The first day back on campus was always going to be strange for educators. It was a difficult year of lockdowns and awkward online classes conducted from my bedroom. However, nothing excited me more than seeing my students’ faces for the first time in months, even if they were half-covered with a mask. I knew since the first week of the pandemic that it was important to get my faculty Covid-compliant as soon as possible. I did some research and want to share one of the best Classroom AV control systems here which I know I’ll be relying on long after the pandemic is over.
The first thing I realized when swapping over to Neets is just how much time I previously wasted with IT troubles. Nothing is more frustrating than coming to a venue ten minutes before a class, only to have to spend a good chunk of the lesson waiting for support to come to fix a stray wire that is stopping me from presenting. Before Neets, I wasted at least a full class every semester just trying to get everything to work. Now, I know that I can start teaching as soon as I need to.
What’s even better is that the installation in our department included a product called the UniForm. Lecturers across the world know exactly how frustrating it is to present with a remote that’s five years past its replacement date. The wall-mounted solution from Neets allows me to quickly switch devices between presenting in-person and online. This was a nightmare before! Now, with the simple press of a button, the devices reconfigure automatically. It also helps that the device has a slick Scandinavian design and an understandable interface, which is a massive improvement over the dozens of awkwardly placed wires and different remotes we had to use before.
Recently, I decided to look at how I can update my company to meet the challenges of these unprecedented times. My company employs around 30 individuals and is steadily growing. With more and more employees being able to return, I took an honest look at what our office was lacking and figured almost all those issues could be solved by updating our conference rooms. I want to share my experience of looking at current market solutions, and why I ultimately decided on Neets, on which you can read more here.
When exploring options, I was dissatisfied with how impersonally most companies chose to present themselves. I needed an option that could meet my needs, the biggest of which was integrating an AV system that could alternate between presentations and online meetings. The second thing I was surprised with was how a lot of AV companies lack integration between products. One company sent me an exuberantly high quote. When I asked for an explanation as to why I was going to be charged for two different software installations, I was told that I would not just be billed for one control system, but two separate systems. In other words, I would have to pay double, for twice the inconvenience!
Meets, on the other hand, immediately grabbed my attention. They clearly appreciate that a client’s needs are going to be different between home, classroom, and office settings. The representative was friendly, and I started with the integration of a BraVo control system which works perfectly. The pricing was more than reasonable for something that single-handedly feels like it brought my company into the 21st-Century. Needs products also come with dedicated software to integrate devices that none of my employees have an issue with.
Even though I work with technology every day of my life, I came to resent it when it came to presentations. We all know how it goes; being the poor soul stuck in the audience, watching a meeting drag on because some stray wire is stopping a video’s sound from playing. And let me tell you as someone with a deep fear of public speaking – it is even worse for me than it is for you. For how commonplace presentations in the workplace are, they sure are picky about when they decide to work smoothly.
Then my company swapped its AV systems entirely to the Denmark-based Neets, and I realized something remarkable. Because I did not have to worry about fiddling with wires, and because I could be confident that my presentation would display exactly how I wanted it, a lot of my anxiety disappeared. Do not get me wrong, the nervous anticipation is still there, but the moment I start presenting I feel like my ideas can come through with clarity and confidence.
A great conferencing or meeting room. Even the wall colour and furniture have a considerable impact on the quality of discussion you can have from within a room. Remember, the mood of the room is important.
Simplification of the communication and collaboration process is extremely important. Ensure that your employees can easily connect to meetings, interact with the AV equipment, and don’t get confused when using their own devices or workplace devices within the AV system.
It’s usually a good practice to audit the performance of your AV system by taking routine feedback from the employees using the system, especially the remote employees and any freelancers you might have.
The first thing I realized when swapping over to Neets is just how much time I previously wasted with IT troubles. Nothing is more frustrating than coming to a venue ten minutes before a class, only to have to spend a good chunk of the lesson waiting for support to come to fix a stray wire that is stopping me from presenting. Before Neets, I wasted at least a full class every semester just trying to get everything to work. Now, I know that I can start teaching as soon as I need to.
What’s even better is that the installation in our department included a product called the UniForm. Lecturers across the world know exactly how frustrating it is to present with a remote that’s five years past its replacement date. The wall-mounted solution from Neets allows me to quickly switch devices between presenting in-person and online. This was a nightmare before! Now, with the simple press of a button, the devices reconfigure automatically. It also helps that the device has a slick Scandinavian design and an understandable interface, which is a massive improvement over the dozens of awkwardly placed wires and different remotes we had to use before.
Recently, I decided to look at how I can update my company to meet the challenges of these unprecedented times. My company employs around 30 individuals and is steadily growing. With more and more employees being able to return, I took an honest look at what our office was lacking and figured almost all those issues could be solved by updating our conference rooms. I want to share my experience of looking at current market solutions, and why I ultimately decided on Neets, on which you can read more here.
When exploring options, I was dissatisfied with how impersonally most companies chose to present themselves. I needed an option that could meet my needs, the biggest of which was integrating an AV system that could alternate between presentations and online meetings. The second thing I was surprised with was how a lot of AV companies lack integration between products. One company sent me an exuberantly high quote. When I asked for an explanation as to why I was going to be charged for two different software installations, I was told that I would not just be billed for one control system, but two separate systems. In other words, I would have to pay double, for twice the inconvenience!
Meets, on the other hand, immediately grabbed my attention. They clearly appreciate that a client’s needs are going to be different between home, classroom, and office settings. The representative was friendly, and I started with the integration of a BraVo control system which works perfectly. The pricing was more than reasonable for something that single-handedly feels like it brought my company into the 21st-Century. Needs products also come with dedicated software to integrate devices that none of my employees have an issue with.
About Neets
Three things you need to know about me – I am an entrepreneur, a gamer, and I absolutely hate public speaking. I signed on to a small gaming start-up a year ago, and because of our limited staff, I sometimes need to take the helm when interacting with clients. I remember the first time I had to take a client to our conference room for a presentation on 3D animation. My hands were visibly shaking as I tried to get everything set up, and the moment I realized the video was not displaying, my legs were ready to collapse. All of this – and I had not even begun speaking. Within the last year though, we switched to an amazing new audio-visual company (which you can read about here), and I have slowly been learning about how good technology can make us all better speakers.Even though I work with technology every day of my life, I came to resent it when it came to presentations. We all know how it goes; being the poor soul stuck in the audience, watching a meeting drag on because some stray wire is stopping a video’s sound from playing. And let me tell you as someone with a deep fear of public speaking – it is even worse for me than it is for you. For how commonplace presentations in the workplace are, they sure are picky about when they decide to work smoothly.
Then my company swapped its AV systems entirely to the Denmark-based Neets, and I realized something remarkable. Because I did not have to worry about fiddling with wires, and because I could be confident that my presentation would display exactly how I wanted it, a lot of my anxiety disappeared. Do not get me wrong, the nervous anticipation is still there, but the moment I start presenting I feel like my ideas can come through with clarity and confidence.
What else do you need to create a good commercial AV system?
A little bit of training. But with good systems such as those from Neets, you can check that off. Good AV systems come preset for automation and don’t require additional support and IT training.A great conferencing or meeting room. Even the wall colour and furniture have a considerable impact on the quality of discussion you can have from within a room. Remember, the mood of the room is important.
Simplification of the communication and collaboration process is extremely important. Ensure that your employees can easily connect to meetings, interact with the AV equipment, and don’t get confused when using their own devices or workplace devices within the AV system.
It’s usually a good practice to audit the performance of your AV system by taking routine feedback from the employees using the system, especially the remote employees and any freelancers you might have.
