A successful AV system design starts with an informed customer

A recent winch-screen installation in North DevonIt’s fair to say that, when it comes to the world of AV, it is easy to become quickly overwhelmed by the often-complex jargon that is prominent throughout the industry. APi Sound and Visual, specialist audio-visual installers for the church and heritage markets, want to ensure customers can access information they understand. No technical language, no in-depth explanations of the internal workings of equipment, just straightforward answers of what something is, what it does and why it is important (or not).

APi’s sales director Stephen Neath knows how important that understanding can be. “Often, customers have a poor grasp of what they require because they cannot access information which explains things in a way which makes sense to them,” he explained. “This means they cannot always bring ideas to discuss with me or my colleagues when we meet them in their building.”

Therefore, APi has launched a new campaign to create information aimed at churchwardens, facility managers, members of the clergy and everyone in between that presents those complex concepts and terms in plain English. As church and heritage AV specialists, APi hopes that having the information available will lead to customers who have a better idea of their requirements and potential solutions, which will in turn lead to even more successful projects.

“I am one of those people who spends a month researching something before I buy it because I like to know what I’m buying and if it is right for me”, Stephen continued. “I strongly believe that this should be possible for customers who come to us looking for a new sound, projection or streaming system. As much as they have invited me to visit as a specialist to provide a quotation, they know their people and building much better than I do, and I want them to understand what I am recommending and why that is the best option.”

APi has already seen an upturn in interest since launching a new section on its website – a dedicated free learning hub for customers to visit at churchsoundsystems.co/learning-hub. It is hoped it will allow customers to get a better understanding of equipment and terms which they hear during a free site visit or which are described in the detailed quotation they will receive.

APi’s Learning Hub“There is so much information out there on AV, but almost all of it is directed at tech geeks like us – not at the people in our market who will be using the equipment every week,” Stephen continued. “We have also spent time filming short videos on our social media and YouTube which give people simple, understandable information in response to quickfire questions, with all the technical jargon left in the case.” A reference to the Case of Questions videos APi has been sharing on their social media.

One such video which gained a good response was a short clip where Stephen explains phantom power, how a hearing loop works and options for fixing equipment which does not involve damaging a listed building: all within a two-minute video.

APi Sound and Visual pride themselves on the custom solutions that they can offer. Stephen concluded: “We install specialist products that are difficult to envisage, so sending someone a video of our custom motorised swing-out screen arm or a case study of a system we have installed in a building similar to theirs is a great tool for us.”

Any prospective customers of APi will receive an email with information and videos related to their enquiry for their perusal before a representative from APi carries out a free site visit, where the different options for their new system will be discussed.

• If you have a question you would like APi to cover in their learning hub, or answer directly, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.churchsoundsystems.co