In the world of sales idioms, you never want to compare “apples with oranges”, but you always want the salesperson to “sharpen their pencil.” You don’t want to compare two unlike things, but you do want to make sure you get the best possible price. So, in the world of audio-video design, how do you know that you are comparing apples with apples and making the right purchase for the right price?
Most people are not in the business of purchasing entire audio-visual and lighting systems, so it’s hard for them to know what they are getting themselves into. Our typical clients want to know things like: Will the audio-video system meet my needs? Will it become outdated too soon? What gives me the most bang for my buck? How do I know I’m buying the right gear? These a great questions to ask.
Ask a salesperson, and they will tell you what you want to hear: this product is “future-proof”, it’s the best product out there, it’s a great price, it puts men on the moon, and so forth. But remember that their job is to sell product. When you get a quote for an AV system from several different design-build firms, you are comparing apples with oranges. These firms rep different lines of equipment and have different rates for installing it. There are a million ways to write the quote, so you will never know if you’re getting the right system for the best price.
If you’ve spoken with an Acoustics By Design employee lately, you know that one of our catch phrases is that “we don’t sell anything.” This is a good marketing slogan, but what does it mean? It means that ABD is an independent consulting firm: we don’t sell any products or represent any lines of equipment. We don’t get kickbacks from anybody. You pay us for our time, and in turn, we give you the expert advice you need. And the advice we give you is based on your best interests, your needs, your goals, your budget – your unique situation. Why? Because we work for you and nobody else.
As we work with you, we design an audio-visual system that fits your needs and your budget. That means when local AV contractors bid on the system, it becomes an apples to apples comparison. In the end, we make the same decisions you would have made, if you had our years of experience and engineering skills. So it is true: at ABD, we don’t sell anything; we help you buy the right things. How do you like them apples?
