certifications. Three that come to mind are AMX, Chief and Christie Digital. Companies like these recognize that their growth is dependent on an educated and qualified group of professionals representing their products. The bottom line is that it is not enough to know the spec sheet; you now need to know how each and every product solves a problem or gives the customer a capability they did not have before. It is also critical to have an understanding of how all the products work together.

Almo Pro A/V: Where does an AV distributor provide the most value?

The old model of calling 1-800-Send-Me-A- Display and receiving a spec sheet and a price quote is no longer viable or appropriate.Alan: The AV industry has evolved from a manufacturer-direct business model into a manufacturer-through-distributor model. The genesis of the evolution was that manufacturers could no longer adequately service the dealer/integrator base in a meaningful manner. Understanding the need to provide continuing support in a new era of “value added distribution” is upon us.

The old model of calling 1-800-Send-Me-A- Display and receiving a spec sheet and a price quote is no longer viable or appropriate. With the complexity of the convergence of AV and IT and the need for complex systems design to address a plethora of technologies seamlessly interacting with one another, the handwriting is on the wall -- at least for some distributors who go against the tide.

Using your company as an example, Almo Pro A/V began with a clear understanding of its role in the manufacturer/distribution equation and created a value-added business strategy to meet goals. This has included a multi-level approach beginning with hiring and developing an educated and industry-certified sales staff. Next, the decision to focus on a limited number of technologies and manufacturers and invest time in knowing those lines and representing them in a thorough manner on par with the knowledge level of vendor partners. Almo understands that price is one thing and cost is yet another and total cost of ownership in a system can often be traced back to the original selection of products. The professionally-trained team is uniquely qualified to provide information that makes the AV integrator’s life a little less stressful by providing a true partnership and not just a box arriving on a loading dock. Last but not least, the understanding that the business is still based on people and relationships.

If others choose not to follow suit then there is at least one distributor who has made the paradigm shift in the right direction.